240Z Hazard Switch

Hi All

I have put the dash back in my 71 240Z and there are some cut outs in the place for the usual hazard switch holes, but I have not got switches. Can anyone tell me (Lurch or Allan I'm thinking you guy's will know) whether the 71 model Aussie delivered 240Z actually had a hazard switch, and where were they located (as in the top hole or bottom hole) and how did they work? Was it a switch at top and light below, or the other way round? OR was there just a switch and no light, or what? Lurch, given you have recently bought the 'new' red car, I thought that might still be set-up in its original format and you might know.

Regards

Adam.

Hey Dimitri if that 260 switch looks like the pic and fits into the plug can I take it off your hands please. Also found heaps of 240 ones on e-bay from USA that may fit your cars. Sorry to barge in Adam.

Hi Pete,

can you please stick a photo of the 240Z ones that you have? I need one of the blade type switches that fits into the hole in the dash to the left of the steering wheel. I think it has 'FLASH' written on the actual switch.

Cheers

Adam.

Adam, I don't have the switches, I only found them listed on e-bay when searching for mine.

Dimitri, My loom will not take round pins but if you could supply a pic of the location of the pins I may be able to cut and join the wires in the right order. As I have said before the wires in the console harness are all black therefore colour coding to match up wires without a plug is out the window unless you are a auto electrician.

Thanks.

Hello Adam,

I have done some research on hazard lights because I will need them to drive through the Mt Ousley fog on my way to Sydney (one day!).

As far as I know - none of the Australian delivered 240Z's had hazard lights. All 240Z's should however, have the plugs for hazard lights in the dash harness. Therefore all you should need is a switch and a flasher unit.

The third photo below shows the 3 different types of switches used for USA 240Z's.
The push/pull one on the left is for the 73 model and the other two are from earlier 240Z's.

The first and second photos show a '73 switch from eBay USA that is on its way to me. It is quite second hand and cost US$40 + US$7 postage.

The '73 model uses a fibre-optic lead to illuminate the switch when the dash lights are on. You can see the light source (there's a bulb in there somewhere I assume) with one fibre-optic lead the hazard switch and another for.. I have no idea what at this stage! (<-- edit - its for the cigarette lighter)

The earlier model switches are not illuminated as far as I know.

All types were fitted to the lower hole - the upper one being used for the cigarette lighter.

The eBay seller that I bought my switch from has a 1970 switch on eBay at the moment for US$45;

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/70-Datsun-240Z-hazard-warning-light-switch-71-72-/400189861617?pt=Vintage_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item5d2d2caef1#ht_500wt_956

Hello Everyone,

Topic is a little old now but i recently started pulled apart the dash of my '73 240Z to replace dash lights, rewire the stereo, find out why the internal fan wasn't working and replace the heater control valve.

While I was doing this i was thinking about installing a hazard light switch as I have a split in the fuel tank pipe and after a certain distance i need to refuel before i conk out. 

Anyway there is a place for it in the dash just underneath the cigarette lighter and based on what i understand i will need to buy a switch the same as the 2nd & 3rd photo from GongZ reply.  Mine uses the fibre optic tube to light the cigarette light above so i'm assuming the second tube will just slot in place.

I need help understanding where the switch and it's 2 plugs go into the wiring harness.  I'm assuming that the wiring is all there as seems to be the way these cars are made that the wiring loom will be made for all accessories regardless as to whether the accessories are installed.

Reviewing wiring diagrams both in my Haynes manual and what i have found on the net(wiring diagram) i think i have one of the plugs which the hazard switch connects to:

There is only 5 wires instead of 6 but its green/white, green/red, green/black, green & green, which matches the diagram (hazard switch connector 1) although no green/yellow which appears to go back to the fuse box.

The second plug i assuming is green/yellow, white/black & white/red, i can't find it and if i'm reading the diagram correctly this is what actually goes back to both the turn signal lights.  I have found two other plugs (random plugs) but i have no idea what these are for, although one plug looks newish and there are modifications to the car.

In terms of the flasher unit, assuming this is just a basic item which you can buy a generic one and install?

I have found the indicator flasher unit (flasher unit) and there is another plug there with a green and white but the wiring diagram says i should be looking for a blue/white & green/white, but i would have assumed both flashers are located in the same location?

The other weird thing is the photos of the hazard switch all the wiring colours is different to the wiring diagrams, i'm not sure why this is?

Any help with this would be appreciated.

Thanks

I wouldn't worry too much about the wire colours, in some places wire colours change from one side of a connector to the other. Much of the wiring behind the console on mine is black & it's the shape of the connector that determines what item (like the hazard switch) plugs into where. There are spare connectors behind there for accessories which weren't fitted to your car but would have been for other markets.

Yes the flasher unit can be generic from SuperCheap or whoever. Your picture shows the connector.

