Really weird electric happening!

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bramboss

New Member

Posts

7

• Dec 20, 2012

• #1

I park the disco facing garage door which means I can see front lights reflected in it when they are on.
Whats been happening for a few weeks is this:
- start the disco up
- put foot on brake before engaging reverse gear
- soon as I press on brake pedal I hear clicking from in the front passenger footwell (a relay?) and the sidelights and headlights come on in sync with the clicking. This last for about 10-15 seconds then stops.

So any ideas about what's going on please? Must be some sort of fault, but what's the connection between brake pressure and headlights !!! Is it something to do with the vacuum building up on the brakes?

I've had the trim off in the passenger footwell for ages, trying to work out where water is getting in. So that area might be wet and the exposed cables and connectors might also have been kicked ...

 

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disco me

Active Member

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113

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newcastle :)

• Dec 20, 2012

• #2

sounds like an earth fault, is the "clicking" similar to an indicator relay?

 

MPfive

Active Member

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922

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Dorset

• Dec 20, 2012

• #3

As for the water. If its wet in footwell its more than likely the windscreen drain rusted out. Take the wing off and have a look.

 

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bramboss

New Member

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7

• Dec 20, 2012

• #4

disco me said:

sounds like an earth fault, is the "clicking" similar to an indicator relay?

Click to expand...

No, the indicator relay is loud and regular clicking, coming from in front of the driver.
This clicking is quieter, erratic and definitely comes from down in front of the passenger somewhere. Any idea what relays are down there?

 

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disco me

Active Member

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113

Location

newcastle :)

• Dec 21, 2012

• #5

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f8/metal-relays-170264.html
that has the info on relay locations
sounds like something deffo wet and earthing out

 

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bramboss

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7

• Dec 22, 2012

• #6

disco me said:

http://www.landyzone.co.uk/lz/f8/metal-relays-170264.html
that has the info on relay locations
sounds like something deffo wet and earthing out

Click to expand...

Hmmm could be anything then!! Need to think hard about how pressing on the brake pedal starts this off. And why does it stop after about 10 seconds? Seems somehow tied in with vacuum building up in the brake servo?

 

thebiglad

Well-Known Member

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7,387

Location

Central France

• Dec 22, 2012

• #7

bramboss said:

Hmmm could be anything then!! Need to think hard about how pressing on the brake pedal starts this off. And why does it stop after about 10 seconds? Seems somehow tied in with vacuum building up in the brake servo?

Click to expand...

What year is your Disco I


I suspect what is happening is that when you press the brake pedal you operate the brake light switch. Somewhere else you may have a 'earth' fault which is powering the headlights and being triggered by the brake light switch.

 

B

bramboss

New Member

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7

• Dec 22, 2012

• #8

thebiglad said:

What year is your Disco I


I suspect what is happening is that when you press the brake pedal you operate the brake light switch. Somewhere else you may have a 'earth' fault which is powering the headlights and being triggered by the brake light switch.

Click to expand...

It's 1995 diesel.
It's got ABS and looking at the wiring diagram, it seems the brake pedal switch does more than just power up the brake lights. Seems to be connected to the ABS system somehow. Too difficult to follow the diagram !