Electrical Problem?

Hi Guys,

I am currently driving a 1999 Landrover Defender TD5. Yesterday, I turned on the heater and the dashboard lights went out, i.e the light that illuminates the speedometer, clock and engine temp, the light that signifies that my headlights are on also went out (although my head lights are still working).
the side light on the drivers side and rear light on the driver side have also stopped working. Now, I assume I had just blowen the fuse and that a replacement fuse was all that was needed, I have changed the fuse (which is the limit of my electrical ability) but the fuse blows immediately the head lights are turned on! I have checked/replaced the bulbs in the front side light and rear light (brake light working) so they are not blown. i checked the connections at the light fitting and neither light looks corroded or broken.
Basically has this happened with anybody else? and has anybody any idea where the most probable places are to find any errors etc?
Thank for any help you can give it's much appreciated!

Which fuse? the side lights, heater or another one?

The fuse for the drivers side lights, front and rear? Keeps blowing as soon as lights are turned on

Is the heater working at all?

If the fuse blows straight away then there is obviously a dead short some where.

I don't have the TD5 wiring diagrams to hand, but the fault is also obviosuly beyond the switch. As the fault developed when you turned the blower on then it sounds like a fault in a wiring loom somewhere. As its the drivers side lights that are not working, i would suggest looking in the dash board and the engine bay first.

Sorry i can't be much more help, but if the heater is not working it would point more to a wiring loom fault that an earth fault as this would not cause the fuse to go.

Also check the relays - will try and find the td5 diagrams and have a closer look when i get a chance

Cheers james, that's given me an area to start in, the heater works perfectly (as well as a defender heater can work!) So I guess as you say it's a dead short on the light circuit, behind the dash is where I'll start! Thanks for your help!

check rear loom behind rubber cover under rear wheel arches (basically back of rear lights-mine ate through both sides)

have u done any drilling could be a screw through some wiring causing it to earth.

i had a problem with my lights blowing when i first got the 110, turned out to be some old spot light wireing shorting out on the chassis! never thought of it as i never had spots on it. worth a look as landys do tend to get fiddled with over the years.