Model specific boards => Golf mk2 => Topic started by: Brighouse-gti on 10 May 2015, 18:41
Title: Electrics nightmare
Post by: Brighouse-gti on 10 May 2015, 18:41
So, drove car around yesturday, everything was fine, no issues. Gets in car this morning, starts up fine but seems to be running a bit lumpy, and more to the point, the dashboard is thinking its christmas cos all the lights are flashing like theres a party going down in the instrument cluster! Was like something from close encounters! But as the car was running, and I had to get to work I thought **** it. So I then puts the headlights on, only for the party to stop and the instrument cluster to just die. Turn the headlights off and the party starts again, turn the headlights on and the party stops!... and it still feels lumpy! There wasn't any rain last night, as that was my initial thought. Is it possible that something has fried itself overnight? Also before I forget, the wipers have also decided to take on a life of their own and just stay on when off. I've had to pull the relay to stop it but its another problem thats popped up over night. Any suggestions???
Title: Re: F.F.S
Post by: sparkplug on 11 May 2015, 18:54
look at the fuse box area, then check along the loom
Title: Re: F.F.S
Post by: gazareth on 11 May 2015, 19:58
electrical side of ignition switch maybe?
Title: Re: F.F.S
Post by: Brighouse-gti on 18 May 2015, 16:44
Swapped over the fusebox today as I have a couple spare, and still no joy. Had a butchers around the back of the fusebox wiring and can't find any problems there. Found a 'broken' earth wire under the bonnet that goes to the inlet manifold, sorted that out but thats all I could find. Still have the same problem! Any other suggestions welcome, I'm stumped!
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: Sgt_Lemon on 18 May 2015, 20:56
Check your battery and coil just for piece of mind.
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: Brighouse-gti on 20 May 2015, 20:47
Just had another tinker now and things are kind of improving. Coil and battery both check out OK. I don't think I said it originally, but the lights were working opposite to each other too, but after having grille and lights off I found a broken earth behind the lights and now they both work as a pair. 1 problem sorted. The main problem however remains. To simplify it, it's as if the more the power to the lights, dip, main, full, the less power gets to the instrument cluster, till nothing. Dip, cluster works Main, cluster lights dim, rev counter drops Full, cluster dies I'm trying to get around it in my head as to how the lights would affect the cluster. Do they run off the same relay in the fuse box? Would the 2 relays behind the passenger headlight affect the amount of power going to to the lights. Is there an auto electrician on this forum? Again, any suggestions welcome!
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: JC on 20 May 2015, 21:07
Very strange question but humour me,
Have u changed a light bulb recently ?
Also have u checked the rear lights ? And kept them on as u went ? Sides, then brakes, keeping them on and then indicators ?
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: Brighouse-gti on 20 May 2015, 22:16
No haven't changed any lights, however, the things I did change before the problems started were the gear linkages as finding reverse was a pain in the a***. Just coincidental I'd have thought tho as the only electrics unplugged was the header tank sensor to move the header tank to the side to make it easier to work around the bay. The problem wasn't there after this tho, it just seems to have happened over night, and is driving me nuts!
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: sparkplug on 21 May 2015, 13:07
if you are sure haven't worked on or disturbed any electrical gear, then .. there's a voltage stabilizer on the back of the clocks ? this would not help if it's breaking down similar to this......
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: Organisys on 21 May 2015, 13:16
Check all earth connections. Start with the main battery connection and the one to the block.
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: Brighouse-gti on 27 May 2015, 22:03
Cheers for the voltage stabiliser suggestion sparkplug, I've managed to find a stockist of the component locally so that's going to be my next process of elimination. Just a random thought, if the above doesn't cure it, is it possible that the alternator may be on its way out?... as in it isn't throwing enough power back out to handle all power that is needed to run everything. Running out of ideas!!!
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: sparkplug on 28 May 2015, 01:58
possible , stick a multi meter (about £10 for one) across the battery to see if it's charging have a look on you tube for how to check it . good luck
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: Sgt_Lemon on 29 May 2015, 23:17
Alternator should be putting out 14 ish volts. What clocks do you need, might have a set for you?
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: Brighouse-gti on 30 May 2015, 20:04
Problem sorted!! To put this thred to bed it appears it was a 'comedy of errors'. When I originally posted, I said that all the instrument cluster was flashing, well it must have been because a few things failed simultaneously as mad as it sounds. So all the problems must have made the instrument cluster have a mental breakdown! To fill you's in. 1 the lights working opposite to each other, Broken earth. (Things discovered today) 2 coolant level sensor was coolant logged, the coolant level sensor must have come slightly loose as coolant was coming up from around the sensor causing it to short. 3 oil pressure sensor (cylinder head) was'nt plugged, cut away at that plastic crap what surrounds the wires to discover where they join another part of the loom the wire had broken, not completly but enough for it not to send a signal back. And the problem with the instrument cluster dieing when the lights were on appears to have cured itself now all the other little problems are now sorted. Wahoo! There is one thing left tho, the suggestion of checking all the earth straps, well I did and I've found one not connected. Its connected to the body just under the scuttle tray on the passenger side, but where does it go to?
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: gazareth on 31 May 2015, 20:21
you don't really need that earth but since its there you may aswell re-attach it. it goes to one of the cam cover studs.
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: Brighouse-gti on 01 June 2015, 17:29
No no, not that one that one is attached. As if your standing in front of your car, its literally in the very top right hand corner, almost the exact opposite of where the ECU sits in the top left hand corner. It's attached on the inner wing if you like, but not attached to anything?! Do you know which one I mean?!
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: gazareth on 01 June 2015, 17:55
ah yes. the one that fastens to the underside of bonnet. no idea what that one is for. its broken on my car to and seems to have zero ill effect on anything. so that is how it will remain :grin:
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: Sgt_Lemon on 01 June 2015, 21:02
This could be bullsh!t but I have heard before that it's for the radio antenna. Might work by making the bonnet into a sort of faraday cage to to stop the HIRF signals from the ht circuit messing with any unshelled end sections of the radio.
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: gazareth on 01 June 2015, 21:46
you could be right sgt. but I have no idea what you mean :grin:
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: Thom89 on 02 June 2015, 00:15
He means that the earth strap that connects the body shell to the bonnet, is there to stop radio interference generated by the cars ignition system, wiper motor etc bleeding through to the radio speakers and creating a dismal droning, not so much on FM, but MW and LW tend to suffer the most
Thom
Title: Re: Electrics nightmare
Post by: sparkplug on 02 June 2015, 12:11