robmar Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Since my back end rebuild, my car has started blowing the fuse for the brake/rear lights, I am suspecting it is a earth /shorting problem... However being a total numpty in the elctrical department can anyone give me a step by step guide to tracing & fixing this problem.... It appears fine when I replace the fuse, however after a small drive it blows again ☹️ any advice/help much appreciated rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Woods Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Is it the right hand side lights or the left ? If its the right hand side then it also powers the instrument lights, and they might be the source of your problem The little wires that feed the illuminators inside the dashboard switches can sometimes work loose and short out on the dashboard, you'll have to check each switch in turn by pulling it out from the dash. The bulbs inside the instruments can work loose and have the same effect. Also, if it is the right hand side you'll need a 7.5A fuse instead of a 5A for the left. Nick P8MRA - Red and Black 1.6K supersport, back on the road at last. See pictures of it being rebuilt here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmar Posted April 2, 2003 Author Share Posted April 2, 2003 not it is both sides brakes and lights Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Area Representative Richard Price Posted April 2, 2003 Area Representative Share Posted April 2, 2003 Rob, Is it just the brake lights, or the rear lights as well? The drawings would indicate that Fuse 1 supplies the brake lights and the reverse lights only. If its the rear lights on both sides aswell, thats very odd! That would be 3 separate fuses! I would be checking for signs of wireing damage at each point it goes through any panels. You could be looking for a very small nick in the insulation! I suspect you should be looking for damage to a Green/Purple wire. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captainbilos Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 I had a similar problem a few years ago after Caterham removed the engine and gearbox to change some worn bearings. After they replaced the gearbox, the reversing light sensor to the gearbox was touching the transmission tunnel. Each time it was put into reverse the curcuit shorted out and blew the break lights!!!! Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris W Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Rob Something's not consistent here. You say that it is ALL the rear lights and brake lights that are affected but you mention replacing "the" fuse. As Richard correctly pointed out the left and right side lights are on separate fuses and the brake/reverse lights are on a third. Just to be clear, how many fuses are you having to replace and which number fuse(s) in the holder? Chris 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Edited by - Chris W on 2 Apr 2003 11:59:22 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmar Posted April 2, 2003 Author Share Posted April 2, 2003 I am starting to get confused now I will check tonight, it may just be the brake lights (top most fuse) rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris W Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Rob If it is just the brake light/reversing light (fuse No. 1) then I reckon Paul may have hit the nail on the head with his reversing switch problem. Suggest you change the fuse again, then (i) try the brakes (ii) put the car in reverse..... and see which of these 2 operations blows the fuse again. If neither blows the fuse, then I suggest you have an intermittent chafed wire touching occasionally. Look at the places where the brake lights and reversing light wires pass through any parts of the body. cheers Chris 1.8K SV 140hp see it here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Best bet is to turn it all on without starting the engine, then go wire wiggling. Give things a good old pull round and 9 times out of 10 the fault will conveniently appear. This includes the reverse switch, natch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_thombs Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Rob I had the same thing, wire for the reverse light had lost its insulation and was shorting out on the chassis as you drive along, check your insulation ! Jon GJ02FDP Beaulieu no31 My Caterham Pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
F355GTS Posted April 2, 2003 Share Posted April 2, 2003 Rob if you get stuck you could bring it round on Saturday PM and we'll attack it with a meter Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevSull Too Posted April 3, 2003 Share Posted April 3, 2003 Mark, you that sick of polishing your mower? 😬You laugh at me because I'm different, I laugh at you because you're all the same. 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmar Posted April 3, 2003 Author Share Posted April 3, 2003 I didn't get time to check last night, got caught up with some work stuff and then the footie if I remember I will try tonight... Mark - thanks for the offer, but I think I am building up brownie points on the south coast this weekend rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmar Posted April 8, 2003 Author Share Posted April 8, 2003 public thanks to Mark (aka F355GTS) for helping me track dow n the problem last night , in the end it took only about 20 mins to find it turned out to be a problem within the reverse light hosing itself, the metal connector to the back of the bulb was not sitting correctly on the centre of the bulb and slipping off an shorting on the outside of the bulb itself cheers so I took the long way home and got gritted by a lorry in wokingham which was a new expereince rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheds Moderator Posted April 8, 2003 Share Posted April 8, 2003 What, Wokingham a new experience? Come to think, I may have overlooked Wokingham in the past. Am I missing anything? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmar Posted April 8, 2003 Author Share Posted April 8, 2003 it was the being gritted which was the new experience rather than being in wokingham it self from a blatting POV there are too many cameras and cars to make it that interesting I remember a review of one of the first geodysey units around bracknell/wokingham and the tester had the system set to 200m, and the warning lights never went off! rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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