Hi I have recently bought my son an Idea (not a good one!) and one thing I cant seem to fix is the headlights they will not switch off! even with the switch unit plugs removed! pulling the relay does put them out and swopping the relays puts the headlights back on. Does any one know what is between the relay and the plug conector at the switch end?.:bang:

Hi,
ask in TECH section,
most stuff on the Idea is Punto 2B I beleive..,

Charlie

Had this crazy **** with a GP a few weeks ago, it was a faulty column stalk.

Hi my son is home from uni so i have had time to fix that side/headlight issue, and it was a faulty light stalk but not wanting to spend much was prompted to investigate. I took the steering wheel off and got the stalk assembly apart and the fault is broken wires inside the stalk caused by being moved up and down when indicating. It was a bit fiddly but i have replaced the wires and soldered them up and hey presto the lights are off and it cost nothing just some patience.

Telegraph said:

Hi my son is home from uni so i have had time to fix that side/headlight issue, and it was a faulty light stalk but not wanting to spend much was prompted to investigate. I took the steering wheel off and got the stalk assembly apart and the fault is broken wires inside the stalk caused by being moved up and down when indicating. It was a bit fiddly but i have replaced the wires and soldered them up and hey presto the lights are off and it cost nothing just some patience.

Click to expand...

out of interest - how did you stop the baTTERY DRAINING, BATTERY ISOLATOR..??

Charlie

Hi Charie I should have said the lights came on with the ignition switched on so the only concern i had was his short journeys to uni . I checked the switch first and found that when in the off position it was actually on there is nothing electronic on the stalk assembly circuit board to do with the side or head lights.
The system is fail safe so any break will put the lights on when these wires break the body computer puts the lights on. A new stalk assembly is expensive so fixing these wires was worthwhile. This stalk is used on a number of cars including my Croma so useful info.

Hi, I too have recently bought an Idea and have exactly the same problem. When I first got it only the sidelights would not turn off. Now the headlights are on permanently. Fiddling with the stalk will sometimes get them to go off so I suspect I have the same fault. Is it possible to remove the indicator stalk without removing the steering wheel? I don't fancy disturbing the airbag!!

Many thanks for the very useful info regarding the fix

Derek

Hi you will have to take the steering wheel I am afraid but it is not too difficult just be sure to disconnect the battery for twenty minutes before taking the air bag off the wheel and the same before refitting. Getting the air bag off the wheel is fiddly and involves pushing five mm rod up two holes at the rear to unlatch two handles that hold it in. Pull the air bag by an inch reach in ad disconnect it yellow and green connectors after that it is straight forward enough. When tacking the stalk assy apart try not to upset the wiper stalk keep it pressed rearwards take a note or photo of how the stalk mechanism works the slider switch ect. To get to the switch turn and pull the end cap off. A new stalk assembly is over £250 so it worthwhile tackling.

Hi, many thanks for the info

Really helpful information!! I also repaired mine yesterday. My car is Fiat Croma. Many thanks