See if you can get hold of a hazard switch to compare the connector halves.

Hello 240Z Guy.

I am still in the parts collection and dreaming stage of my project, and my hazard light has been languishing in a box in my garage for 4 years. 

Your message did however, prompt me to do a search and the following link may help you. I hope you figure it out and look forward to hearing how it goes.

(from Fiddling With Z Cars - Loving cars, especially Z cars)

https://fiddlingwithzcars.wordpress.com/2013/01/20/hazard-switch-brake-light-turn-signal-circuit-analysis/

The author asks that - "Since this is a labor of love that takes significant time to put together, I ask that you give me and my blog full attribution if you choose to post my work elsewhere." (DONE!)

I also dug out the switch that I have, took some new photos and added notes showing how I think it all works.

I have included a photo of the hazard flasher 'can' (or relay) thought bought some years ago on eBay, which was listed as an NOS 240Z item. As you can see the part number on the box is 25391-Z0000. I have yet to confirm that this is the genuine part.  [EDIT Feb 23, 2015 - this part prove to be incorrect  - an electronic 12V flasher unit was used instead - see my Feb 23, 2015 post]

Where it says 'TO FLASHER CAN' in the first photo, I should have said that it goes to a harness connector that goes to the flasher can location, which is described on the US sites as being above the kick panel near the hood release - different side for RHD?

The flasher can I have has two spade terminals at 90 degrees to each other - so the flasher can connector should look like the connector shown in your last photo (is that your turn signal flasher can connector?) but, according to the wiring diagram I have, it will have a blue/white wire and a green/white wire.

The connector labelled 'TO DASH CONNECTOR (with 6 green wires)' obviously goes to the connector shown in your first photo. I presume that the male and female bullet connectors shown next to the 6-wire connector are for the lighter socket (did you disconnect these before you took the photo?). 

This thread will also be useful to you - http://www.viczcar.com/forum/index.php?topic=12499.0

One thing that puzzles me about this thread is that as Dimitri (Zedman240) points out - in the abscence of the hazard lights switch, a 'loop back' plug would be needed to connect power to the turn signals - but you don't seem to have found one on your car.

Did your turn signals work before you started to pull things apart?

PS There is a 'Datsun 240Z FLASHER LIGHTER BRACKET ILLUMINATED 73' ORIGINAL NISSAN MOTOR OEM' on eBay at the moment (about AU$125 landed- ouch) -

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/311190126582?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

(I notice that the switch and the socket are installed back-to-front in the photo and that the 'light source' is not included))

Hi GongZ,

Thanks for all the information, i have been able to confirm what i thought.  That plug is for the flasher can shown in the photo i uploaded, which solves that part. 

You are also correct as Dimitri had said before i took the photo of the 6 pin connector i unplugged it for the photo, but it was looped back on itself otherwise the circuit won't work properly. 

The only thing left now is i still can't find the plug which goes into the rear indicator lights,I will see if i an trace it back from the rear lights and investigate adding one.

Thanks

The only thing left now is i still can't find the plug which goes into the rear indicator lights

I don't understand what you mean. Aren't the wires that power the rear indicator lights connected to the 6 pin connector (in your "Hazard Switch connector 1" photo) ?

Just to verify, only the '73 has the illuminated hazard switch (seems to be a theme along with the heater controls ).

Also only the '72 and '73 have the cigarette lighter above the hazard switch location. Earlier cars this spot was blank or for a fog light switch. It seems that the fog light switch was only in limited markets. I have yet to see any North American cars with it. Other markets the information seems to be a bit sketchy at best.

Also you need the switch that matches your year dash. The hole in the bracket is different between them. So you can't just stuff a '73 Hazard switch into a '72 dash, without also changing the bracket that mounts to the back of the dash. For the earlier dashes, this requires cutting apart the brackets and welding the necessary parts together if you want to use the '73 hazard switch in the earlier dash. I did this a few months ago for a '73 that the owner picked up a '71 dash to use.

Hi Gongz,

Unfortunately according to the previously attached wiring diagram and the wiring diagram for UK models i have in my Haynes manual, the second plug goes to both the rear indicator lights and the brake stop light switch.  Which makes sense for American models as the brake lights are indicator lights, although i don't understand why for the UK models.  The first plug is to the flasher unit and front indicators lights only.

I need to trace the wiring back to the rear lights work out where this plug should be.

Unless someone who has successfully connected this knows?

Thanks Six Shooter, i'll make sure i get the switch for the '73.

I am still pondering all of this, but I did find this web page which looks helpful;

http://woodworkerb.com/home/datsun-240z-rebuild/datsun-240z-multifunction-switches/

Hi again 240Z Guy,

Could you please describe where the connectors in each of your 3 photos is/was located?

