While driving down the road today I turned on my left blinker and all my gauges went dead and the battery light came on. Also my wipers went into non stop mode this morning probably not related but maybe it is. I have no clue on this one. Any help is appreciated.

Joe Wood
1983 245 DL

Recommend you pick one to troubleshoot instead of looking at all together. Chances are the cause is a single problem. Pick the easiest to get to, maybe the signals or wipers.

Agree that wiring harness is likely cause. Other consideration is to check grounds.
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84 242Ti IPD bars&springs, 89 745 16v M46 IPD bars, 89 744 16v M46 IPD bars, 93 945 Turbo AW71, 91 245SE AW70 IPD bars, 93 245 CLassic M47

I think your blinker had nothing to do with the problem. If they worked despite the other things. Just a coincidence.

The reason I say this is that the steering controls are powered from a different direction.

Have you had the instrument cluster out of the dash? I'm thinking something could have came loose on the backside.

Check your battery connections and alternator grounds first thing. Losing the ground would cause the loss of exciter current to the alternator producing the light. Bad engine to frame ground would drop out the gauges sensors that need a ground.

Wipers could be a stuck relay or switch inside the wiper motor.

Phil

The temp and gas gauges don't work and the tach hovers about 1500 unless i turn on the blinker then it drops to 0, and the blinkers do not work. Also the battery light is on but gets a little brighter when the blinker is turned on. I have not had the gauge cluster out in 3 years. I have had trouble recently with mice in the car i am hoping they have not messed up the harness in the dash.

Clean fuse #13
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Art Benstein near Baltimore

Those who jump off a Paris bridge are in Seine.

I cleaned all grounds under the hood this morning and drove 25 miles to town, randomly turning on the blinker to see if I could make it do it again, it did fine. When I came to the first stop light in town, turned on my left blinker and after about 6-7 flashes gauges dropped and battery light came on. Made 3 quick stops in town (each less than 5 minutes) and everytime I restarted it they were still dead. Last stop was the grocery and was inside 30 minutes. Came out started the car all was working properly. I drove all the way home without using any blinkers. Once in the driveway I turned on the left blinker and after 6-7 blinks happened again. I just cleaned fuse 13 per Master Brick Jedi Berstein's advise and it now blinks endlessly but I had just started the car after setting for 30 minutes. I guess I'll drive it to work tonight and see if it happens when I use my blinker to pull into the parking lot.

Joseph Wood
1983 245 DL

Check your wiring harness at the back of the engine block under the hood. Look next to where the harness plug is. I betcha that it's frayed and in need of replacement. Otherwise, pulling the instrument cluster isn't a big deal. Mice would have had a field day back there.
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1980 244 diesel M46 168k, my 4th 240