Disco 2 Disco TD5 - wet lights? Earth issue or worse?

Hi all,
I forded the Disco through some water too deep at the weekend, it's mucked up my indicators and sidelights.
Symptoms are that when i press the hazards, they flash at an increased rate and all the side lights (including all the dash lighting) illuminates with them.
When i turn the headlights on, all the left turn signals (apart from the dashboard indicator) are on too.
When i indicate left with the headlights on, the sidelights and indicators all flash slightly brighter (because they are all on already)
Right turn signal works OK.

It feels to me like it's an earthing problem and somewhere i've got water in the circuit that is connecting the sidelight circuit to the left signal.

So far i have:
- removed the rear turn signal (early td5, down in bumper), cleaned all the connections.
- cleaned and WD40'd my towing electrics.
- removed and cleaned the connectors for the front sidelights, headlights and turn signals.
- checked the earth points for the headlights, in front of the airbox
- checked the fusebox. All dry.

Any ideas where my water could be? Could it be coincidence and the stalk is at fault?
Any suggestions appreciated.

Did you get water into the boot or footwell? ... do you have RAVE?

The driver's carpet is out for drying at the moment due to a hole behind the accelerator pedal, it's dry around all the wiring in the cabin though. Had the kick panel off and checked all around it, no signs of water at all. The boot is dry as far as i can see. I don't have RAVE yet, no. I do need to download it.

It could be moisture damage to the main fuse board/Intelligent Driver's Module (IDM) located behind the drop down panel below the steering wheel, or it could be a problem at the Body Control Unit (BCU) located behind the passenger's glove box.

Some suspects in order of possibility:
1. there is an earth header behind the headlamp in the compartment where the levelling motor is , it's dark grey and round'ish many black wires going into it, i have no pic cos it doesnt appear in RAVE check that on the left side
2. you should remove the trailer socket to make sure it's not a short in it
if these are ruled out when you have RAVE see Electrical library-Connector views and check earth headers C0017 and C0707

IMO it's a bad earth issue rather than fusebox/IDM but this can be a last suspect as well while i doubt that the BCU has problems cos it has nothing to do with side or head lamps

sierrafery said:

IMO it's a bad earth issue rather than fusebox/IDM but this can be a last suspect as well while i doubt that the BCU has problems cos it has nothing to do with side or head lamps

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The reason why I mentioned the BCU/IDM/fusebox is that the OP also said that there were also problems with the hazards and indicators

It's not a bad shout - the fact that the interior lights all flash when the headlight circuit is switched off, and even the headlight buzzer will sound when the hazards are pressed makes me worried it could be worse than an earthing...

Resolved! Tow bar electrics were to blame! Not sure whether it was at the connector behind the headlight or at the plugs themselves, but they were twist and taped onto the loom just under the proper LR connector! Got to laugh.

andrew_baran said:

Tow bar electrics were to blame!

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which means it was nr 2 ffom my list wasn't it? ...i hope you'll never have problems again...if you see what i mean, cos i'll just stay and watch how you get on

Appreciate the suggestions. I probably wouldn't have gone back to the tow bar after cleaning it the first time if it wasn't for your suggestion. Just glad it wasn't more serious.