Re: Strange turn/signal light behaviour

["Dean Wegner" <dewegner@xxxxxxxxx>]

I've had a similar problem on my '96 RT.
The contact point on the center electrode of the bulb was coroded and not
making a good contact.
I could tell it was the front bulb, because I could see it stop flashing.

Open up the turn signal and take out the bulb.
Gently clean the corrosion out of the socket.
Gently pry the tang at the bottom of the socket UP so it makes better
contact with the bulb.
Replace the bulb if the center electrode is completely gone, and if you are
in the mood for replacements.  Its recommended to use OEM bulbs.
Put a little di-electric grease on the electrode to reduce the corrosion.

This is not a permament fix.  I think the bulb sockets are way too cheap so
the problem will come back in about a year.
I don't replace the bulbs, just because I'm usually in a cheap mood when
this problem crops up.

HTH

Dean Wegner


On 12/6/06, Cees de Groot <cdegroot@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> On my '99 R1100RT, my turn signal lights often start blinking on
> double speed after a couple of seconds of performing their regular
> routine. I know from my old airhead that BMW has wired the lights so
> that they do this when one of the bulbs break, and I recall that
> oilheads have the same feature. However, when I check when this
> happens, both bulbs work so something else must be causing it. As it
> happens irregularly (but more and more often), I can't really test all
> the conditions. Also, my alarm light switch seemed to have stopped
> working (but pressing both turn buttons works as expected).
>
> The only thing that's "odd" is that my battery is a bit weak. To the
> point that it seems to affect the ABS self-test at times - I need to
> ride a couple of miles, stop, re-start, and then the ABS comes back
> on. Could the weak battery be causing the odd turn signal behaviour or
> should I start looking for other causes?
>
> (and with winter coming - what's a good -and sourceable in the
> Netherlands- replacement battery?)

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End of oilheads-digest V3 #181
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