Electrical gremlins

[brandygangster]

Hi

I am trying to get to the bottom of my electrical problems,

with ignition off , put headlights on- the 2 speedo lights work, ignition on they go off. flick lights off and the red light flashes in middle of speedo a couple of times

so when driving in dark headlights work, but dash lights won't

also the clock in speedo (2 hand type ) only works when headlights are off.

i have this wire on the back of hazard switch (live), that i can't find a home for, it came from somewhere in centre of dash but was hanging loose with no obvious terminals missing a cable.




i have checked and replaced the earth crowns, the interior light adjuster works fine, don't know where to look next

[Jawin89]

The problem could be with the 14 pin connector to dash pod. They are notoriously bad and determinate with age. You may find it is a bad earth or power connection to the dash lights. Dash light power is pin 1 and earth connection is pin 3.

Not sure what the brown wire could be for from the hazard switch. I presume indicators and hazards all work ok ?

There is plenty of info on here about dash clocks and PCB problems.

[Bubble Meister]

The red cable (if a permanent live) is probably the radio power supply:
According to Bentley there is two red wires at the hazard warning switch:
1. a 1.5mm red and white that's the hazard warning power supply from the fuse box.
2. A 1.0mm red that's the power supply to the radio.

[brandygangster]

Thanks guys. All hazards and indicators working fine. Will check the dash pins one evening this week

[brandygangster]

Well i tries the speedo multi plug and checked all pins etc,

I have narrow it down to an earth wire by the looks of it, pulled most of the earth out and reconnected and its all now working

[bobob]

I have exactly the same problem, it's driving me nuts! Lights on, turn ignition on, lights ogff

My lights are also very dim until I pull out the bulb behind the heater controls, then they light up like blackpool tower!

Where was your dodgy earth then, on one of the crowns near the fuse board or....?

[clift_d]

Normally it's the connection at the earth crowns.

[Fudgy666]

Over the weekend I discovered a number of electrical gremlins when I tried my headlights for the 1st time in a couple of months (Having been fine when the van was MOT'd)

Seemingly a random set of electrical faults to do with the headlights & indicators. Headlights blinked when the hazards were on, but head lights didn't work at all. Indicators went very dim on the front only etc.

Really panicked as all the problems just occurred out of the blue & the van has had very little use.

After loads of checking of fuses and switches, I took a look at the earth crown behind the fuse board in the dash. It was a rusty mess.

Took it out and gave it a good wire brush and remade all of the spade connector ends





Everything came good.

Definitely something I should have cleaned up sooner, and definitely something I would check if your electrics are going a little strange.