Wife's M reg 106 lost the back driver's sidelight and number plate lights. Replaced bulbs but still nothing. Checked fuses and 5A had blown. Then realised that the warning alarm when lights on and door open wasn't working either. Quick check of the handbook confirms that theis fuse F13(?) feed all these. Replaced fuse but it blows as soon as the lights are turned on.
Any pointers? Obviously a short somewhere but where do I start?
cheers, Len
Connect a 21 watt (brake, reversing light type) across the terminals of one of your blown fuses and fit to fuse box. This should light up under the fault condition. Check voltage across bulb. if this is full battery volts then you are looking for a dead short or if it is less than full volts then is is some form of overload. Try removing loads on the circuit until the bulb goes out. Difficult to give specific instructions but this should give you an analysis tool to trace the fault.
Bob
Bob, Never thought of that, I actually have a multimeter which I could use! The bulb seems a better option though. I have taken out the number plate bulbs and disconnected the drivers side rear cluster but it still pops quite spectacularly -- pinting to a dead short I think. Odd it should just 'happen' - nothing's been done to the car recently. I'll give your very good idea a try. The only other thing connected to this fuse is the 'lights on alarm'. I have no idea where this is though. Any cluse anyone?
BTW there is only 1 blown fuse and everything else works just fine.
cheers, Len
I think the lighting warning buzzer is built into a relay like module. These are often on the rear of the fusepanel. I'm not familiar with the details of a
106.Bob
Local car electric dealer guessed the problem over the phone! I have recently replaced the radio with one from my 306. Seems that the wiring for the radio backlight is connected wrongly in the ISO loom!
He's going to tell me how to fix it tomorrow now I have confirmed the problem -- remove radio and it all works fine. All I have to do is move one of the connectors.
Why don't they make radios to conform to ISO plugs !!
cheers, Len
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