4 WAY FLASHER PROBLEM - BX 23

[LBrown59]

Washed the tractor about an hour ago and now the 4 way flasher lights keep coming on even with the switch turned off.

I can turn the switch on then back off and the lights will stay off about 15 seconds then start flashing again

What's the problem anyone know how to fix this?

 

[DMW]

You may have got water in the electrical connection from the switch to the wiring harness. I doubt it would be the switch itself. Disconnect the battery and unplug the signal from the harness, dry it out and reconnect. I had a similar problem in the past and fixed it by putting some heat shrink tubing over the connector for protection from the weather.

 

[Stef]

My former BX did the exact same thing. I removed the fuse to let the connections dry and replaced it later.

I must admit, it's quite impressive when it starts to flash in the middle of the night for no apparent reason. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[Berniep]

This happened to me. It was water in the switches themselves. It was still doing it TWO WEEKS LATER.
Here is what I ended up doing:
Push them up from under the dash, you might have to squeeze the retaining tabs a little to get them free. I then drilled two holes in the bottom of each switch. I drilled in the blank areas where more electrical tabs would go. Then I blew air through them with an air compressor. Just to be safe I sprayed some water displacing lubricant(WD-40 or similar) in the holes and then blew that out too.
At first I only did the 4way switch but I noticed that my headlights would come on with the key until I cycled the headlight switch so I decided to do the other two switches too.

This is a common problem, I think they should use sealed switches. Maybe they do on the 24.

 

[rdsaustintx]

It's water in the switch, same thing happens on mine when I wash it.

How in the world do dealers just leave them out in the rain? /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

Russell

All WOT, all the time.

 

[LBrown59]

<font color="green"> How in the world do dealers just leave them out in the rain? </font>
<font color="purple"> Same goes for all the tractors setting out in the open fields 24/7 year in and year out. </font>

 

[Av8r3400]

It has only been discussed a dozen times over here and "elsewhere."

Do NOT use a pressure washer or direct hose spray on the dash of a BX or the switches will act up.

As Ken said, rain does not fall up! That's why the dealer outdoor parking doesn't generate this problem.


/forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

 

[TOMLESCOEQUIP]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( <font color="green"> How in the world do dealers just leave them out in the rain? </font>
<font color="purple"> Same goes for all the tractors setting out in the open fields 24/7 year in and year out. </font> )</font> Those are heavier tractors with heavier wiring with the heavy duty switches that use a heavier set of internal contacts that are further apart, thus not affected by light amounts of water.

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( This happened to me. It was water in the switches themselves. It was still doing it TWO WEEKS LATER.
Here is what I ended up doing:
Push them up from under the dash, you might have to squeeze the retaining tabs a little to get them free. I then drilled two holes in the bottom of each switch. I drilled in the blank areas where more electrical tabs would go. Then I blew air through them with an air compressor. Just to be safe I sprayed some water displacing lubricant(WD-40 or similar) in the holes and then blew that out too.
At first I only did the 4way switch but I noticed that my headlights would come on with the key until I cycled the headlight switch so I decided to do the other two switches too.

<font color="red"> This is a common problem </font> , I think they should use sealed switches. Maybe they do on the 24. )</font>
<font color="red"> COMMON to what : Just the BX , Kubota . or all tractors?
</font>

 

[LBrown59]

<font color="brown"> Got the 4 way flashers working but the head lite switch won''t turn the head and tail lights off. </font>

 

[DMW]

I have a MF GC2300 and it happened to me within a month after delivery. The tractor was sitting outside in a driving rain when the lights started flashing. I disconnected the battery and waited for the rain to stop. I removed the switch figuring that it had shorted from the water. Took it into the workshop, disassembled the switch and dried it off with compressed air. re-installed it and not 5 minutes later it was doing it again (with no rain). That's when i looked at the connection to the wiring harness. The harness's plastic block was facing up acting like a cup for the water. The connection for the switch inserted into the connection from above. I dried that out, added some dielectric grease (the pins were not lubricated) and for added insurance some heat shrink tubing to stop any water from being blown onto the connection through the side grill. No problems after that. My GC hasn't been indoors since the dealer. It has sat outside for almost a year now (with nothing overhead) and never reoccurred in the rain or after pressure washing. I was at the local MF dealer today and noticed that the switch connection has been reversed in the new models, so the plastic block from the switch covers the plastic block on the harness. I was just assuming (which can be dangerous) that the switch set-up is similar to the BX. The sub-compacts may be prone to this as they have less sheet metal to protect the connections in the rain. It may not be the cause of all the flashing incidents but it worked for me. Just another thing to look for.

 

[LBrown59]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( </font><font color="blueclass=small">( <font color="green"> How in the world do dealers just leave them out in the rain? </font>
<font color="purple"> Same goes for all the tractors setting out in the open fields 24/7 year in and year out. </font> )</font> Those are heavier tractors with heavier wiring with the heavy duty switches that use a heavier set of internal contacts that are further apart, thus not affected by light amounts of water. )</font>
<font color="pink">~~~~~~~ </font>
<font color="#666666"> Thanks for confirming kubota is doing something wrong on the BX and verifying what they are doing wrong.
</font>