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Earthing point for door pins

K

kdp

New member
My interior light does not turn off when the doors are closed, but the light does dim slightly when I close them. Does this indicate that there is a poor earth and if so where are they earthed?

My battery also drains when left for a few days, but is fine if I remove the electric window fuse and I've read on here that the the interior light circuit is part of the window circuit.
 
The door pins earth when you open the door. The fact that the light is on when the door is closed suggests something is earthing when it shouldn't. Take them out and have a look at the wiring; you'll probably find something is broken somewhere and touching a bit of bodywork.


Oli.
 
Thanks for your reply Oli. I have taken the pins out, but the wiring is so short I am unable to look to see if any is damaged.

Do you know if it's possible to see the wiring from within the footwell or is it all hidden away inside the boywork?
 
What car is it on? Do your electric windows work ok?

It might sound like a curious question to ask, but... The electric windows work (or should work) when teh ignition is off but a door is open - it is designed like that. I have seen many, many early cars with electric window wiring messed about, because "there was no live feed to the passenger side, it couldn't possibly work" (yeah, yeah)... and connectors reversed on the drivers side because they're not polarised (but if they're not the right way round the passenger window doesn't work)... I could easily see a scenario whereby problems with a window motor or switch could allow power to earth through the coutesy light...
 
Thanks for the reply Tref. It's an 89 Lux and both the electric windows work with the ignition off and the door open.

I do have a problem with the window circuit though. I have found that it drains the battery and I have had to remove the fuse from the fusebox and replace it with an inline fuse with a switch in the cabin so that I can cut the power too to the windows when not using the car.

I'm not sure if it's the windows or the interior light circuit that is causing my problem.
 
Hmmm... I don't think the later dash cars have so many problems in that respect... sorry to ask obvious stuff again - the boot light isn't switched on is it?
 
Should the windows work with the ignition off and the doors shut? I think I may have one or two wiring gremlins to work through.
Mick
 

ORIGINAL: Masher

Should the windows work with the ignition off and the doors shut? I think I may have one or two wiring gremlins to work through.
Click to expand...
Nope, they shouldn't. They should work with either the ignition is on or a door is open. (Or both, natch).

Wiring and window and door problems are usually a matter of logic; an hour with a multimeter and small screwdriver should get you to the bottom of them fairly quickly.


Oli.
 
Yes Tref, the boot light also stayed on. I have found that one of the switches on the boot strut was not earthing when closed. Now I have unplugged this strut connector, the boot light and interior light go out when the boot and doors are closed (I have one connector on each strut).

Now the boot light comes on when I open a door while the boot is closed - is this correct or should it only come on when the boot is opened i.e. it operates independently from the doors?

I have yet to check the window circuit which still work all the time with the key out and with the doors open or shut.
 
Boot light comes on with the boot open or door open and boot closed. Same circuit so boot light operates on either door with boot shut or boot open which also puts on the front interior light.
 
Thanks for that David. Looks like the lighting is working as it should then and so now I'll see if I can discover why the strut switch is playing up.
 
There are known issues with cheap replacement struts and the connectors on them not working properly (or even not being there at all.) It is also possible to mount the struts wrongly and cause electrical problems like that.

Check the provenance of the struts (who made them) and whether they are installed correctly or not.


Oli.
 
Sorry to butt in here but my electric window doesn't work on the passenger side and my interior light only works with the boot open... What's the easiest thing to try first?

 
Could be many things. I'd start by taking the door pins out and making sure they are all clean and working as they should.

Window not working could be motor or switch or connections. Does it not work from the driver's side or the passenger side?


Oli.
 
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