Weird electrical issue, anyone have any ideas?

[knucklehead]

Did the wiggling and jiggling while the car was off. So I have no idea, sorry. If I had to guess, it would be the one that connected to the alternator.

[dma550]

Bumping my thread Any generous geniuses out there ?

I am at a disadvantage, no shops to help with this one.

Originally Posted by dma550

ok, though my thread hijacker's issue is all fixed, mine isn't

I replaced the top left 20A fuse (accessories - 21) and there was no change. The car:

Runs great
Headlights work (low/hi)
all signals work
brake lights work
radio, fans, etc. work

what doesn't work:
dash illumination
dimmer to change dash illumination
top "parking" light switch

I swapped the headlight switch with the park light switch and the park switch operated the Headlights properly. I also got no voltage on my meter at that 20A fuse, odd.

So, a few questions:

Do your headlights stay light with the key out? Mine do, I don't remember that.
Anyone have any ideas? I'm wondering if there is a relay somewhere that's out. Thanks

[apk919]

Originally Posted by dma550

ok, though my thread hijacker's issue is all fixed, mine isn't

I replaced the top left 20A fuse (accessories - 21) and there was no change. The car:

Runs great
Headlights work (low/hi)
all signals work
brake lights work
radio, fans, etc. work

what doesn't work:
dash illumination
dimmer to change dash illumination
top "parking" light switch

I swapped the headlight switch with the park light switch and the park switch operated the Headlights properly. I also got no voltage on my meter at that 20A fuse, odd.

So, a few questions:

Do your headlights stay light with the key out? Mine do, I don't remember that.
Anyone have any ideas? I'm wondering if there is a relay somewhere that's out. Thanks

The headlights on my car stay lit with the key out.

I took a look at the manual and schematics...

When you describe the "top left" fuse, is that when viewed from the front of the car toward the fusebox? If so, that's fuse F1, the 20A auxiliary (cigarette lighter) fuse. It should have power whenever the battery is connected.

F16 (5th from the left on the bottom as viewed from the front of the car) is a 10A fuse which controls the sidelamps, instrument lights, parking lights, etc. If that fuse is blown it might explain your problems.

[dma550]

Thanks APK. That fuse is fine, as are all other fuses now. And yes, it was Slot1 that had failed before.

Here's more details:

Background:
Battery went dead one day (may have been me leaving lights on, not sure) and a tow operator jumped me. Started with a battery pack, car would not turn over, not even a click. Had to jump from his charging system. After that, I noticed dash lighting and top button (called sidelamp switch) not working.


Fuses:
I checked Fuse F16, and rang it out with a DVM incase it developed some oddball resistance. It's fine, as are now all other fuses.
Fuse 1 (20a) was the one that had blown, I think during my jump (replaced)
I checked all other fuses, rang some out on the meter, all are now fine.


Not Functioning:
No Backlight on A/C
No lighting on tach and speedo
top button above headlights, which is I guess sidelamps? does not work (used to click relay)


Functioning OK:
A/C and heating controls work, and A/c and recirc indicator lights work
Interior light between seats
Immobilizer on/off
lighter socket (+12V access)
Headlights: Low/Hi Beams both work, indicator light next to button works
Engine start button lighting
windows open/close with key in pos2
LCD panel lighting works
Horn works
Signals: Front+Rear work + side lights flash with signals
Radio works, memory seems ok
central lock works as does remote unlock/lock
Hazards work
idiot lights on dash working ok
wiper works

I hope this helps, again, I so appreciate this. We lost our lotus dealer, I don't have anywhere to take the car

[apk919]

Originally Posted by dma550

Thanks APK. That fuse is fine, as are all other fuses now. And yes, it was Slot1 that had failed before.

Here's more details:

Background:
Battery went dead one day (may have been me leaving lights on, not sure) and a tow operator jumped me. Started with a battery pack, car would not turn over, not even a click. Had to jump from his charging system. After that, I noticed dash lighting and top button (called sidelamp switch) not working.


