348 hazard blinkers - one side working only.

Haven’t had a chance to fix mine yet but had the same trouble.... unfortunately I pulled too hard and left the pins in.... you can buy a new unit but I have also heard you can wire a new more modern relay across all three.... I haven’t attempted but may do so with a mechanic... will let you know when I get it fixed.

 

Strange. The wiring schematics seem to indicate a plug-in type.

 

Possibly plug-in and then solder. Or the pins could be cold-welded after 27 years. The good news is that the relay plastic covers can be removed (that's all I managed to do) by pulling and wiggling (they are clip-on) and you can then clean the relay contacts with a tiny folded sandpaper strip.

I found a way how to open up the box without removing the three relays (working on it at the moment). I will later inform, with pictures, on the process of box opening up and replacement of the latch-switches as well as on how the three relays are attached.

 

I managed to open up my console switch module. First, you pull out the switches (they are just plug-in). On a couple of my switches, the rectangular push button came off the switch body (it is clip-on) before the switch moved out. If this happens, just clip it back on and pull again slowly with some left-right wiggle.

Then, grind off the four black melted dots at the back of the box (red lines) and the white back plate can be pulled out. However it is also held by eight clips all round (blue lines) which need to be disengaged one by one.

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The white back plate is actually a sandwich of two plates held together by two white melted dots (red lines) which can be cut off with a blade (soft plastic) plus four clips (blue lines).

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Then you can open up the sandwich (to see what's inside) and, surprise surprise - the relays are soldered.

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You can see a burnt link in the middle. It is not burned through, just overheated, and still functioning but I also have melted sockets for two of the switches - parking and fog. Obviously, the panel experienced some short circuit in the past somewhere downstream causing overheating of the link and the contacts at the switch sockets before the fuse(s) blew. I have all the switches new and could fix the melted sockets (somehow) but I found a reasonably priced good complete unit and bought it. So, I will have a lot of spares (not for sale, especially the three relays).

 

Epic... Thanks, Miro.

It seems that the panel manufacturer/Ferrari didn't want anyone to mess around with this thing.

It's a pity that none of the relays are interchangeable for faultfinding. Incidentally, it's the first time I've seen the part number of the middle relay. However, no hits on Google (regarding a source for these relays).

 

The reason for non-functioning of one side of the hazard lights is probably, in most cases, corrosion of the relay contacts as they are seldom used. Since the relay covers are detachable (two tiny clips at opposite sides, wiggle and pull), the contacts can be cleaned. Also, it would be good to switch the hazard on and off, a number of times, once a week/month or so, to clear the cobwebs.

There are Panasonic automotive PC board type compact relays with high ampere rating and in very similar size as the original Sipea but have somewhat different pin arrangement. The website: https://www.panasonic-electric-works.com/eu/automotive-relays.htm. I have downloaded the datasheet (attached) for the relevant relay series which shows that Panasonic have all three types as the Sipea-s. I have marked them with the relay numbers as in the 348 wiring diagram.

 

So there would be no way of fitting the Panasonic relays on the circuit board (except by, say, cutting tracks on the board and wiring in new tracks) ? i.e. Internally messy, but externally tidy.

 

Received the console switch panel today and, when I plugged it in, I noticed that the right side hazard lights were not working (I suspected, when I bought it, that there could be something wrong with it as it was cheap, $155). I removed the housings of the three relays and watched them moving as I switched the hazard on and off; they were all moving/clicking but still no right side. Then, I took a toothpick and, while the hazard was on, pressed lightly on the swing arm of the middle relay (right side hazard) and the right side started working. Switched the hazard on and off a few times and both sides worked fine. Before installing the panel, I cleaned the contacts of all relays using a piece of thin cardboard wetted with Zippo lighter fluid:

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To remove the relay housings, squeeze somewhat top-bottom and pull and wiggle left-right for the tiny clips to come off. For bench testing the hazard function (the clicking of all three relays) and to "work" the relays after cleaning, the power supply pins are:

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Works perfectly now. Looks like the relay contacts get an insulating layer of some oxide and/or contamination from the air due to non-use (once in 5 years?).