9 replies to this topic

[Haynes]

Hopefully to those who know there way round the wiring you can isolate where the problem is likely to exist?

 

Not working:

All front lights, main, dip and side lights

 

What is working:

Instrument cluster lights

Main beam indicator on permanently when light switch on

Rear lights

Rear fog

Horn

Indicators / hazards

 

I assume if light switch dodgy I wouldn’t have any lights at all?

Am I correct in understanding there are different fuses for each side rather than front and back??

Does dim dip relay control or affect side lights as well?

 

 

 

[Bat]

Hi,

How old your car is will always help...

However the first place I would look is that big lump of connectors behind the grille.

Pull them all apart and clean everything and refit.

Cheers 

Edited by Bat, 08 August 2018 - 10:03 AM.

[RedRuby]

Also depending on age and model, some have 4 inline fuse holders under the instrument cluster inside the car. These are one each for sidelights and one each for headlights.

[Haynes]

Its a 1988 Mayfair.

[bae1994]

I would be looking at the earths first as they both feed to one connector behind the grill

[cal844]

Check the earth's for the front lights. The car won't have the inline fuses behind the dash, that came in 1990

[Haynes]

Weird, I thought I'd take the dim dip really off another car, so pulled out a large pink relay under the dash, thought it looks like a different type so put it back. Now this other car (1990) has exactly the same problem, I mean exactly. The rear lights work but nothing on the front at all and blue dip beam light on dash is on constantly when light switch on.

So can't be sudden earth fail on both cars. I don't get how removing the relay on this other car has given rise to identical symptoms.

Double help.

Incidentally I can't find the dip relay on the first 1988 car. (The one I was looking at turns out to be the starter relay.)

[cal844]

Dim dip should be in place unless the full system is removed

[Haynes]

Nearly gave up all hope of fixing the second car, remember they both have exactly same fault. Took out and checked all fuses, checked the switch. Just about to give up and pulled light switch out again and suddenly one headlamp started working.

So went to terminals behind the grille and found a couple loose/ dirty. Low and behold both lights working.

Ran out of time to look at the first car.

So just a bizarre coincidence that I only discovered fault on the scone car when I looked at the dip relay.

I suspect as we have been fiddling with the dizzys on both we may disturbed the wiring.

[Haynes]

Hi,
How old your car is will always help...
However the first place I would look is that big lump of connectors behind the grille.
Pull them all apart and clean everything and refit.
Cheers

I've now fixed it on both cars. On my car, age 1990, must have knocked the connectors when looking at the dizzy.

On my sons 1988 car, the actual subject of the original post, the black common ( earth) connections were very badly corroded. So bizarre coincidence of the same problem with identical symptoms but for different reasons.

So for everyone who suggested the earth connections behind the grille , spot on. Thinking back as far as I can remember every time I have had a problem with mini front lights its been down to those front connectors.

Once again many thanks for insightful advice.

Edited by Haynes, 09 August 2018 - 09:00 PM.