General What does this Switch do?

[ETPanda]

Hi!

What does this switch do on the steering column? I've tried messing around with it but it doesn't seem to do anything with the lights.

Many thanks.

https://imgur.com/a/i4IUeuw

 

[panda1408]

That is an aftermarket switch, probably now redundant but could have been used for some driving lights or possibly a cooling fan override.

 

[ETPanda]

Hi again, finally traced the switch to the Engine Bay.

It it appears it goes behind the firewall into what appears to be a rats nest of wires.

Can anyone suggest if they have any importance? Otherwise, am I okay to remove it all.

The photos attach show the wires in question. Some are not even connected.

https://imgur.com/a/L5OwZRt

 

[chris3234]

Looking at the relay it appears the earth had broken off Which may explain why it doesn't do anything

 

[andyjw0114]

Have a feeling this isn't going to help much!
Going back to your first post is there a second aftermarket switch above the cigarette lighter? If so does that one do anything?
I'm not much cop at wiring but it looks like a heavy duty wire off the battery - goes via that rectangular box (which I don't recognise - is it just a switched connecting box ?) to the relay & two of the wires from the relay are disconnected so whatever was wired up is no longer functioning but still has a feed direct to the battery? Could well be a manual switch for the fan as has already been mooted.
If it was me I'd be tempted to open up that black rectangular box & see what's inside & trace wires back, also see if there are any remains of connectors elsewhere (radiator fan?) to correspond to the broken off ones on the relay and at some stage disconnect the red cable from the battery to deactivate the wiring - but from the photos I can't see where the blue wire goes & what the two thin wires (black & red or brown) going into the black rectangular box do - so there are a few imponderables...always best to tread carefully with wiring?

 

[ETPanda]

Hi yeah, the switch above the cigarette lighter controls the taillights on the car.

Is that not normally in Panda's? We posted a thread on the forum a few months ago about the taillights not working. Turns out that switch above the lighter had popped.

 

[Palio]

Hi yeah, the switch above the cigarette lighter controls the taillights on the car.

Is that not normally in Panda's? We posted a thread on the forum a few months ago about the taillights not working. Turns out that switch above the lighter had popped.

No! It’s a bodge if it works the back lights!

Panda lights (like every other car I’ve had) all come on when you use the light switch, and go off when you turn it off - no-one would ever design a car where you could forget to switch on the back lights

 

[ETPanda]

Yikes then...

I have no idea why they would make that modification then. I think I'll just isolate it then. I don't want to be messing around with the taillights again.

 

[andyjw0114]

Mine's a 93 Fire 1000.ie & have attached photo of positive lead from battery - I thick red wire & 2 thinner, all routed down the LHS of the heater box. I know the wiring on Selecta's will be different in some aspect but it looks to me as though the red wire off your battery going round to the wiper motor is an add on to provide power to whatever that relay does? As you have the two after market switches it may provide power for both the relay & the rear lights? Have also attached a pic of how the switches should function....lights work off the one switch Suppose the question is why those two aftermarket switches were put in - presumably something didn't work & from reading Forum the usual suspects are light switch failing, ignition switch failing & dodgy earths...with a few others sprinkled in....so if you want to return your car to the original state then you'd have to ID the culprit & replace it...or if you're OK with the switches as they are & are satisfied they do the job then you could leave them but your previous post about the rear light switch popping might suggest it wasn't heavy duty enough for the job in hand. Best of luck with sorting it ...suppose if you disconnect the additional wiring & see what's stopped working that's a starting point....or with the aid of a wiring diagram see which wires have been spliced into (round the wiper motor?)...might be a few clues.
Over to the experts now