Hi all,

New to the forum as a poster, but long time reader! I am hoping someone can help. Just to say I have searched the forums, but have not got a clear answer, and not sure the other scenarios match mine. So, here we go!

SYMPTOM:
- Dipped headlights stay on, along with the dipped headlight icon on dashboard, and lights surrounding the heater controls and cigarette lighter.

- Turning lights back to off has no effect. Taking key out has no effect. Fairly certain this is not the 'follow me home' lights feature, as the lights in question are dipped (not main beam) and to be sure I checked/disabled this feature.

- Main beam and full beam both turn off and on as normal; it is the dipped and fan/cig lights that are the problem.

BACKGROUND:

- Worth noting that the lights near my fan controls and cigarette lighter never used to work... Car like that since I bought it.

- Bought a Sony aftermarket radio in Dec. Fitted it as 'normal' merging the red and yellow radio-wires to the single red car-wire (always live). This flattened my battery after a week of the car sitting idle! I read up on the forums here, and discovered the whole "Punto's lack a switched-live cable." issue... Disconnected radio for a few months!

- Yesterday, finally, decided to attempt creating my own switched live by tapping into the cigarette lighter. Could not find a specific guide here for that, but followed the remove console guide (Thanks!)

- Ran a wire from the red/live on back of cigarette lighter up to the yellow connection on radio. Radio worked. It was daylight, so didn't notice anything else amiss!

- During the trial of the above step, I blew a fuse in driver fuse box, I assume it was the cigarette lighter one. Replaced, all ok, but perhaps it relates to my issue, so worth a mention.

- Radio and ignition worked as expected. Radio switched off with car, radio had memory etc.

- Drove yesterday evening, put lights on... Found fan/cig lights now worked! I thought "Bonus!"

- But then found that they and the dimmed lights would not turn off! Only way to do so is to disconnect battery when I leave the car!

- Left battery disconnected over night, and also disconnected radio completely in case that was the cause. Issue still persists with radio disconnected! :-(

- This evening, pulled every fuse out one by one in turn... All fuses ok. But, Lights stayed on! Odd?

- To cap it all, can't find my manual at the mo to check fuse types and roles!

------------------
So, not sure where that leaves me! Could a relay or fuse have 'fused' itself to only receive a "one way signal"? I.e. I can turn lights on ok, just not off!

I am hoping this is something that someone here may know about. Has my extra 12v 'tapped' wire caused a permanent issue?
Hopefully this is a fuse or relay swap? (Not entirely sure what a relay is; the bigger red/black blocks by the fuses?)

I'll be massively grateful if someone can help! As I say, no exact scenario or solution seemed to match mine or be available on a search, but apologies in advance if I'm wrong on that!

Thanks! GT

Wiring up a new radio might have blown some fuses. I'd check them first.

Thanks David. I did check the fuses tonight, and the radio worked as expected yesterday when I first created the cable. (Have clarified above).

Ah, I must have skipped that sentence!

Also check for crusty deposits on the fuses, they don't have to blow to not work. I'm not really much help after that, other than check your earth connections and the contacts in the headlight.

Greytiger said:

Thanks David. I did check the fuses tonight, and the radio worked as expected yesterday when I first created the cable. (Have clarified above).

Click to expand...

the cig lighter socket has 3 wires
1 neutral/earth
2 switched positive feed
3 lighted ring ( connected to sidelights circuit)

maybe you have connected radio feed to the sidelight connection on the lighter socket
remove your wiring and see if fault clears, probably didnt clear when you removed radio cos you just unplugged the radio from the connector and the wiring is before that
if you are running a feed from another source for the radio you should always disconnect the original feed to the radio

hope that helps

iagree,



re trace your steps,as sugested, disconect any wiring youve put in
and get multi-meter out,

Thanks Jon1612 and Oldhammer, will try this ASAP. I did pull the earth behind the cigarette lighter away from the other wires, wondering if it was shorting, but did not tinker with the switched live / ring light. Will disconnect and then try reconnecting to the other cable...

Ok, this morning made sure the new cable was disconnected from everything at both ends. Tried testing the lights with all 3 cigarette wires connecting to 'nothing' and again with the lighter assembled as normal. I still get problem!

Next step is to find or download the manual, find all fuses and relays to do with lights!

