Electrical Issue fog light and indicators
Discussion
Needing your opinions on this electrical issue.
The issue. 98 chim.
Turn on the ignition and the lamp around the fog light button comes on. When the fuel pump relay stops after a few seconds this lamp then goes off. Also the hazard lights run slow and indicators too.
My intention is to start unwrapping loom (starting at fuel pump relay in rats nest) to see if I can find where/if there are any shorts across between fuel/fog lights/indicators.
Is this the right approach ?
The issue. 98 chim.
Turn on the ignition and the lamp around the fog light button comes on. When the fuel pump relay stops after a few seconds this lamp then goes off. Also the hazard lights run slow and indicators too.
My intention is to start unwrapping loom (starting at fuel pump relay in rats nest) to see if I can find where/if there are any shorts across between fuel/fog lights/indicators.
Is this the right approach ?
Belle427 said:
Thats very odd, stinks of a ground issue to me but thats just a guess. Most of the troublesome grounds are on those 2 transmission tunnel points, not sure if you can get to them on yours just to check.
Can get at the one left of gear stick will see if rhs one is there too.Thanks for post.
Does the fog lamp come on as well or just the tell-tale on your dash?
If the fog lamp is coming on I'd start by removing the fog lamp bulb(s) to remove that "route to ground" and see if that changes the behaviour of anything.
If the fog lamp isn't coming on I'd start by disconnecting the fog lamp switch/tell-tale to remove that "route to ground" and see if it changes the behaviour of anything.
In summary, it does sound like a grounding issue of one sort or another.
If the fog lamp is coming on I'd start by removing the fog lamp bulb(s) to remove that "route to ground" and see if that changes the behaviour of anything.
If the fog lamp isn't coming on I'd start by disconnecting the fog lamp switch/tell-tale to remove that "route to ground" and see if it changes the behaviour of anything.
In summary, it does sound like a grounding issue of one sort or another.
blaze_away said:
My intention is to start unwrapping loom ..... Is this the right approach ?
I think you'd do better to set off around the car with a good test meter looking for any suspiciously high resistances or broken circuits. Typically what happens is that one component can't find ground and so runs to ground via other things connected. That's why you see cars driving around with a dim indicator and flashing tail light etc. Remove a bulb and the fault gets easier to trace because it removes that alternative route to ground.Do you have a wiring diagram to show you what's on which circuit/fuse?
Edited by Panamax on Sunday 23 February 13:42
Panamax said:
Does the fog lamp come on as well or just the tell-tale on your dash?
If the fog lamp is coming on I'd start by removing the fog lamp bulb(s) to remove that "route to ground" and see if that changes the behaviour of anything.
If the fog lamp isn't coming on I'd start by disconnecting the fog lamp switch/tell-tale to remove that "route to ground" and see if it changes the behaviour of anything.
In summary, it does sound like a grounding issue of one sort or another.
.If the fog lamp is coming on I'd start by removing the fog lamp bulb(s) to remove that "route to ground" and see if that changes the behaviour of anything.
If the fog lamp isn't coming on I'd start by disconnecting the fog lamp switch/tell-tale to remove that "route to ground" and see if it changes the behaviour of anything.
In summary, it does sound like a grounding issue of one sort or another.
Thanks for that.
Will check that but did notice the indicators were all on dimly.
Panamax said:
I think you'd do better to set off around the car with a good test meter looking for any suspiciously high resistances or broken circuits. Typically what happens is that one component can't find ground and so runs to ground via other things connected. That's why you see cars driving around with a dim indicator and flashing tail light etc. Remove a bulb and the fault gets easier to trace because it removes that alternative route to ground.
Do you have a wiring diagram to show you what's on which circuit/fuse?
I have a good multimeter but not sure how to probe where and on what circuits. Do you have a wiring diagram to show you what's on which circuit/fuse?
Edited by Panamax on Sunday 23 February 13:42
I did unplug the ribbon from the back of the switch so bulb did extinguish but hazards were still slow so.
Yes have diagrams thanks.
Might not be much help, but when I replaced all my bulbs for LEDs, I consulted with ClassicCarLEDs (who I bought everything from), and went through a couple of basic details.
At the very least, the chap there might be able to give you a pointer, because he knows the 12V signal needs to be decent for LEDs to work.
One of the details I had to change was the indicator relay from the original mechanical one to an electronic one to run the LED bulbs.
The other benefit of course is that I now have much brighter bulbs around the car (except the headlight bulbs which have to remain halogen)
Up to you, no harm in making a phone call.
At the very least, the chap there might be able to give you a pointer, because he knows the 12V signal needs to be decent for LEDs to work.
One of the details I had to change was the indicator relay from the original mechanical one to an electronic one to run the LED bulbs.
The other benefit of course is that I now have much brighter bulbs around the car (except the headlight bulbs which have to remain halogen)
Up to you, no harm in making a phone call.
Belle427 said:
A nice easy one.
yes. I was all tooled up ready for deep dive in the copper spaghetti and was well chuffed that I found it on first test.Across battery terminals test was 12.8v then checking the battery positive to the cable end terminal read 10.8v. Turned out a burr on inside of the ring terminal was preventing the M6 bolt from fully tightening onto the battery (an oddessey PC925 in the boot)
Gassing Station | Chimaera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff