Right indicator stopped working ST1100w 1998, any suggestions?

[walrus89]

Hello all, I'm in need of some very specific indicator wisdom.

Indicators have played up since I've had the bike. Switch sometimes works, sometimes doesnt, right indicator almost always needed to be double or triple switched on to work and then held in place.

Garage said they did some contact cleaning in the left handlebar control box, the switchgear I believe its called? But it hasnt fixed.

When the ignition is turned and I can turn the left signal on with the slide switch, it doesn't stay on, I have to hold it, and when the right signal is switched it makes a little click somewhere in the electric system but no indicator.

If the left signal also doesnt stay on would that suggest something is going on in the control box itself? Switch is buggered? Contact cleaner didnt do anything?

I had a little look at the plastic cover that houses the switches and the two screws are easy enough to remove but opening it up feels like I'm forcing something and don't want to break it as I don't think you can get spares for these anymore.

Any suggestions from the community? If I open up the box and put some contact cleaner on? Maybe the switch itself is dying.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[ST1100Y]

Contact cleaner didnt do anything?

Being tempted to ask "...what have you done to it?...", plus methinks just "soaking" things might not cut it...

Besides: any possible "custom" modifications (damage) to the wiring harness, or even a former plod bike...??

Plus: UK -> winter use -> corrosion on the oddest places and items... plus possible being parked outside all year long... (nah! A tarp/bike cover just traps the humidity inside...)

Besides the obvious replacement of bulbs, I'd also inspect the bulb sockets, the front ones in particular...
pop the mirror housings off, twist the socket out, remove the bulb... if contacts and bulb casing/solder spots show white oxidation, clean all and preserve with some ACF-50...
As said, just soaking the switch isn't sustainable... best to take it apart, clean, lube plastic parts with silicone grease, metal ones with marine grease, and contact patches with a tiny drop of ACF-50...
You might even find a broken wire/soldering joint in there, victim of long term corrosion...
Another possible source of culprit might the the flasher relay itself; located behind the RH side cover you might either find corroded connectors (again ACF-50 deals with that and prevents further corrosion),
or the flasher relay itself is worn down (would be very rare but who knows...), tapping it with the handle of a screwdriver sometimes "cures" it for a short time, confirming its demise...
Another spot to inspect would be the connector block behind the steering head... where wires from the handlebar switch-pods get plugged into the bike's main harness...
Accessing those requires removal of the air-box from the carbs, and as said above, vulnerable to that corrosive winter road-brine fog condensing everywhere...
Again: inspect for corrosion, possible broken wires and preserve with a whiff of ACF-50...

 

[Erdoc48]

I had similar problems on my 2000 several years ago- I tried cleaning the switch and it helped, but just temporarily. I ultimately changed out the switchgear on the handlebar (which is a pain to get to the connection point -as above, you need to remove the false tank cover to gain access to the harness plug, which is just behind the steering stem and under the rubber mat and once you’re there, it’s a challenge to unplug the old one and plug in the new one)- all that said, mine has been working fine since the switch was changed out.

 

[wjbertrand]

Bad indicator relay/flasher? I think these were still electromechanical on the 1100s.

 

[jdmccright]

I've fought with my turn signals as well, and like you the right was worse than the left, especially when cold. But here's what I did to improve it and I didn't replace the switch.

1) gave it a thorough disassembly and cleaning. Scrubbed all the little pieces with toothbrush and carb cleaner to remove old grease. Any contacts got a rubbing with scotchbrite pad. Reinstalled and applied some wax-based spray chain lube, let it air dry then closed the switch up. Take photos if you're unsure how it goes back together. There's some small bits, so work slowly so you can see how they go together.

2) replaced the relay with this plug-in replacement. I had felt that it would work better once the circuit "warmed up" by leaving it on and not cancelling the signal. I would flick it, then wait and wait, and finally would turn on. Replacing the relay ended that long wait: https://www.ebay.com/itm/364796571674

Ever since it has been working. There is a perceptible delay sometimes, but it hasn't failed to turn on...of course as I write this the next time I try it it'll fail.