Technical Dash dies when switching on any lights (brake-headlight-reverse)

[lemaitre777]

Hi. I have the uno 1.4 Pacer. My car has some very funny symptoms any suggestions as to where the problem might be. Everything was was working fine. Stopped the car for bout 2 hours came back started the car but no lights wanted to light up except the hazards.

When I switch on the headlights, put the transmission in reverse or press the breaks the dash looses power (No rpm-feul and temperature readings). The Dash also doesn't light up upon starting the engine, only when slightly revving the engine does it then light up and stays on until I switch on any light by any means except the hazards.

The battery indicator is dimmed while dash has power.

Thanx guys

 

[calvins_tipo]

Hi. I have the uno 1.4 Pacer. My car has some very funny symptoms any suggestions as to where the problem might be. Everything was was working fine. Stopped the car for bout 2 hours came back started the car but no lights wanted to light up except the hazards.

When I switch on the headlights, put the transmission in reverse or press the breaks the dash looses power (No rpm-feul and temperature readings). The Dash also doesn't light up upon starting the engine, only when slightly revving the engine does it then light up and stays on until I switch on any light by any means except the hazards.

The battery indicator is dimmed while dash has power.

Thanx guys

That will be your earth strap in between battery and gearbox very easy to remove and clean up

 

[lemaitre777]

That will be your earth strap in between battery and gearbox very easy to remove and clean up

Hi. Thanx for the swift reply.By clean up you mean remove and clean the connection surfaces. I did just that.

Upon turning the key one position the dash still doesnt light up (expecting handbrake warning at least) and the healights still wont turn on. Checked all the fuses they are fine.

The starter does have enough power to turn the engin and it uses the same earth line as the one connected to the gearbox... I noticed that are several other earth points in between this cable beneath the battery but they seem quite rigid and well intact. Will play around a bit there later today.

But as standing now the earth between gearbox and battery did not solve the problem... Any other suggestions??

 

[lemaitre777]

Just used a jumper cable to bypass the standard cable attached to gearbox by placing the jumper on the terminal and on a gearbox flange. Made no difference lights still not switching on.

I was busy typing further on the above paragraph when I struck me that it could be that the first position of the ignition switch is not working... got my multi-meter went and tested it using Haynes wiring diagram and yes seems to be faulty.. By bypassing the switch manually the dash and lights all work great.

This ignition switch tough is not the original but a cheap China pirate part replaced due a complete fry of all the cabling at the attachment. Hope it was just the poor guilty of the switch and not faulty wiring elsewhere causing the problem.

Even though I did not receive the solution directly on this forum it still lead to me thinking logically to resolve the problem so win win haha. Hope the replacement part solves all the problems else I`ll be moaning here again soon. Thanx