I have had my peugeot 306 XLdt for 2 years now, it is a 1994 'm' reg diesel turbo which has done 138000 miles. For the last month it has been plagued with electrical problems, mainly to do with headlights. Here goes....It started with my headlamps turning on all by themselves when I was away from the car, and when they came on, it was impossible to turn them off (although if I put them on main beam, they would usually switch off). This then got worse, they would switch on & off regulary on their own, and I was obviously ending up with a flat battery. Then I had no headlights (or tail lights) for about a week. Everything else worked fine including brake lights,indicators, reverse lights etc, I just had no Side/Dip or main beam & rear lights. I took it to my local garage, who could not find the fault, so I was restricted to driving in daylight hours only. I now have the opposite problem, i.e my headlights/rear lights have now decided to work again (all by themselves!), but again, I cannot switch them off by any means other than disconnecting the battery. I have been through every fuse in the box, and nothing will stop the lights working. I have a reasonable understanding of electrics (but nothing serious!), so I have been through the obvious, i.e checked all fuses (under bonnet ones too), pulled out every relay I can find, they all seem to work fine (they click as they should) and I have even swapped the relays about as there are 3 which are identical), but no change. There is one other factor in this mystery.....the dreaded peugeot Alarm system which has always had a mind of it's own! I recently removed the 'siren' part of the alarm, as it was driving me mad going off everywhere. This was just one polarised plug and I cannot imagine it has affected the light situation (I plugged it back in yesterday to check, but the lights are still stuck on!
If anyone out there can give me any clues, I would be incredibly grateful. I have called a few peugeot dealers, but, not surprisingly they were not keen to help! If anyone could tell me the location of the Alarm 'Brain'CPU I would be grateful!
I look forward to hearing from anyone! Nick.
|
Sounds like water getting into the fusebox. I had a similar symptom problem on my Granada when all the electrics went doolally.
An auto electrician should be able to diagnose fairly easily.
HTH
Charles
|
|
|
DN - is your alarm a factory-fit or an aftermarket? My 1993 205 had a typical dealer-fit alarm which I removed because the small plastic connectors which cut through the wiring to T-in the new connections were developing faulty contacts. Several were behind the grille, so if speed was high enough, or there was a strong crosswind from a certain direction, the central-locking relay began clicking frantically.
This isn't your symptom, but I wonder if you have any dirty connections like these.
|
Starting with the simplest circuits first (from my Haynes manual) ...
1. MAIN beam is wired as Battery --> Control unit (next to battery) --> Light switch --> Headlight --> Earth. No fuses or relays!
2. All side lights are wired as Battery --> Control unit --> Light switch --> Fuse F13 --> Side light --> Earth.
3. Dipped beam is more complicated. Haynes only shows the circuit for a car with a dim/dip facility, which I think gives dimmed headlights whenever the engine is running (like Volvo?). This circuit has two relays, a resistor and a fuse. It's likely, though I'm not sure, that your car won't have any of these bits! A failure of one or both these relays could cause the dipped beam to stick on or stick off, but wouldn't explain any other symptoms.
4. The alarm system taps into all this somewhere, but I think the alarm is a red herring because it also affects the indicators and you aren't complaining about those.
The common factors in (1), (2) and (3) are the control unit and the light switch. It can't believe it's the control unit, so it must be the light switch.
Ian
|
I think Ian T is close.
Recently I've replaced Xantia column stalks because the indicator relay was being powered to click away even when the stalk was in the mid position, an Espace where the main beam would go out at random when driving in the dark (!!), also an Escort where the rear lamps and dash lights would go off (or not come on) at random.
In every case a new lighting stalk cured the problem.
MM
|
Recently I've replaced Xantia column stalks because the indicator relay was being powered to click away even when the stalk was in the mid position. In every case a new lighting stalk cured the problem. MM
>>
I'm glad you posted this, MM. I've had an intermitent problem with the 99 Xantia, whereby the relay clicks of its own accord. No lights flash, and as soon as I turn on the indicators it seems to cure itself. It started during the very cold weather, and now seems to have cured itself altogether. I'll probably replace the column switch before next winter.
I've heard that you can get at the column switch without removing the steering wheel (i.e. no airbag problems). Can you confirm?
Rgds
Ian Cook
|
Ian,
It's a common annoyance because, as you say, it doesn't make the lights flash so the source of the problem is misleading.
When it happens if you move the stalk a fraction...not wobble but the lightest touch about 1mm one way or the other and it should stop.
Andyspares do the stalk at a reasonable price and yes you should take the airbag/steering wheel off.
I can't say that with a bit of extra time sepnt looking at the access you may get the switch off without the wheel. It is so much easier to just remove the wheel and access is good then.
Obviously airbag handling is a serious safety issue.
MM
|
|
Yeah, dim-dip is when a percentage of the headlights come on when you use your side-lights, by cutting this unit out completely it can sometimes erase the lights/relay related problems. it is no longer a requirement, apparently it was once required by law, not sure in which country mind- probably the SNIP
Comments like that are not welcome here. Please keep your views of other nations to yourself. DD
|
|
|
|
|
