Turn Signals and hazards do not come on

[HARDCHARGER81]

After Googling around for the last few hours, it seems that there's a few threads spread across several forums regarding this problem. I hate to beat a dead horse, but I'm new to Datsun's as I ended up with my particular 280Z in a trade for some off road parts.

Overall the car is in awesome shape and appears to have been well loved by its previous owner(s)

More amazing to me is that everything in the car works, it starts and runs great.

But since the day it rolled into my shop, about 2 weeks ago, the turn signals and hazard lights do not come on. The headlights work, all the gauges work, brake and tail lights, side markers come on. Hell, even that stupid light under the hood works.

On the advise of what I read I went ahead and sourced a used hazard switch since these cars seem to be wired very odd and that's a common issue. I plugged it in and still have nothing. I probed around with my multi meter and it would seem I have 12 volts everywhere I'm supposed to.

I haven't really dove into the turn signal switch just yet, as I'm not sure that's where my issue is yet, but I've read they can be brought back to life with some patience, so that might be where I go next.

The car is very stock, down to the original space saver spare and can of tire inflator, so I have my doubts that there was some hack job at work.

Any help or link to a good thread on this would be greatly appreciated. I'm really digging the little guy and I'd like to keep him around as I'm used to working on and driving trucks and heavy equipment.

Thanks again.

The new guy, Jake.

[EuroDat]

Hi Jake,

Welcome to the club.

I had the same problem you are having, but as you already sugested and check, my problem was the harness connector to the hazard light switch. If you are getting power, it could be the flasher can? Something common to all indicator lights.

Here are some handy links that might help you track down your problem.

FSM (Factory Service Manual)

XenonS30

280Z Colour Wiring Diagram Rev K.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/electrical-s30/13131-color-wiring-diagram-280z.html

The last revision has a couple of changes for the Hazard light relay. I had it printed on A1 paper and use it in the garage a lot. Thanks to Wayne (wal280z) for the effort he put into it.

PS I would love to have one of those tyre inflators, some people have all the luck. Oh and that "stupid light under the hood" is one of those funky little Datsun things we Zed owners have grown to like.

Cheers

Chas

[SteveJ]

After Googling around for the last few hours, it seems that there's a few threads spread across several forums regarding this problem. I hate to beat a dead horse, but I'm new to Datsun's as I ended up with my particular 280Z in a trade for some off road parts.

Overall the car is in awesome shape and appears to have been well loved by its previous owner(s)

More amazing to me is that everything in the car works, it starts and runs great.

But since the day it rolled into my shop, about 2 weeks ago, the turn signals and hazard lights do not come on. The headlights work, all the gauges work, brake and tail lights, side markers come on. Hell, even that stupid light under the hood works.

Okay, those are all different circuits, powered off of different fuses from the turn signals and hazard lights.

On the advise of what I read I went ahead and sourced a used hazard switch since these cars seem to be wired very odd and that's a common issue. I plugged it in and still have nothing. I probed around with my multi meter and it would seem I have 12 volts everywhere I'm supposed to.

That description doesn't really tell us what you found.

Use the attached copy of BE-10 to follow along with what I wrote below.

1. With the hazard switch unplugged, you had 12 VDC to ground on the green wire? (If not, check the fuse for the turn signals and the fusible link.)

2. With the hazard switch plugged in and the turn signal flasher unit unplugged, you had 12 VDC to ground on the green/yellow wire? (If not, use #3 to confirm.)

3. With the hazard switch unplugged and off, did you have continuity on the hazard switch plug where the green and green/yellow wires would go? (If not, you still have a bad hazard switch. You may be able to take it apart and clean it.)

4. With the hazard switch and flasher unit plugged in, did you have 12 VDC at the white wire in the steering column? (If not, you have a bad flasher unit.)

For the hazard lights, use the attached copy of BE-11 to follow along with what I wrote below.

1. With the hazard flasher unit unplugged, do you have 12VDC to ground at the red/white wire? (If not, check the fuse for the hazards and the fusible link.)

2. With the flasher unit plugged in and the hazard switch unplugged, do you have 12VDC to ground at the green/blue wire? (If not, you have a bad flasher unit.)

3. With the hazard switch plugged in and switch ON and connector C-7 unplugged, at the C-7 connector do you have continuity between the green/blue and green/black wires or between the green/blue and green/red wires? (If not, you have a bad hazard switch.)

Do those tests as I described, report the results to us, and we can probably give you a better idea of what to do.

Please note that there are two flasher units in your car. Make sure you note the wire colors so you select the correct flasher unit for each series of tests.

1977 Turn Signal Circuit.pdf

1977 Hazard Circuit.pdf

[HARDCHARGER81]

Thanks for the quick replies guys. I got busy with paying jobs today, so no Z car play time. I will go through the tests as you described Steve and post back tomorrow. Wish me luck.

[HARDCHARGER81]

Still playing catch up on paying jobs as I've had the flu recently. But I'm eager to get back to nailing this thing down and should have something useful to post this weekend.

There's a few hazard switches for sale on eBay, and I've been tempted to buy one, but I'm worried with how finicky these switches seem to be I'd just be trading a bad one for a bad one.

Also, where is the fusible link located physically on the car?

Edited February 6, 2014 by HARDCHARGER81

[SteveJ]

Send a PM to Zs-ondabrain, aka Dave Irwin. He might have a good hazard switch. I know he wouldn't sell you a bad one. They can also be cleaned up. This is what I did with an early style hazard switch: Early Hazard Switch | Fiddling With Z Cars