Will check condition of fuses as well... Must have done something some where as cig-lights never used to work at all.

>

Have you got the original radio, (blau-punkt)?

if so what happens if you plug that in?


back to aftermarket radio, when you disconect this have you just removed the head unit and left the ebay/halfords or what ever iso convertor (if used) inplace,

these are TaT, they claim to be plug & play and there not,
so if inplace remove and see what happens.

id think the Bcu is getting a feed from somewhere, if no fault with fuse's /radio wiring
then id move on to removing steering wheel cowl, unplug connectors from ignition barrel,thus being carefull near wiring /connectors for pwr steering elecys,

if still showing headlights on then think alternator back feeding but this normaly throws up ign light so might be wrong direction to go,
or think door looms, (elecy windows have a perm live iirc,)

Yikes! Righto, thanks. I think I can follow the above confidently up to the remove ISO connectors and try old radio stage (if I will have it! My bro may have his; matching models!)

If it starts going down a route where I need to look around ignition, I'd be worried and maybe call in the pros. I appreciate messing with electrics can do all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff, but seeing how I was nowhere near the wheel or ignition, I'd be a bit miffed if it turns out I have to tinker round there! Though as I say; electrics!

I've got a copy of the manual, will try pulling all the fuses and putting them in one by one if the ISO / radio investigation goes nowhere.

It's a proper mystery this one! Just hope I get a happy ending! On we go... Thanks again so far folks.

SOLVED!

Turns out I had incorrectly replaced the fuse I had blown (when setting up extra wire) with a 10 rather than 7.5 - This was in slot F51

F51 does not say in manual that it is connected to lights, but it must be somehow! Took out F51 fuse entirely, figured I would live without the 'Newly restored' dash/cig lighting.

Tested lights, tested new radio (yellow-radio-mem-wire to car-red-always live / radio-red-power to new-car-yellow-switched-power)

Funny thing is, dash/cig lights restored, even without f51 fuse!? Perhaps radio is completing circuit?

Will see if reintroducing a proper 7.5 fuse to f51 has an effect. If not, this is a win!

Thanks all; great ideas, would have took me ages to spot fuse error, and the download of the manual on this forum is a lifesaver!

Greytiger said:

SOLVED!

Turns out I had incorrectly replaced the fuse I had blown (when setting up extra wire) with a 10 rather than 7.5 - This was in slot F51

F51 does not say in manual that it is connected to lights, but it must be somehow! Took out F51 fuse entirely, figured I would live without the 'Newly restored' dash/cig lighting.

Tested lights, tested new radio (yellow-radio-mem-wire to car-red-always live / radio-red-power to new-car-yellow-switched-power)

Funny thing is, dash/cig lights restored, even without f51 fuse!? Perhaps radio is completing circuit?

Will see if reintroducing a proper 7.5 fuse to f51 has an effect. If not, this is a win!

Thanks all; great ideas, would have took me ages to spot fuse error, and the download of the manual on this forum is a lifesaver!

Click to expand...

leave it alone whilst all is good,
just keep eye on radio for draining battery,

Agreed, if it ain't broke, don't fix it

Greytiger said:

SOLVED!

Turns out I had incorrectly replaced the fuse I had blown (when setting up extra wire) with a 10 rather than 7.5 - This was in slot F51

F51 does not say in manual that it is connected to lights, but it must be somehow! Took out F51 fuse entirely, figured I would live without the 'Newly restored' dash/cig lighting.

Tested lights, tested new radio (yellow-radio-mem-wire to car-red-always live / radio-red-power to new-car-yellow-switched-power)

Funny thing is, dash/cig lights restored, even without f51 fuse!? Perhaps radio is completing circuit?

Will see if reintroducing a proper 7.5 fuse to f51 has an effect. If not, this is a win!

Thanks all; great ideas, would have took me ages to spot fuse error, and the download of the manual on this forum is a lifesaver!

Click to expand...

the size / rating of the fuse will make no difference as its just a bit of wire
more likely you have "RESET" what ever was causing the problem by removing the fuse to fit correct rating OR either the fuse you put in or replaced it with has blow ( they dont always look like they have )
anyway lesson learnt "if its working ok LEAVE IT ALONE" something a lot of people on this site need to learn...