Fuses:
I checked Fuse F16, and rang it out with a DVM incase it developed some oddball resistance. It's fine, as are now all other fuses.
Fuse 1 (20a) was the one that had blown, I think during my jump (replaced)
I checked all other fuses, rang some out on the meter, all are now fine.


Not Functioning:
No Backlight on A/C
No lighting on tach and speedo
top button above headlights, which is I guess sidelamps? does not work (used to click relay)


Functioning OK:
A/C and heating controls work, and A/c and recirc indicator lights work
Interior light between seats
Immobilizer on/off
lighter socket (+12V access)
Headlights: Low/Hi Beams both work, indicator light next to button works
Engine start button lighting
windows open/close with key in pos2
LCD panel lighting works
Horn works
Signals: Front+Rear work + side lights flash with signals
Radio works, memory seems ok
central lock works as does remote unlock/lock
Hazards work
idiot lights on dash working ok
wiper works

I hope this helps, again, I so appreciate this. We lost our lotus dealer, I don't have anywhere to take the car

Do your "parking lights" come on either by themselves or when the headlights are turned on (amber and red lights around the wheel well, plus white light in headlight bezel)?

It could be that your switch pack module was damaged during the jump...

I'm guessing the tow operator originally tried to jump you via a battery pack plugged into the lighter socket?

[dma550]

No park lights whatsoever, including lights in the HL assemblies.

I'm guessing switchpack myself, I am not looking forward to R&R of it. ANd the tow guy didn’t use the lighter socket one, he had a box he connected right to the battery. Thanks for the reply!

[apk919]

Originally Posted by dma550

No park lights whatsoever, including lights in the HL assemblies.

I'm guessing switchpack myself, I am not looking forward to R&R of it. ANd the tow guy didn’t use the lighter socket one, he had a box he connected right to the battery. Thanks for the reply!

Yup... there's a relay in the switch pack that is energized directly by the sidelamp (parking light) switch... I guess you could check to make sure you're getting voltage to the switch (it's a red/green wire according to the schematic). The switch connects this contact to ground when you press it... it effectively grounds the coil of the relay. If the coil is burned out, or there's a wiring problem, you'd get no voltage. If you do have voltage, and it drops to zero when you press the switch, then the relay contacts are probably damaged.

[TheViper]

All below, both working and not working are fed from fuse F16 and go through the switch pack side (parking) light relay.
It can't be the side(parking) light relay because these items would not work, and the apparently Dave says they do;
1) Low beam headlights
2) Side (parking) light switch illumination
3) Headlight switch illumination
4) A/C switch illumination
5) A/C recirculation switch illumination
6) Window switches illumination
7) Power outlet illumination

What does work according to Dave is:
1) Front side (parking) lights(2)
2) Rear side (parking) lights
3) Side marker lights (4)
4) Instrument cluster illumination
5) Radio memory power

As unlikely as it sounds, with the above symptoms, it points to defective wiring. I believe something unknown is going on here. The switch pack is not shown accurately in the wiring diagram. There is solid state logic within the unit that can not be shown and my guess is that it could have been damaged by the jump start. Here is what is even more puzzling, looking at "spice X" on sheet 11, some connections off of this spice work and others don't.
Michael

[dma550]

Thanks guys

Actually, perhaps my list is hard to understand. See my edits below:

Originally Posted by TheViper

All below, both working and not working are fed from fuse F16 and go through the switch pack side (parking) light relay.
It can't be the side(parking) light relay because these items would not work, and the apparently Dave says they do;
1) Low beam headlights
2) Side (parking) light switch illumination ** NOT WORKING **
3) Headlight switch illumination
4) A/C switch illumination
5) A/C recirculation switch illumination
6) Window switches illumination ** I don't think I have illum here? **
7) Power outlet illumination ** I'll have to check this **

What does work according to Dave is:
1) Front side (parking) lights(2)
2) Rear side (parking) lights ** Are these in the reflector? Not sure these work **
3) Side marker lights (4)
4) Instrument cluster illumination ** Only the LCD is backlight, the tach and speedo do not work **
5) Radio memory power

