Headlamp flasher function

[valhalla]

I have re-checked the manuals, but thought I might just ask the question here to be sure;

Headlamp flasher function (i.e. the intermittent main-beam operation on the column stalk) is inop on a customer's car. As far as I know, under the headlamp-switching section of the manual, there is no requirement for the flash-function to work, as long as the column stalk gives a clean switch from dip-to-main and vis-versa?

It wouldn't be too much trouble to track this down, but I know that the owner will want to submit this for a test ASAP.

[remmington]

I reckon it would pass an MOT without "flash"

As long as you have clean "switch and hold with blue idiot light and working high beams" - I doubt anybody would notice on an MOT test.

[oli]

When did they become standard features on cars?

My 1985 Land Rover 90 doesn’t seem to have one. It switches dip to high beam, but only if the headlights are already switched on. To flash (ooh er!) I have to switch the headlamps on then off manually, but the switch is on the steering column anyway - hence why I assumed that was how it was meant to be. (It doesn’t even use a relay, just a direct switch - which I know is original rather than a bodge…or at least it’s a designed in bodge!)

Oli

[OldGit]

I had a 1964 MG Midget which had the 'pull to flash' and 'push to latch' stalk so given that the switchgear was of the same lineage, I'd expect any BL / Rover derivative to have the same functionality - there were some cars of that era which had a dip/main footswitch but still had the flash on the indicator stalk - IIRC the Rootes group had the screenwash pumped by a rubber bulb in the drivers footwell....

Anyway, the 'pull to flash' puts the high beam on irrespective of the lighting state, whereas the dip/main only works when the headlights are on (if you 'pull to flash' when the headlights are on, it activates the high beam whilst the dip is still on, giving you double the light output on a T/H headlight), If it is considered a 'warning device' then it needs to work regardless of the lighting state of the vehicle, I'll ask one of our tame testers on Monday, my opinion (as someone that's managed to avoid the poisoned chalice of being elevated to the status of MoT tester) is that it should work as intended.

[OldGit]

valhalla Asked two of our testers about this, apparently the flash function isn't a requirement of the test, as long as they switch from dip to main & back again, that's fine.

[valhalla]

Thanks for all the replies - it's always worth checking on these points!

Oddly enough, the switching-over function of the column switch is clean and true, which is a little bit odd, as ( as OldGit correctly surmised above) this is one of those BL combined stalks that often goes a bit limp on that part of the travel.

The switch itself is not expensive - this is the standard Lucas unit that retails for around £30 in various connector-guises to suit various BL cars.

I suspect that the problem is in the fused supply to the column switch, as that is provided on a separate path to the main headlamp wiring for the Defender (which is the vehicle under investigation here). If I have time, I will try to fix this before the owner takes it for an MoT, otherwise it will just have to go onto "the list" for this vehicle later in the year.