Mechanic conundrum

[Juuls]

Hello all.
Van went into garage last week for a repair on headlights (only side lights worked but stuck on full beam setting) and a new radiator.Mechanic told me headlights failure due to faulty wire.
Went to pick van up, got in van to test lights etc. All dashboard electrics were now not working. As soon as i put full beam on this would trigger coolant light to come on. Indicators work but dashboard indicator light does not. Fuel gauge and temp gauge now not working. Has the mechanic damaged some earthing or short circuited the electrics? Really really fed up as we've used this trusted garage for years and the mechanic has become all uppity because he realises that he's repaired the headlights but taken out most of the dashboard electrics in the process. Any ideas?

[Juuls]

P.S Could the mechanic inadvertently caused an electrical fault when he wired the fan and it's housing back onto the new radiator?

[California Dreamin]

All I can say is......whenever you get electrical weirdness ie: operate one thing and another comes on, the fault nearly always lies with a bad earth somewhere. As you are probably already aware, the main common earthing point for the front electrics is on the nearside above the fuse box where a leaking windscreen corner often leads to corrosion of the earthing crowns and associated female spade connections (look upwards above the fuse box on the A pillar)

Martin

[Juuls]

Thanks Martin.