As unlikely as it sounds, with the above symptoms, it points to defective wiring. I believe something unknown is going on here. The switch pack is not shown accurately in the wiring diagram. There is solid state logic within the unit that can not be shown and my guess is that it could have been damaged by the jump start. Here is what is even more puzzling, looking at "spice X" on sheet 11, some connections off of this spice work and others don't.
Michael

[TheViper]

After checking my car here is what should work when you turn on the side/parking light switch;
1) Front side/parking lights in headlight enclosure(2)
2) Rear side/parking lights, one in each of the 4 reflectors(4)
3) Side marker lights on front and rear wheel arch(4)
4) Side & Headlight switch panel backlight (2 symbols, one for side, one for headlights to right of switches)
5) A/C console backlight
6) Radio illumination (blue light center of left rotary control)
7) Window switch illumination dots
8) Instrument cluster backlight
9) Low beam headlights would not work unless side lamp switch is on.
10) Also when each of these following switches are turned on, the center blue LED will turn on:
a) Side lamp switch,
b) Headlight switch,
c) A/C switch,
d) A/C recirculation switch.
All of the above get power from Fuse F16 through the side/parking light relay and only are energised if the side/parking light switch is turned on. If either of these are defective, none of the above (1 -10) will work. If one or more works, it is not F16, relay or side light switch.
Dave, sorry, check these again and let us know.
Michael

[apk919]

Originally Posted by TheViper

After checking my car here is what should work when you turn on the side/parking light switch;
1) Front side/parking lights (2)
2) Rear side/parking lights (4)
3) Side marker lights (4)
4) Side & Headlight switch panel backlight (2 symbols)
5) A/C console backlight
6) Radio illumination (blue light on left)
7) Window switch illumination dots
8) Instrument cluster backlight
9) Low beam headlights would not work unless side lamp switch is on.
10) Also when each of these switches are turned on the center blue LED will turn on: Side lamp switch, headlight switch, A/C switch, A/C recirculation switch.

All of the above get power from Fuse F16 throuth the side/parking light relay.
Dave, sorry, check these again and let us know.
Michael

+1

Yes... the various lists of working and non-working items are a bit contradictory at this point.

[dma550]

Thanks guys

Please see my revisions in red above, I think something was lost in translation (probably my fault of course!)

[dma550]

Also, when I turn on the side parking light switch nothing happens - I mean nothing. No relay click, nada. I do know it's not the switch, I swapped it with the HL switch.

[TheViper]

Lets assuming the wiring diagram is correct AND some of the items above in 1 -10 are working and some are not. The only conclusion I can logically arrive at is that either, the none working items were all damaged, or the wiring to those items is defective. I might add that this does not make sense either.
You say that the side light switch is not working, but apparently some of the items it controls does.
If only one of those 1-10 items works it proves the fuse, relay, and side light switch works. The side light switch is the trigger that energises the relay to power all of these items. Again, I say that the Switch Pack module has solid state logic in it which can not be shown, maybe this is somehow causing these problems. Dave really important to be sure by going though my 1-10 list and confirm operation, or non-operation.

[dma550]

Will do tonight, thanks, I really appreciate it!

[TheViper]

Dave,
I would bet that the "Switch Pack module" is defective, something blew in
there. What puzzles me is the low beam headlights working, which the diagam indicates should not. As I stated, this modules circuitry is not shown
completely (see attached photo), so I believe this is where the problem
lies. I am sure that once the top of the dash is removed, you could replace
it yourself.
Michael

[dma550]

Thanks Michael and apk919.... I just ordered a switchpack. I'll keep this thread updated.

[knucklehead]

Good Luck

[dma550]

OK, that was it! Thanks go to theViper, apk919 and Knucklehead for their help.

It was the switchpack. It's about an hour of ripping crap off to get to it - I probably took longer as I was nervous about the process.

I also found a 8" diameter mouse condo in there too. The bastards were using the foam wrap on the wires and carpet from somewhere to make a little summer home. I also found some loose zip ties just sitting in there, and a screw that was sliding around on the aluminum structure, so it's a win.