Hi all,
My Daughter's Panda has developed a problem where all the lights and indicators seem to be working but when she brakes and indicates the indicator flashes quickly on the dashboard and the brake light dims and flashes along with the indicators. This happens on both sides. Front side lights and indicators also come on very dimmly with the light's off when the brake is pressed.

I seem to remember having a similar problem on another car years ago and it was a relay, does this sound correct?

And is there a way to find out which one?

It's a 2005 Panda 1.1 I think although in this case I'm not sure if it matters. I'll find both make and model if it's relevant.

Hi,
This is more likely to be a bad earth on the rear light cluster than a relay.


Robert G8RPI.

Makes sense, I scraped rust off a rear light one time before although the bulb had blown so everything worked after I done it. It just seemed a different problem than last time and why I thought of a relay.


Will get back if it fixes the problem or not.

Thanks

g8rpi said:

Hi,
This is more likely to be a bad earth on the rear light cluster than a relay.


Robert G8RPI.

Click to expand...

g8rpi said:

Hi,
This is more likely to be a bad earth on the rear light cluster than a relay.


Robert G8RPI.

Click to expand...

agreed

the connectors are a week point. They either corrode, arc or pin bend and fail to make contact.

a good inspection in good light is normally all that's needed. Look for bent pins, white powder, blue pins or melted plastic.

It'll most likely be the passenger side rear light cluster. Give the connector a good clean up and all should be fine again.

Yes it is the passenger light cluster. It seems to be the loom that goes into the lights. It's very temperamental, I've got it working but it will go again. Does anyone know what part I'd need for a new plastic loom?

Clean the bare metal to get good contact them protect with white grease. If it keeps happening you may have a cracked light cluster.

DaveMcT said:

Clean the bare metal to get good contact them protect with white grease. If it keeps happening you may have a cracked light cluster.

Click to expand...

I may have cleaned the bare metal too much :bang: but there isn't great contact between the loom and the light cluster. I have it working but it will fail again hence my question about a new loom.

by far the easiest way would be to use an old fashioned breakers and cut of the connector of with a little of the loom of a newer car and solder in place of yours covering the join with heat shrink.

probably charge a couple of quid


otherwise you will have to buy the right crimps, crimp tool and connector. Can't see that going well. Ebay most likely followed by main dealer.

Cutting the wires and soldering a new (used) connector is by far the easiest option. You could swap your rear lights with the ones on this guy's car. Make sure you get the loom connectors with some cable attached.

https://www.fiatforum.com/panda/465...f-bars-plus-other-bits-west-midlands-ws7.html