200 tdi headlight switches

Back again

Right I need someone with a 200tdi to tell me if they have come across this I have,

1) replaced the bulbs from 100w to the regular 60w
2) gotten rid of the birdsnest of wires that were supposedly meant to make the lights work (they didnt) leaving just the standard lights and wiring and I also replaced the plugs to the bulbs
3)I wired in relays into the lighting system to take the load from the switch which I was informed was a common fault and that they overheat etc as per the wiring diagram provided by Mad Hat Man
4) replaced the switch.

This got it through the MOT with all lights working etc and the lights were working for about a week. a bulb blew and burnt out one of my relays (Which was replaced) now I have a 15 min delay before the dipped beam starts to work normally now I checked the switch and live was going in no live going out ... switch blown, 15 mins later lights working normally so I figured I'd have a look at the circuit for corrosion in connections etc fuse connectors clean dim dip resistor fine and no change to fault whilst it is disconnected headlight washers are wired into the drivers side headlight loom so I disconnected this at the relay no change still 15 min delay on the headlights I unplugged the connectors at the bulkhead taking not of the pins correspondent to the dipped beam and tested it still 15 mins.

After all this testing I figured that it must be the switch, (after all I bought it on Ebay) so I ordered a brand new switch. I fitted it and it still had a 15min delay

So I figured that I would cut the wires coresponding to the dipped beam coming from the plug in the switch surely I will get a live .... will I f**k:doh::doh::doh:

Disconnected the switch and continuity test reveals that there is no continuity in the dipped beam switch.:doh::doh::doh:


Now I'm p***ed off and was wondering if anyone has any ideas on why my motor may be blowing switches before I ring paddocks and give them F**K for sending me a faulty switch!!!!

Hope my essay is clear enough for everyone. Hope someone can help

can you hear the relay actuating.Have you checked the earths

Mine is a 1990 200tdi so was not factory fitted with relays on the light circuit, I have added them as a modification. they do not get supplied with a live feed from the switch for 15 mins but when fed with the live they are audibly actuating.

And the Earth is fine, cleaned it up and tested

have you used a feed from the heated screen relay or an actual heated screen relay by any chance? Being exactly 15 mins each time makes me think that you may have unwittingly used the wires or relay from the heated screen.

ratty said:

have you used a feed from the heated screen relay or an actual heated screen relay by any chance? Being exactly 15 mins each time makes me think that you may have unwittingly used the wires or relay from the heated screen.

Click to expand...

The relays I have added, have taken a live feed straight from the battery. I'll see if i can find the diagram on a search.

Since my rant, I found an old flick switch and have bypassed the stalk. The new "bodged in" switch is working the lights fine. But ... the delay is still affecting mainbeam switch on the stalk, its definitely a fault with the dipped beam switch on the stalk. I just have to be sure the fault is caused by a duff switch and not a fault in my headlight circuit. I should be able to get an exchange on the switch from Paddocks but I dont want to blow another switch.