I took some photos under the dash of my '73 240Z (I was feeling up to playing Twister and getting in there to do it properly) and I didn't spot them. Were they, or any of them, hiding under the black wrapping tape used on the loom?

If I can find mine - I might be able to plug in the hazard switch and flasher unit that I have and see what happens.

Hi GongZ,

Yes i have done much twisting of late, always fun.  That other blog from wood worker was quite good, he had quite a bit of detail.

The first photo i had posted was on the six pin hazard connector just behind where the hazard switch would be mounted, to the left and below the tacho.  The second photo was of some other plugs which i had found they are lower again coming up from right side of the fuse box on the way up towards the steer column.  I think they may be old radio connectors as this has been replaced, but i'm not sure. 

The last photo is on the right side of the car down near where the drivers knee would be located, this is where the existing indicator flasher unit was and the other plug which i'm fairly sure is for the hazard flasher unit.

Thanks

Thanks 240Z Guy,

So the connector in your first photo is indeed for the hazard switch - but there should be another 3-pin connector nearby to match the 3-pin connector shown in my pics of the switch.

It looks like you are right about the connectors in your second pic - the wire colours suggest that the left one goes to the power antenna and the right one goes to the standard single radio speaker.

If your blinkers were working with the connector in the third pic not connected to anything - then it must, as you say,  be for the hazard lights flasher can.

This seems to be getting somewhere now!

By the way, I am very keen to have working hazard lights on my car. I think they are an important addition - especially when driving in fog and in an emergency situation. I was driving home in my 240Z years ago and happened upon a motorcycle rider who had fallen off his bike and was lying in the middle of the Pacific Highway. I parked my car to protect him from the traffic - and all I could do was to leave my left blinkers going while I attended to him. I have wanted to add hazard lights ever since then.

Yeah i'm pretty keen to put in the hazards as I suspect i currently have a split in the fuel pickup in the tank because after a similar mileage the car starts to splutter and almost conk out, but as soon as i fill up again it's fine.

My car has been modified a bit, including a new ECU so it's quite possible that the 3 pin connector has been removed for whatever reason, hence why i can't find it.  Hopefully yours is still in place and easy to find!

By the way, I am very keen to have working hazard lights on my car. I think they are an important addition - especially when driving in fog and in an emergency situation

I completely agree but, keep in mind that the brake lights won't work when the hazards are on.

Mick

I completely agree but, keep in mind that the brake lights won't work when the hazards are on.

Mick

The divorced signal lights should not effect the brake lights.

I'll have to check on my NADM car, to how they function, but I don't recall the brake lights not working with teh hazards engaged.

I also can't get over the fact that the AUDM cars didn't come with hazards...

Check out the link from above.

http://woodworkerb.com/home/datsun-240z-rebuild/datsun-240z-multifunction-switches/

I'm not sure about North American delivered cars but, the wiring diagram shown in the link is the same as the one found in the FSM that I find closest to my car.

The author also describes the power to the brake light switch is dropped when the hazards are turned on.

Be good to get confirmation once installed GongZ.

Mick

Just a quick post to tell you where I am at with this;

Thanks to 240z Guy, I have found the “6 green wires connector” and the loop-back connector in my car. I also found the connector for the hazard lights flasher can.

I have NOT (yet?) found the 3-wire connector, at the hazard switch end (to hook up to the connector noted as “TO FLASHER CAN” in my January 24 post). I also failed to find a connector for the light source (to hook up to the connector noted as “POWER & EARTH FOR LIGHT SOURCE' in the same post).

My car has not been driven or touched for nearly 20 years, so I thought I would check that the blinkers still work before I went any further with this. Unfortunately, I have now discovered that the  ignition key will not turn at all. I have searched the web for this problem, wiggled the steering wheel, tapped the key with a hammer etc., but no joy. It seems that I will need to drill out the security screws and remove the ignition switch/steering lock before I can go further. (bugger!)

As Cozza has pointed out, it seems that the brake lights are inoperative when the hazard lights are on. This is a bit of a disappointment to me (ie. It would be nice to still have brake lights when using the hazard lights to drive in a fog) and I can only assume that this is to make the hazard lights stand out better when stationary.

Hi Gongz,

Glad to hear you are having some luck in finding the right connections for the hazard lights.  I have attached a photo of where the connector to the light source is, not the best i came in from the where the heater vents would be looking towards the steering wheel.  So that 'can' looking thing,in the background, is where the bulb goes into and the 3 pin connector, with only 2 wires, black and red/blue, is the power supply plug for the globe in the can.  You can also see the loop back plug (hazards) and the connectors to the cigarette lighter.  The 'can' has two black tubes sprouting out of it, although only one in this photo where the gold rim is, as one will provide illumination to the cigarette lighter and the other to the hazard light switch.

Hope this helps you.