Somethings up with my electrics

Escy

New Member
Only just bought the car (it was very cheap!), I noticed the indicators don't work at all (the indicators fuse and hazard warning fuse were both blown), both have been replaced, hazard warning now works, indicators still don't. When I was driving it (in torrential rain), every now and then, the indicator icon (for turning left) would randomly light up (not flash, just stay illuminated or flicker). Also, the door/boot open warning light and the check engine light flicker on and off randomly.

When I bought the car (in the dry), the door/boot warning light would flicker on and off but the indicator light didn't or the check engine.

My passenger footwell is pretty waterlogged but I don't think there is anything there that would be affected?

I'm hoping that there could be a common problem. I have searched around but it's not an easy thing to search for.
 

Fast Guy

Moderators
Staff member
Find out where the water is coming from. Possibly the aircon holes in the bulkhead if it's been removed completely and not blanked off. You might have got water in the ecu or wiring if it's coming in somewhere nearer to that. Ecu is in the centre console by the drivers left foot area.
Failing that it could be down to bad earths somewhere. Check the headlight connectors while you're having a look around as they tend to melt.
 

PobodY

Moderators
Staff member
I'd also start by checking for melted wiring around one or more of the lights. - Ironically we were just discussing how common melted headlamp connectors are yesterday.

Without intending to be the prophet of doom, the only time I had the check engine light flickering whilst driving in the rain was when the alternator was about to fail. - In the dry there was enough voltage/current to keep the car running, but in the wet there was too much draw an it ended-up dying and needing to be recovered.
 

Escy

New Member
That's interesting. I changed the alternator yesterday. I had a squealing sound (fan belt slipping sound, although I don't think it's that) coming from the belts, I changed the water pump as the car was overheating and it was leaking. I assumed that was also making the noise. The squealing was better but still notiable. I removed the alternator belt (no a/c pump on my car) and started it and it sounded fine so I thought it must have been the bearing in the alternator. Swapped it and it still sounded the same, i'll keep an eye on that. Maybe i'll need to swap back if it is the case.

Funny you mention the headlight wiring, the side light and main beam on the passengers side wasn't working. The fuse (a 25amp rather than 15amp) had blown. I put a 15amp one in and the main beam is working, side light isn't. (I haven't checked the bulb yet).
 

PobodY

Moderators
Staff member
How much adjustment do you have on the alternator belt; is it tight enough? - I had to swap the one that was on the car with a slightly smaller one to stop is squealing as there wasn't enough adjustment to keep it tight.

If the wiring has been melted, it could be that you've now got an intermittent short (or perhaps only an intermittent connection) on the indicator circuit.
 

Escy

New Member
I've got loads of adjustment, it was really hard to get the belt on. I will tighten it up a bit more, see if that sorts it.

The headlight wiring looks ok near the headlight. Is that where it normally melts or further back?. The sidelight is just the bulb blown. There must be an issue there though to have caused the fuse to blow in the first place.
 
Top