'97 S40 Turn Signals

[shortshrift]

Hi,

The turn signals (and hazard warning lights) in my '97 S40 have stopped blinking. They now come on continuously instead.

I wanted to replace the Flasher Unit (but was defeated by poor access and being unable to pry it from its retaining clips).

I've taken the car to a local garage who are insisting on replacing the Hazard Warning Relay rather than the Flasher Unit.

I've found an online expert who appears to agree with this diagnosis: "The [turn signal] flasher is in the hazard switch, which then controls the relay."

But I studied the circuit diagrams, and can only see the one flasher unit (above the driver's footwell fusebox), and the hazard warning unit is represented just as a dumb switch/relay unit.

So how do I reconcile the expert opinion with the circuit diagrams? If I was to follow the circuit diagrams, I would assume the hazard warning unit to be basically irrelevant to a problem of illuminating (but non-blinking) indicators, and focus on the Flasher Unit.

I'm a bit concerned that the garage is ordering the wrong part, and I'll end up paying for the part and its installation... and then waiting for them to get the right part in and paying for that as well.

Thanks in advance!

[sebaveh]

Hazad switch by air vents is just a switch. They do fail, but not in such manner that lights would be constantly on.

Flasher unit is also prone to fail and so it is in your case. Apparently relay itself has remain welded together.

So no big deal, change the flasher unit from fusebox like you found it and thats it. Don't let them charge you more than this!!

[shortshrift]

sebaveh,

Thanks. Much appreciated.

That was my reading from the circuit diagram.

I can see that the Hazard Warning Switch is an integral component of the system as it supplies the DC IN terminal of the Flasher Unit to switch it between feeding from IG1 +ve for turn signal operation and the always-on +ve for hazard warning operation.

But the Hazard Warning system does not contain its own flasher relay, and could not be responsible for the turn signals becoming continuous instead of blinking.

I dropped by the garage with the circuit diagram, and gently suggested that according to the circuit diagram only the Flasher Unit could be responsible for this failure.

Reply was some rancid BS about the circuit diagram (Volvo official) only showing the primary circuits, and that he had already tested the Hazard Warning Switch and proven it was responsible and was just now waiting for the part to complete the repair.

Got sent away with a flea in my ear.

And I don’t know what position I’m in either when his ‘repair’ proves pointless... I did say that from the circuit diagrams I didn’t think it could possibly be the Hazard Warning Switch and could he please replace the Flasher Unit, but he overruled me with his “I’ve already tested the Hazard Warning Switch and proved it’s responsible” gambit.

Ah, cr*p!

[sebaveh]

BTW, Flasher Unit is also responsible for ticking sound when seatbelt is off. And whole flashing light system is still a classical "Bosch" version, the same for the last 70 years. So basically, any flasher unit with 3 terminals should work. Only fitting problem would be a retaining clips...

[Rufe]

A pretty common fault on this model is the flasher relay, causing the indicators and hazards to stop flashing. There was a time a few years ago we used to sell these pretty often for this exact reason.


To clarify, it is this part here (not the hazard switch):

But I studied the circuit diagrams, and can only see the one flasher unit (above the driver's footwell fusebox), and the hazard warning unit is represented just as a dumb switch/relay unit.

If needed, we at FRF Volvo can supply these at the discounted price of £21.83 including Vat, plus postage (£2.50 Royal Mail 1st Class Recorded Delivery)

If anyone is interested please contact us on either of the numbers in my signature below, quoting Discount Code 'C3' when calling to identify yourself to us.

Simon