Technical panda 4x4 2012 TA headlights stay on

[tommyboy33333]

hello everyone any ideas what would cause the headlights to stay on on my little panda , there is a few electrical issues with the car

yellow triangle warning , rear number plate light is out happens intermittently
intermittent left side of heater bulbs comes on and off
and headlights stay on when ignition is turned on and moving the stalk doesn't turn them on and off .

reading the forum suggests hatch wiring could be faulty i will check that out tomorrow or a loose wire in the stalk , although it turns the daylight running lights on and off . possible fault in the bcm ?


thanks

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

As we have seen recently, many of these ‘odd’ behaviours can be cured by checking the battery’s ability to hold charge. And in at least one case, replacing the battery has cured the issues. Definitely check that before heading into the much more expensive options such as body computer.

There is a function to leave the headlights on for 30 seconds (up to 2 minutes) if you choose, by ‘flashing’ the lights after turning the key off (so called ‘follow me home’). It seems that is being activated somehow.

 

[tommyboy33333]

thanks for the speedy reply Herts


yes after i posted i read the recent thread about someone with similar issues

i fully charged the battery up last night , but never made any difference but i understand the battery could still be on the way out

i will purchase a new battery .

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

An updated reply - read yours the wrong way... the lights staying on all the time the key is on is probably NOT the battery, but an issue that someone else has had here too. Use the Forum Search and it will come up.

The number plate and heater lights may be a sign that the bulbs are failing, or the contacts dirty. Both are prone to this, and the number plate will show the yellow triangle. Theres a guide here to how to remove the heater bulb (for the old model but basically same on this one too) Some of this still applies but with a couple of differences - don't try to pull the control knobs off - they won't. And the plastic trim is very much more firmly clipped in place.

So, see the guide https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-guides/298058-how-replace-panda-heater-control-lights.html but read on down here first:

In the newer cars, carefully (I used my finder nails) pry the bottom edge of the black trim around the controls away from the coloured dash. You won't get far, but enough to get a large, flat screwdriver into the gap to lever rather more. Wrap the screwdriver in a duster to prevent damage to the dash trim, and with a good old push to lever the black part away, it will eventually spring out, bringing the control knobs with it.

Now follow my guide, as the bulb removal and replacement is the same.

Once done (and check the new bulb works before doing this) push the trim piece back on - it will go with a reassuring 'clunk' as the various clips all go back into place.

 

[Goudrons]

Wasn't there a recall for headlights?
https://www.fiatforum.com/newbie-central/436049-headlight-recall.html

I seem to remember our 2012 Pop going in for a headlight recall as we had the dash rattle sorted at the same time.

Think the recall included a new headlight stalk and a BCM flash or alignement.

 

[tommyboy33333]

Thanks guys

just changed the dash bulb out thanks to your excellent instructions Herts . it was tight but changed successfully it was simply a worn bulb , i had those bulbs in a toolbox from when i had a punto , removed and cleaned contacts from rear bulb and inspected hatch wiring. looks in good shape , no yellow triangle as of yet

i will check battery condition tomorrow and go from there , checked on dvla and no recall stated. i have just bought the car and have little history , could be the reason the car was up for sale . expensive fix

 

[Herts Hillhopper]

Thanks guys

just changed the dash bulb out thanks to your excellent instructions Herts . it was tight but changed successfully it was simply a worn bulb , i had those bulbs in a toolbox from when i had a punto , removed and cleaned contacts from rear bulb and inspected hatch wiring. looks in good shape , no yellow triangle as of yet

i will check battery condition tomorrow and go from there , checked on dvla and no recall stated. i have just bought the car and have little history , could be the reason the car was up for sale . expensive fix

Glad to have been able to help.

I think the recall was actually for the opposite problem - in that the headlights would tend to turn off when driving, or to go off between being on dip and main beam? See here: https://www.check-vehicle-recalls.s...hicle/make/FIAT/model/PANDA/year/2012/recalls

 

[murphyv310]

Hi.
A question. You say that the headlights are on when you turn on the ignition, do the rear tail lights come on as well?
I'm wondering as if not there "may" be a very cheap fix for this if its the BCM.

 

[tommyboy33333]

Thanks Herts , yes that dosent apply to me , they just stay on all the time

Checked this morning
Key off, stalk works switching between no lights and parking lights a three second delay in switching off till the dashboard light goes off

Key on and ignition in all lights come on including rear and stalk has no effect in switching off

I will check battery and fuses tonight

 

[murphyv310]

Thanks Herts , yes that dosent apply to me , they just stay on all the time

Checked this morning
Key off, stalk works switching between no lights and parking lights a three second delay in switching off till the dashboard light goes off

Key on and ignition in all lights come on including rear and stalk has no effect in switching off

I will check battery and fuses tonight

Does the tail lights come on as well?
Or do you need to turn the stalk for them to come on?

 

[tommyboy33333]

Yes rear lights are on as well as headlights , unable to turn off with stalk . But the stalk works when key is out switching parking lights on

 

[murphyv310]

Thanks for the info.
I did have an idea if the rear lights didn't come on so its back to the drawing board I'm afraid. It does sound like the BCU but try disconnecting the stalk and then switch on the ignition and see if anything changes.

 

[varesecrazy]

Im sure a guy was on here 10 months ago with a similar issue.. it was his mother.in.laws panda

He was chasing relays at the time..

Getting people to see how theirs behaved by comparison

 

[murphyv310]

My idea was in fact fairly simple. If the dip lights come on with the ignition and the DRLs are at full brightness plus rear side lights off, then turning the stalk to switch on the lights normally it was to reduce DRL brightness and put on the rear lights. All you would need is a relay and some additional wiring. As this is not the case then it's a pointless exercise. I even drew up a diagram of how to do this.

 

[tommyboy33333]

Thanks very much for all you help guys , and thank you Trevor for comming up with a workaround I appreciate it , I haven't manage to get out to look at the fuses , weather has been rubbish so hopefully over the weekend I'll get a chance . I did check the battery with a battery tester, state of health was 44 percent but I think it holding a charge at 80 percent when I checked it .

One of the reasons I bought a panda 4x4 is I always promised myself I would one day and secondly due to this forum . Saved me a fortune over 11 years keeping my Punto on the road without going near a garage

Thanks

 

[A3jeroen]

Isn't this a setting? Setup for Scandinavia or another country that require to have the lights always on?

gr J

 

[varesecrazy]

Im sure a guy was on here 10 months ago with a similar issue.. it was his mother.in.laws panda

He was chasing relays at the time..

Getting people to see how theirs behaved by comparison

Bigrinks

https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-iii/456791-lights-wont-turn-off-2.html

 

[Bigrinks]

Bigrinks

https://www.fiatforum.com/panda-iii/456791-lights-wont-turn-off-2.html

Yeah have a look at that thread. I never concluded analysis but had got as far as confirming it is almost definately the bcu at fault. This is most probably the case for every failure on this model/year. You need to be careful that alot of the helpful advice relates more to older models etc almost guaranteed its not wiring is my thoughts. The bcu isnt actually broken, its a software coding issue but fiat wont repair it without goibg through a costly try and error. For me, i opted to leave as they are. They passed mot with no advisories and as other state, similar of other cars where the drls stay on all the time. Hope this helps, feel free to dm me if i van help further.