Indicator + Light Switch

January 1, 2004

anyone know why the indicators + light stalk is on left hand side of steering column & wiper stalk on the right? & diffferent on japanese cars in japan?

did regulations or something in uk change in recent yrs? layout on japanese cars in uk use to be same as cars japan

ColinBarber · January 1, 2004

Cars that are designed as RHD (British cars and JDM etc) normally have the indicator on the right (I guess so you can change gear and indicate at the same time).

LHD designed cars have it on the left. Since European manufactures don't want the expense of having to change the parts just to make a RHD model for the UK they never bother (most didn't even change the wipers over until a few years ago).

This means that nearly all cars in the UK have indicators on the left and people who get in a Toyota start turning on wipers when they want to turn. So Toyota have decided on all their models for the UK market to swap the controls over.

jdmparts_guru · January 2, 2004

My '98 GS300 is not the same spec as the Aristo JZS160.

And I have the turnlights/lights at the right side. It was a bit inconvenient at the beginning, since I never owned a Japanese car before. ;)

UKPulse · January 2, 2004

It's a real pain, my IS has the indicator stalk on the left, the Soarer has it on the right. I am forever wiping when I should be winking!

AltezzaScott · January 2, 2004

The mazda i had before getting my Altezza had the idicators on the right..... took a bit of getting used to... But now i think it is a lot better on the right... especially on the motorway, as you don`t have to use your left hand..... ( unless your missus is getting a lil frisky!! )