Ok, quick bit of background. My headlights were re-wired by the previous owner, I'm not sure why, but I'm left with no fog lights or interior lights / boot light. I have no permanent (switched) main beam, it obviously isn't wired through the relay which does this. The original headlight wires have been snipped from the loom and 'hard wired' directly to the battery and a switch on the side of the light pod. One main beam is wired up, the other is not, no plug for the bulb, nothing...

 

This is all something I can all sort out later, somehow.

 

Today whilst stripping the centre console I noticed an earth not connected, so I connected it. This fixed the clock, but I had hoped it was going to fix the interior lights too.

 

This is the weird bit! Switching the map light switches brings on the dashboard light telling me a door is open (it also cause my Toad to chirp to alert me to this when armed). :huh:

 

Obviously when the doors are open the interior lights should come on. So they've been re-wired incorrectly. My theory is that the map switches have accidentally been wired in as additional door switches, wired into the same circuit the switches are on.

 

I'm trying to understand whats going on here and where the logical place would be to do this re-wiring, where does the interior light wiring join a main loom etc?

 

I kinda get it, I think they have wired it directly from the door switches expecting to get power when the doors are open, but have ended up wiring in the map switches as additional switches.

 

Either way I have no interior lights no matter what is switched or what is open.

 

Sorry for the long post but its not the easiest thing to explain!

 

If anyone has any clue I would most appreciate it!! :biggrin:

electrics...my favourite. Only problem is it´s not easy to diagnose an electrical fault without actually seeing the wiring and doing some measuring with an electrical tester.

 

I´m still trying to figure out why the headlamps would have been rewired in the first place, I mean you could bypass a faulty pod switch by adding a switch on the side, but why rewire the headlights.

 

Sounds to me as though the person got all confussed with what goes where when rerouting the electrics and messed it all up. You need a tester to check earth, voltage and the passage of the wires to really establish what´s going on there and how to rewire it, in my opinion that is.

 

Sorry, not much help, but electrics is always a bit tricky.

 

Maz

Interior lights come from a relay behind the passenger rear side panel, ive seen incorrect connecting of alarm to the wrong wire cause wierd problems as alarm can only be connected at this relay

As for lights, he might have had hid's fitted and wanted to keep dipped beam on with main or light control pod is broken

 

Paul

So the interior lights aren't on the same circuit as the headlights?

 

Looks like I'll be pulling that rear passenger panel off as soon as I can. At least I know where to start looking for problems.

Well on the way to work this morning the 'door ajar' light began glowing dimmly, then on fully, then went off again. I think something is loose and occasionally making contact with something else. This is new and so I'm wondering if I've further disturbed a bad connection behind the dash when fitting the new headunit.

 

Can't wait to pull that rear panel. I need more daylight, by the time I get home its always dark! Ahh!

I've just got back in and have discovered that switching the interior light switch not only brings on the 'door ajar' light, but also turns off the clock and resets it.

 

I also temporarily lost my speedo too, which is new...

 

The alarm has no clue what's going on, it arms then goes off several seconds later, but is fine after re-arming. Sometimes just arms and fine. Sometimes arms but chirps warming me something is open.

 

I realise there is little anyone can say to help, but makes me feel better venting here...

I've just got back in and have discovered that switching the interior light switch not only brings on the 'door ajar' light, but also turns off the clock and resets it.

 

I also temporarily lost my speedo too, which is new...

 

The alarm has no clue what's going on, it arms then goes off several seconds later, but is fine after re-arming. Sometimes just arms and fine. Sometimes arms but chirps warming me something is open.

 

I realise there is little anyone can say to help, but makes me feel better venting here...

 

You certainly have features on your car that nobody else does :surrender:

I am sure there are lots on here who read your posts and will help if they can but it is not easy from far away.

Don't beat yourself up too much over the faults, you will get to the bottom of it in time I'm sure :wink:

sounds like you have a crossed + feed somewhere have you moved any thing radio/lights etc, also try switching everything on including what doesn't then remove fuse 1by1 each time checking to see what works and doesn't.

 

might just help narrow down what circuit is causing he problem.

 

think the best thing to start with is remove the power from the battery direct to the head lights and try the rest again, is possible the feed that way is causing a feedback loop, powering systems that shouldnt be. hope this haelps and is a start

 

think the best thing to start with is remove the power from the battery direct to the head lights and try the rest again, is possible the feed that way is causing a feedback loop, powering systems that shouldnt be. hope this haelps and is a start

 

That's a good idea! I originally figured the headlight re-wiring was the cause, but then went off that idea.

 

Something is changing whilst driving the car, which makes me think a loose wire us bobbing about somewhere.

 

I think I'll pull the light circuit fuse out (3rd from the left on the top I think) and see what difference that makes!

 

Cheers! :)

I am sure there are lots on here who read your posts and will help if they can but it is not easy from far away.

:

 

No no, don't get me wrong, I appreciate all the help and understand (like Maz originally said) it's difficult to diagnose it without seeing it and testing it etc.

 

I thought others might have experienced a similar nightmare, but guess I'm just lucky and I like sharing my pain with the world! :laugh:

You may remember this some time ago.

 

Well, I recently pulled my fuse box out, expecting it to be soaking due to targa drain problems, however it was bone dry, but it ruled this out at least.

 

However I noticed I was 3 fuses short compared to the Japanese fusebox translation. One of course being the 'room lamp' fuse! (Other two were diff oil pump and T/M oil pump). I had always thought the interior lights were on the same circuit as the main lights (3rd in on the bottom I thought), which was fine.

 

Anyway I went out, not really expecting much, figured I must have already tried this, but stuck a fuse in the first bottom (room lamp) slot and heard a chime, a chime of joy no less! I didn't even know I was meant to have a door ajar chime! This filled me with hope. I reconnected the courtesy light (as I'd disconnected it) and it lit up!! Joyous light of courtesy-ness I cried! I reconnected the map lights up, they came on too!! I was very excited by these events, when I got out the car and discovered my ariel was up!!! :biggrin:

 

The clock seems to be working and no longer goes off when opening the passenger door. There is no longer a door ajar light flickering on and off on the dashboard (so far), more importantly it doesn't come on and off with the interior light switches. The alarm might be working properly too.

 

So it seems not having a fuse in can cause all manner of weired problems! For me at least.

 

I don't think fog lights are on this circuit, but I'm going to go out now to check anyway. I think fog light wiring was interfered with when the headlights were rewired from the pod, but you never know. I'm going to open the boot too, just to see it light up!

 

Have to admit I feel a bit silly....all this though a fuse. I also never expected such weird problems to be caused by a missing fuse either... If I hadn't pulled the fuse box out who knows how much longer this would have went on for.

 

The futures bright...the future has interior illumination! :lol:

Edited March 20, 201114 yr by MasterCookieman

Top work that man - glad you have made progress!!!

Don't feel silly mate!-the little/easy things can often be overlooked.:hammer:

The boot light works, fogs are still dead, but not really a priority tbh.

 

Alarm seems ok so far! :)