Intermittent indicator, wiper, problem on W202 C Class

[M Paul Lloyd]

I did a search but couldn't find anything on this.

After 15 years without so much as a sign of bother I found that the indicators became erratic, stopping and starting at random which I'm sure you can imagine is a bit worrying when you are half way around a busy roundabout.

I immediately suspected the flasher relay was faulty but discovered that giving the steering column a good thump cured the problem temporarily and then the windscreen wipers started acting up so my attention became focused on the combination switch, after all it seemed logical at the time that this was the source of the problem.

So I chose to replace said indicator, wiper, dip beam combination switch. This cost me some £75+ from Euro Parts and it is no simple task to replace as the steering wheel, airbag and such has to come off to facilitate access and then it all has to be put back without upsetting anything electrical in the process. Anyway job done and all seemed ok, for about two days when the problem returned.

It turns out that the 'flasher' relay also controls the windscreen wipers, washers along with the heated rear window and a few other items I can't just call to mind right now. Suffice to say that I bought one of these relay units for £50 and after removing the combined fuse box frame and relay housing cover (no idea why they designed it that way?) which although not entirely straight forward is a darn sight easier than changing the combination switch.

I replaced the relay and that has fixed the problem, but I could not help feeling that I had wasted £75 on a new switch I really didn't need after all. :cry:

So a word of caution to anyone out there who is unlucky enough to suffer this problem, don't assume, check.

 

[television]

Yes this N10 relay has come up 3 times today,,often just re soldering the PCB will fix it,,you could post me your old one and I can check it for you

 

[M Paul Lloyd]

Hi Malcolm, that is most kind of you to offer and I will certainly bear it in mind thanks.
I have had a a look myself (once I got the cover off that is, Lol) and cannot detect any dry joints or signs of corrosion, indeed it looks brand new to be honest, hardly what I expected after 15 years of use.
I'll get my Avo to it in due course and see if I can't track down the problem.
A pity that so many relays are all in one 'basket' as it were, time was you could replace each one individually but I guess its progress.

 

[Dec]

Had the same issue myself Paul, have a look at the thread below.
http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=62702

Dec

 

[M Paul Lloyd]

Splendid post that Dec, such a pity it didn't come up on my search really, but then that's life I guess. I'll have a closer look at those soldered joints and I may end up with a decent spare.

 

[Dec]

It didn’t show up in a search as it was only posted last week, I you see you had the same symptoms as myself, I bet it will be the same joint that is broken. Will be interested to find out the result, let us know how it goes.


Dec

 

[bob9761]

indicator

My left side indicator flashes continously when not turned on even if i signal right and cancel it the left one is still flashing

 

[Dec]

I’m not familiar with your model car and don’t know if your car is set up in the same way as the one in the link above. As SAM said in your other post it sounds like relay or stalk, relay being easier of the two to investigate first.

Would suggest you drive with your Hazard lights on all the time until you get some further advice on fixing the fault. If you have to drive, you are better off driving around with your Hazard lights on and using hand signals than in the current situation.

Dec

 

[Mr Ben Z]

I have the wiper problem on my 1997 w202. The intermittent wiper setting doesn't work and the wiper blade parks wherever it is when I turn it off on the other settings. I checked the N10 relay and can't see any broken connections. Maybe I didn't look closely enough as only with naked eye, but I can actually hear the relay clicking as if the wiper is working when I put it back in and turn the wiper to position 1. Should I still hear this if it was a faulty connection problem?