Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators

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Fri 17 Mar 2023 19:27
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - OceanMan

Hey everyone

I have a ford fiesta and I've enumerated many of its faults in many threads here. One, that I've had since owning it is really starting to raise my dander. When I put the left indicator on, it stays on until I take it off (by pushing the stalk up), physically. Just today I did a loop around my house and took four left turns after touching the stalk once. However if I want to put the right indicator on it doesn't stay on at all unless I hold the stalk up with my hand (difficult to do when turning) or manipulate it very delicately into place.

I haven't got a clue where to start with this as its a difficult thing to Google. A friend who is a former mechanic said that it's "not an easy thing to fix" and could cost £200+. If that's the case I'd rather put up with it, if it's something more reasonable I'd like to try fixing it myself or paying someone else to do so.

Has anyone got any suggestions? I'd love to get it fixed but as its an old car I'm not sure it's worth spending too much on.

Thanks!

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Fri 17 Mar 2023 19:47
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - elekie&a/c doctor
Sounds like the stalk/switch is faulty. Should be able to get a s/ hand one . How old is the car ?
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Fri 17 Mar 2023 20:18
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - Adampr

If you remove the shroud from the steering column and turn the wheel, you should see the self-cancelling mechanism. If it's not the switch as suggested, it may be that it's broken. I guess asymmetric behaviour would suggest the switch though.

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Fri 17 Mar 2023 20:52
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - OceanMan

Thanks for the answers. It's 14 years old. What would the suggestion to fix it be. Switch the witch? Or put a new stalk in?

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Fri 17 Mar 2023 20:53
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - Andrew-T

Presumably the steering wheel is straight ahead when the car is not turning ? The self-cancelling is designed on that basis. If you have got used to driving with the wheel 'at 11 o'clock' that may well explain the problem. Easily corrected at a garage.

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Fri 17 Mar 2023 21:10
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - elekie&a/c doctor
Indicator switches on E bay from around £15 .
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Sat 18 Mar 2023 18:42
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - OceanMan

Presumably the steering wheel is straight ahead when the car is not turning ? The self-cancelling is designed on that basis. If you have got used to driving with the wheel 'at 11 o'clock' that may well explain the problem. Easily corrected at a garage.

Ah yes. The wheel alignment was wonky for years before I bought it (was my ex partners car) and I never realized the two problems could be linked.

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Sat 18 Mar 2023 19:16
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - elekie&a/c doctor
Even if the steering wheel is not fully centralised, it doesn’t stop the indicator switch from locking into left or right positions.
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Sat 18 Mar 2023 00:23
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - Ana William

It sounds like there may be an issue with the turn signal switch in your Fiesta. The switch is responsible for controlling the turn signals and may be malfunctioning, causing the left turn signal to stay on and the right turn signal to not stay on.

Replacing the turn signal switch may be a solution to this problem, but it can be a complicated and time-consuming process. If you are not familiar with automotive repairs, it may be best to take your car to a mechanic or dealership to have the switch replaced.

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Sat 18 Mar 2023 11:58
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - edlithgow
Could be dirt in the column switch detent. mine it locates with a ball bearing clicking into a nylon angle moulding. Cleaning, possibly silicone grease, might fix

Some Internyet guides suggest spraying contact cleaner into it. This might well embrittlle the plastic and cause the whole b***** thing to fall apart. Don’t do it.

Fixability is inversely related to how integrated it is. If all the functions are integrated into a single multi switch, you might have to replace the whole thing
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Sun 19 Mar 2023 09:15
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - FiestaOwner
However if I want to put the right indicator on it doesn't stay on at all unless I hold the stalk up with my hand (difficult to do when turning) or manipulate it very delicately into place.

....A friend who is a former mechanic said that it's "not an easy thing to fix" and could cost £200+. If that's the case I'd rather put up with it, if it's something more reasonable I'd like to try fixing it myself or paying someone else to do so....

.....I'd love to get it fixed but as its an old car I'm not sure it's worth spending too much on.

To pass the next MOT, does the indicator switch not need to lock into all positions? If it jumps to the off position itself, is that not a fail?

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Sun 19 Mar 2023 09:23
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - Andrew-T

<< To pass the next MOT, does the indicator switch not need to lock into all positions? If it jumps to the off position itself, is that not a fail? >>

I doubt it, unless the regs have been tightened up. As long as the correct indication can be seen outside it should pass ? Plenty of cars have self-cancelled early for long enough.

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Sun 19 Mar 2023 09:29
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - _

Made in a BMW factory by mistake?

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Sun 19 Mar 2023 09:42
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - FiestaOwner

<< To pass the next MOT, does the indicator switch not need to lock into all positions? If it jumps to the off position itself, is that not a fail? >>

I doubt it, unless the regs have been tightened up. As long as the correct indication can be seen outside it should pass ? Plenty of cars have self-cancelled early for long enough.

It's not self cancelling early. It's turning off as soon as the OP lets go the switch.

"...if I want to put the right indicator on it doesn't stay on at all unless I hold the stalk up with my hand (difficult to do when turning) or manipulate it very delicately into place."

Also, don't think you could expect a MOT tester to "manipulate it very delicately into place".

Be interesting if an MOT tester could comment on this. I did look up the MOT manual, but couldn't see explicitly that the indicator had to remain on.

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Sun 19 Mar 2023 09:55
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - elekie&a/c doctor
As an mot tester in a previous life , I would have to pass and advise this issue. There’s nothing in the test manual that specifically relates to the indicator stalk has to lock into position for operation. There are plenty of cars out there that don’t lock on , but the indicators continue to work correctly . If it’s the switch that’s the likely culprit, then it’s going to cost way less than £200

Edited by elekie&a/c doctor on 19/03/2023 at 09:57

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Sun 19 Mar 2023 10:07
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - FiestaOwner
As an mot tester in a previous life , I would have to pass and advise this issue. There’s nothing in the test manual that specifically relates to the indicator stalk has to lock into position for operation. There are plenty of cars out there that don’t lock on , but the indicators continue to work correctly . If it’s the switch that’s the likely culprit, then it’s going to cost way less than £200

Thanks for clarifying this Eleckie. To my mind it should be a fail, but accept that if tested to the rules, then it is a Pass and Advise.

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Sun 19 Mar 2023 16:53
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - OceanMan

Yes, the car has had this issue for 6+ years and it's never been listed as even a minor defect or mentioned by.a tester. It baffles me because I did think would cause a fail on the test, but the rules is the rules I guess.

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Fri 4 Aug 2023 18:21
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - OceanMan

So I got this fixed when my car was in for its b******sed head gasket. The total bill was £600. £30 of which was the indicator stalk! So I'd been enduring this issue for about five years for no reason!

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Wed 13 Sep 2023 09:38
Ford fiesta - Problem with indicators - Tim Skerry

I can’t help with your problem with the stalk not returning from a left signal unfortunately. Mine was the opposite - it wouldn’t stop signalling right. That was after the switch clicked back to the middle position but had just a little upward play allowing it to make contact still. I fixed that by taping a 15g weight to the back of the stalk. Just enough to keep it in the right place but move both directions. I used an M10 nut and double sided tape but I’ll get a thin bit of lead sheet as it’s less visible. You might be able to fit a rubber band to bias yours upwards if you remove the shroud.

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