MrRalphMan Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 Hi, I seem to have a small issue where I don't have any rear taillights. The indicators and the reversing lights work, but when I turn the lights on, only the front come on. Also I don't have any dash lights and the heater lights don't dim when I turn the lights on. I haven't noticed anything else wrong though.. I've looked at the fuse box in the drivers side and checked the dash & tail fuses, both looked unblown. Is there anything else I can check, this happened after I had to jump start the car. Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitesupraboy2 Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 fuses in engine bay...think theres one in there.... If you do a search on this mate there is some very usefull threads Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRalphMan Posted September 17, 2005 Author Share Posted September 17, 2005 I've done a search and looked in the Engine bay and the one in the drivers foot well and cannot find the issue. I've pulled and checked all the fuses in the engine bay and none are blown there either. Thankd for the reply though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitesupraboy2 Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 have you got a volt meter?!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous brain Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 Have a look at the earths in the back by the lights. The light dimmer switch is also known to cause some problems but I've not heard this one before. Check you have voltage at the lights in the ashtray and that there is voltage at the ciggarette lighter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitesupraboy2 Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 Have a look at the earths in the back by the lights. The light dimmer switch is also known to cause some problems but I've not heard this one before. Check you have voltage at the lights in the ashtray and that there is voltage at the ciggarette lighter. hey i was building to this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRalphMan Posted September 17, 2005 Author Share Posted September 17, 2005 I have power to the Ciggy Lighter, but the light in the ash tray doesn't come on, but I've never checked before. Also, just to make things harder I don't have a volt meter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous brain Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 Its your foglight conversion DOH why didn't I think of this first. My old car was wired straight into the light in the bottom of the ashtray. Get a car leccy to look at it and find out what has been done for the foglight conversion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRalphMan Posted September 17, 2005 Author Share Posted September 17, 2005 Fog light conversion, isn't that only on Jap cars? Or is it me being thick? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toyotasuprauk Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 Only on jap. If yours is a Uk you wont have that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous brain Posted September 17, 2005 Share Posted September 17, 2005 Doh yeah of course In that case it must be a loose earth or a fuse or a dodgy connection in the fusebox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VIL Posted September 19, 2005 Share Posted September 19, 2005 I really am no expert but you might want to check this out on MKIV.com as it could point you in the right direction: http://www.mkiv.com/techarticles/failed_lamp_sensor_fix/index.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRalphMan Posted October 2, 2005 Author Share Posted October 2, 2005 Ok.. after working out how to use the meter I have found the following. With the engine running, I get approx 14.3v at the battery. Checking the DASH & TAIL fuses in the box in the engine bay, I get .5V at these fuses. 13vish at others. Does this sound right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 Ok.. after working out how to use the meter I have found the following. With the engine running, I get approx 14.3v at the battery. Checking the DASH & TAIL fuses in the box in the engine bay, I get .5V at these fuses. 13vish at others. Does this sound right? Is that with the lights turned on aswell? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRalphMan Posted October 2, 2005 Author Share Posted October 2, 2005 That's with the lights turned on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 Have you checked all the earth points in the boot? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRalphMan Posted October 2, 2005 Author Share Posted October 2, 2005 I'm not too sure where to check in the boot, but if you give me a clue... Also I started the car fine this morning when I checked the voltage, I went to go out in it 60 mins later and the car is dead.. No lights, nothing.. Checked the battery and I have 2.2V in it. It's a new battery, but could it be a dud? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous brain Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 Um you've got a power supply problem with that circuit. Either the leccy is getting to earth before the fuse (thats my bet) or you have a dodgy earth at the light end. The fact that its flattening your battery in a matter of hours suggests that its a power leak somewhere along that line before the fuse. run a line from your battery + direct to the down wind side of the fuse (pull the fuse) and then try the lights. If they do work then the problem is with the line between the battery and the fuse. If they don't work still run a line from the downwind side of the fuse (fuse in) direct to the + side of the bulbs. If it works then there is a problem between the fuse and the bulbs (possibly the switch). If it doesn't you've got an earth problem. 100% that diagnosis by earthing the earth side of the bulbs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRalphMan Posted October 2, 2005 Author Share Posted October 2, 2005 Thanks.... I'll have to do my best at trying that... Not the best auto-electrician.... Thanks though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dangerous brain Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 Get a reel of 15amp wire from halfords and a couple of crocodile clips. its just logic really from there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harwood Posted October 2, 2005 Share Posted October 2, 2005 Hmmm, without wishing to be a scaremonger, if you've got a constant 5a drain, (got that from the other thread), you may find you've got a high resistance short circuit somewhere. If it's enough to flatten your battery in a couple of hours, my guess is that a wire somewhere could be shorting out and either lighting a bulb, (some bulbs), very dimly or the wires getting very hot and will soon start to melt stuff. This 'could' cause you a major headache requiring the assistance of some burley men in uniform, a big red truck type thing and some hosepipes.... Now, what ever floats your boat, but personally, I'd recommend disconnecting the battery when the car's not in use and get it to an auto-sparky asap. Whilst your driving the car, make sure you have the tools required to disconnect the battery quickly, just in case. Sorry to put the fear of God in you, it could be something really simple like a duff fuse, (I've seen it before), but better to be safe than sorry. The fuse for the sidelights and dashlights is combined and is in the kickwell. 10a (red) by memory. Using your multimeter, check the related fuse with the lights switched to the on position. You should be able to put the positive probe on both sides of the fuse. You should have 12v on both sides. If your 5v reading is on one side whilst 12v on the other, change the fuse to start with, (don't be tempted to uprate it!). If changing the fuse does nothing and you still have 12v on one side and 5v on the other, if this is where your electrical knowledge runs out, disconnect the battery and grab the Yellow pages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrRalphMan Posted October 4, 2005 Author Share Posted October 4, 2005 Matt, Thanks for the advice, but I wasn't the one in the other thread with the 5A drain.. I also found out why my battery went flat one Saturday, some knob left the lights on after testing the fuses... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrboost Posted October 8, 2006 Share Posted October 8, 2006 Did you manage to sort this I have a sort of similar problem but mines on the front Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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