Bloody Electrics!

[Guest Paul L]

All my electrics seem to have gone up the shoot at the same time! RWW/HRW/CL/EW have all stopped working.

 

RWW

 

Wiper arm doesn't work although the washer is OK and I can hear the relay working on intermitent!

 

HRW

 

Just stopped working!

 

CL

 

Don't ask!

 

EW

 

Switch in the drivers door doesn't work! Sorry, it sometimes works depending how far open you have the door. Suspect a broken wire somewhere. Passenger door switch is OK.

 

How do I access the rubber gators to repair the wiring? And how do I replace them once the repairs are complete?

[Guest SA Intruder]

Sounds like a broken ground wire in or to the rear tailgate.

 

There is a common theme in your fault tree!

[Dally]

Hey Guys,

 

I'm sure my frost warning indicator used to light up and ring whenever the temp fell below 4 degrees or when I started the engine and the temp was already below 4 degrees. Over the last couple of days, it seems to ring when I start 1st thing in the morning but everything else seems to be random now????

 

Any other experiences?

[Dally]

Temperature was below 4 degrees all day today, but no chime whatsoever!

-bloody electrics

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Depends on how close to 4 deg C the temp is - have been having fun with my ice warning chimes the past few days. Example - leave home, at 4.5 deg C, travel half a mile down road, temp drops to 4 deg C and ice alert chimes. Drive a bit further, warms up a bit, then a bit further still, and temp drops again so ice alert chimes again - even though journey started at well above zero, with no overnight frost so no risk of ice. It's just another quirk that you have to live with.

[Dally]

Ivor

 

Mine aint chiming at all now! The temps been ranging from about -2 degrees upwards.

[ridway]

The chime alert sounds as the temperature probe detects a falling temperature through 4 deg C. This I presumed to be correct as ice can exist at any temp below this 4 deg C point. The chime is accompanied with a flashing display at 4deg C. No other warning is given when below this figure.

 

HNY

Rich

[Dally]

Ridway

 

The warning does flash when the temp falls below 4 degrees or when I start the engine and the temp is already below 4 degrees - I just don't get a chime anymore like I used to!

[ridway]

Its seems you may just have a knacked chimer. I can understand your frustration with it. It is one of those niggly faults that will irritate forever until fixed. It is just a pain gaining access to substitute a new bit not knowing for sure that it will cure the problem. Then of course you need some way of testing it, giving the right temperature to the sensor.

 

My experience of this device is that it only chimes as the temp falls through 4 deg C. It does not chime when the temp remains below 4 deg C but the display does flash briefly when the ignition is switched on.

 

Best of luck with it

Rich

[Ivor_E_Tower]

I'll agree with that - it's what mine does anyway.

Next chiming annoyance - handbrake on - I use the handbrake to keep speed on a long downhill bit that I use occasionally. Went that way today, and of course when you apply the handbrake the warning comes up and the chime goes off - and it repeats the chiming every few seconds! Ah well, too much technology in these modern cars.....

[Dave-G]

Next chiming annoyance - handbrake on - I use the handbrake to keep speed on a long :o

 

<_< uh? :huh:

 

:huh: I think Ivor's checking to see if we're taking any notice :P

[seatkid]

I prefer to flip up my sunroof (air brake) and throw out the anchor :huh:

SEATs don't have chimes - they have a pair of castanets hung from the drivers mirror. <_<

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Maybe I should have said "check" speed - ie stop the car accelerating down the hill as it tries to gather momentum. Wahtever - never had a problem with previous cars, just partially apply handbrake to get some assistance with "slowing" the car as it goes downhill.

[seatkid]

Don't take it personally Ivor - we're all guilty of some "bad" driving habits (as defined by "advanced"? drivers). I myself am guilty of one or two. :huh: I love to freewheel well in advance (half a mile) up to junctions and try to get across without stopping. I'm absolutely certain I save a few cc of fuel this way. :D Yes, I occasionally cross my hands on the steering wheel when turning or sometimes Ieven drive with one hand :P Most of all, I just ignore all other motorists - let them wait or get out of the way is wot I say! :P One advantage of having a big MPV! :P

 

But decelerating (or stopping natural acceleration) using handbrake? :o

 

Remember you're dissapting all that energy in the pair of brakes that would normally only do ~30% <_< of the braking and are designed as such - smaller and non vented. In a short time you could get really hot brakes! :huh:

 

True story: my mum took her new Astra out without disengaging handbrake fully, brakes failed (fluid boiled in both circuits) and only found out as she was leaving the motorway and couldn't slow down or stop! She was very lucky not have a serious accident.. :P ... Of course she couldn't understand when half an hour later the brakes seemed to work..

