Strange ignition issue!!

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satchmolips

Active Member
Posts
422
Location
Worcestershire
Went for a drive yesterday and all fine. Parked up all day today. Tonight the alarm was going off. The ignition lights were all on! (No Pikeys).
Put the key in and started her up but couldn't turn her off. Stalled it to stop it and then had to disconnect battery!

Presumably a dodgy ignition switch? But why should it go like that, any ideas?

What are they like to change (Barrel and key)
 
Read a few more threads. After yesterdays journey I had the front nearside indicator bulb go. So put another one in and got that working OK. Could it be related?
 
I had a similar issue that turned out to be shorting of wires and a dodgy earth connection. Check wiring where it is vulnerable I.e where it enters and exits the chassis and where it comes up behind the engine block as it can rub here.

It would also be worth cleaning and checking all the earth points and making sure wires aren't shorting behind the instrument panel.
 
OK, possibly narrowing it down but need more advice please! Checked all the wired on back of ignition switch. Even when I took them all off, including the big brown feed, I still had ignition/oil light/solenoid feed! So not the switch. No obvious burnt out wires or rubbing.
So then pulled all the fuses one by one. When I got to fuse 5 and pulled that then they went out. Fuse 5 (counting from top left of front row), according to the cover, does the stop light, indicators and gauges. But everything works without fuse 5! I don't think I have the right cover for my Defender (1990) so if anyone can check what fuse 5 is meant to cover please?
The colour of the wires coming out the back of it are two greens and 1 white which suggests indicators?? As I was messing with an indicator yesterday then I guess there might be some earth problem, or any other suggestions. Piccy of (someone else's) fuse cover attached showing the fuse location in question.
 

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and finally the only other thing I can add is that with fuse 5 out, if I put my hazard switch on the fuel gauge doesn't work. If I leave hazards on and put fuse 5 on it does, it also comes back on if I turn hazards off. Aaaaaaaaaaaaagh
 
8619Simon said:
I had a similar issue that turned out to be shorting of wires and a dodgy earth connection. Check wiring where it is vulnerable I.e where it enters and exits the chassis and where it comes up behind the engine block as it can rub here.

It would also be worth cleaning and checking all the earth points
Click to expand...

You done this yet????

most leccy problems, however seemingly unrelated are caused by bad earthing. then broken/shorting wires.

start by doing the earths, and checking the loom, especially where it comes under the bulkhead round the bell housing
 
Ok Guys bear with me and please help, this is driving me nuts.

I have checked all earths (chassis, lights, engine, bulkhead). All Ok. Checked chassis entry and exit points, fine.
Isolated the chassis loom and still have the problem. Isolated all the feeds to steering column stalks etc, still have problem. Have Instrument panel out and can not see any problems. Pulled all relays one by one, and unscrewed fuse box assembly to check for trapped wires. All fine. Take connector off alternator and ignition light goes out but still problem with rest.

So to recap. with ignition off ( and even disconnected) I still have a live feed coming to radio, pump solenoid, glow plug light, ignition light, gauges and oil light. I can stop this either by pulling fuse 1 (auxillary with two purple wires (horn interior light, etc) or by unplugging my (new) hazard light switch! Where do I go next?
 
satchmolips said:
Ok Guys bear with me and please help, this is driving me nuts.

I have checked all earths (chassis, lights, engine, bulkhead). All Ok. Checked chassis entry and exit points, fine.
Isolated the chassis loom and still have the problem. Isolated all the feeds to steering column stalks etc, still have problem. Have Instrument panel out and can not see any problems. Pulled all relays one by one, and unscrewed fuse box assembly to check for trapped wires. All fine. Take connector off alternator and ignition light goes out but still problem with rest.

So to recap. with ignition off ( and even disconnected) I still have a live feed coming to radio, pump solenoid, glow plug light, ignition light, gauges and oil light. I can stop this either by pulling fuse 1 (auxillary with two purple wires (horn interior light, etc) or by unplugging my (new) hazard light switch! Where do I go next?
Click to expand...

I hate lectrics :mad: There must be a short between the fed side of fuse 1 and hazzard wiring.......In my head at least :confused:
 
Have you checked condition of the loom as far as you can? I had very similar symptoms to you and I finally traced it to part of the loom as it exits the chasis at the rear, by the fuel tank. When the previous owner had replaced the rear cross member I think he had crushed this section causing a break in the insulation. Over time moisture got in and when I stripped it back I had several wires shorting across each other.

It was a right bigger to find as it was hard to get to and mostly hidden in the insulation. I found it by having someone move wires and generally squeeze the loom until the lights went out. There's probably more scientific ways to trace it though.
 
Ok, thanks James. yes Simon, not the loom as isolated that. Think I will try the glow plug relay as did knock that not too long ago when doing some engine work. Its not the ignition switch as tried that.
 
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