Allspark Auto Electrical

VW Audi Seat Skoda – Windows open by themselves, central locking fault, battery drain

Dave Fox — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 12:20:58 +0000

The window/door control module is built onto the bottom of the drivers door window motor. Due to its mounting location and angle, water can penetrate the connector and cause shorting.

You’ll know straight away if this is the culprit as when you disconnect the plug, orange water will usually run out of the joint.

Examine the pins and receivers for corrosion damage. If you’re lucky and you catch the problem soon enough it should clean up with some WD40 and a toothbrush.

BMW E39 – No start / no electrical power

Dave Fox — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:08:39 +0000

If you find you have no power to the ignition circuit, no warning lights on the dash etc. it would be very easy to assume that the immobiliser has developed a fault. There is an additional megafusebox hidden under the carpet in the drivers foot-well. One of the fuses contained therein governs power to the ignition and fuel pump circuits. It’s an absolute swine to get at and requires the drivers seat be removed. If one of the fuses has blown, check the megafusebox in the boot as some models often have redundant ones there that can be utilised.

BMW E36 – Multiple electrical faults / battery drain

Dave Fox — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:05:58 +0000

A poorly fitted replacement windscreen can result in water leaking down the firewall. There are 3 wiring loom connector joints at the bottom of the firewall on the passenger side that with water ingress can short resulting in a variety of intermittent faults and battery drain conditions. Evidence of this problem will be lots of water under the carpet in passenger side front and rear foot-wells. The leak must be cured before thoroughly drying and cleaning the joints to resolve the faults.

Ford Mondeo – Aftermarket radio installation problems

Dave Fox — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:04:56 +0000

Mk3 onwards: If your fitting an after-market radio in one of these you may have a problem finding an ignition switched live feed. As with many modern cars the switched feed has been replaced with a pulsed feed which won’t work an after-market radio. An ignition switched 12v feed can be found at a relay holder (vacant on some models) on the fusebox behind the glove compartment.

Mitsubishi L200 – Rear light fault

Dave Fox — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:03:38 +0000

If you find you have erratic or no tail lights you’ll need to get down and crawl around under the flat-bed. The wiring loom where it passes just above the rear axle on the driver side chassis leg can chafe and fray leading to open circuits and shorts. The exposed/broken cables will need to be cut back and new sections of cable soldered in place.

Jeep Grand Cherokee – Locks, windows, seat memory fault

Dave Fox — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:02:45 +0000

The cables between the drivers door and door frame are prone to breakage due to flexing. If you find you have no power to any of the switches in the door or the locks and/or windows are erratic; this is the most likely cause. The sleeving will need to be taken back as far as possible to isolate the culprit and an insulated joint made. Ideally the broken cable(s) should be joined in the door and kick panel as a soldered joint will not last long if repeatedly flexed.

Citroen Xara Picasso – Continuous heater fan

Dave Fox — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 16:00:29 +0000

Citroens with automatic climate control; if you find that the heater blower is constantly on at top speed as soon as the ignition is turned on and adjusting the controls makes no difference, then your blower module (unfortunately only available as part of the blower motor assembly) will need replacing. The blower motor casing is a large cylinder behind the centre console. If you approach it from the passenger foot-well, disconnect the 2 electrical connectors, there is a plastic clip at the 10o’clock position that needs to be prised up before the fan motor assembly can be rotated and pulled out.

Citroen (Most Models) – Multiple electrical faults

Dave Fox — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:38:26 +0000

Citroen Saxo, Xara, Xara Piccaso: The ignition barrels on these cars are not particularly hard wearing. The internal contacts are prone to wear resulting in a loss of electronic power steering, heating/air-con, electric windows. On the back of the switch there will be 2 identical heavy cables that should normally both become live when the ignition key is in the on position. The contacts in the ignition switch for the cable responsible for feeding the heating, steering, windows circuits wear out rendering the feed cable dead. The solution is to replace the ignition barrel, however a cheaper fix is to just join both the 2 heavy cables together using a suitable heavy gauge cable and solder.