 

 

And Galaxy rear pads wear faster than front ones anyway. And ABS wouldnt work... and....

[ridway]

Use the left foot, my brakes always work a lot better!

 

Rich

[Ivor_E_Tower]

Rear pads wear faster than front eh? I'm going to start a new thread on this.

[Guest John J]

Firstly Happy New Year all.

 

I seem to be suffering in the electrics department. Here is my list:

 

1996 2.8 GLX Manual

 

1. Central Locking stopped locking, although when you lock the doors (using drivers door) you can hear the sounds that you assiciate with C/L ,but does not lock any doors (apart from drivers). I can lock all doors manually, but how do you lock the tailgate manually? Also does anyone know if the tailgate can be opened from inside the car?

 

2. Interior lights will not go out after attempting to lock doors. Do they work in association with the C/L?

 

3. Electric windows work fine, but on 2 separate occasions both fronts have opened about 6 inches by themselves, when no body was in the car and it was locked.

 

4. The doors open indicator shows that at least one door is open at all times, even though all doors are firmly closed. Seems to alternate between drivers and left rear passenger.

 

5. No aircon, but we won't go there!!

 

6. No power to any of the 12v power outlets, front and rear.

 

I started to check all of the fuses etc, and noticed that fuse 21 or 22 (can't remember which) deals with the instrument display. I had the ignition key in the first position when I removed it to check it. When I replaced it all of the dials moved to maximum for a ssecond before returning to normal. The trip computer and the clock then reset itself.

 

I also checked the ECU under the seat and it is bone dry

 

Finally,

 

7. After removing and re fitting the fuse, I could not believe my eyes when I switched on the radio (2007 RDS) Neither the radio or the tape now works but across the display sreen reads the words "POTLESS MATE" over and over again.

I know I am skint after Christmas but this is very wierd. I will try to get a photo of the screen if nobody believes me.

 

Apart from the above the car drives superbly, all other systems working fine.

 

I have a TIS CD, but if anyone can shed any light on any of the above I would be vry grateful.

 

 

Cheers

[Guest John J]

Thanks Fred for your advice.

 

Radio is working fine now.

 

The ECU under the seat appears to be bone dry. I have kept the car in the garage for the past week to ensure that no dampness occured. Yesterday, I warmed the ECU with the wifes hairdryer, and the C/L appeared to work on about 1 lock in 10. Also when switching on the ignition, but not starting the engine, the ECU or the attached relay (No 79) appears to click once, is this normal? Also, is this the correct relay, or could the clicking be a faulty relay, and the answer to some of my problems?

 

Also I remember someone recently listing their relay numbers. Again I attach a picture of my fuse box below and right of the steering wheel. Are these correct?

 

Cheers

[Guest Turbo]

After talking to a few people near to where I live, those with Galaxy`s etc that garage their cars have less electrical problems than those who leave their cars out, so it could be possible that damp is to blame for all these electrical failures. Mine is garaged and has no electrical faults ( I shouldn`t have put that !! ) but a friend of mine who keeps his Galaxy on the drive has had a lot of problems, like driving along and suddenly a back window goes down. His car could be haunted I suppose.......

[Guest smithgt]

Its seems you may just have a knacked chimer. I can understand your frustration with it. It is one of those niggly faults that will irritate forever until fixed. It is just a pain gaining access to substitute a new bit not knowing for sure that it will cure the problem. Then of course you need some way of testing it, giving the right temperature to the sensor.

 

My experience of this device is that it only chimes as the temp falls through 4 deg C. It does not chime when the temp remains below 4 deg C but the display does flash briefly when the ignition is switched on.

 

Best of luck with it

Rich

My 97 R Reg has a couple of snow flakes on the dash - the left one for cold, and both (left and right) for freezing, but I've never heard a chime!! (or from the handbrake)

 

Is there anything I can do to check the presence of a chime?? Is it a seperate buzzer or would it be through the original Ford radio (which has been removed)

 

What else could I be missing? ;)