Hello All,
Continuing an earlier post from Sharpyboy - As the temperature has risen slightly and I've managed to get the 500 into my garage, I've had a go at sorting these non-working lights out.
After disconnecting the battery earth and removing all the clips, connectors and the Elephant trunk flexible conduit at the tailgate, I began to pull the wires through the tailgate aperture after tying some cord to the ends to pull them back afterwards! I checked the wires for obvious breaks or damage close to the Elephant trunk and only found one supplying the rear wiper motor with a nick in it - that I patched with tape.
I needed to check further along the line to confirm a break and find it!
Checking the Haynes Manual (I noted the disclaimer regarding information available at time of print) I followed the wiring diagram below - acknowledgement to Haynes Publishing.
As can be seen the circuit runs from connection '15' on the Passenger Compartment Fusebox (5) to position (25) the Number Plate Light unit and Tailgate Lock Switch (not shown on diagram) and circled in red my me.
So after eventually finding and opening the Passenger Compartment Fusebox (why is something so important placed in a stupid position?)
I then checked the layout of the fuses to locate a test point.
Well, as you can see the Rear Number Plate Lights fuse is nowhere to be found from the information available. I also had a look inside the Fiat Owners Manual supplied with the car, again with no joy. After isolating all loose connectors, I hitched up the Number Plate Light unit to the loom again, connected the battery and turned on ignition and lights. With the tailgate still in the air I had my wife look to tell me when or if they come on. 'There both on,' she said. I couldn't believe it, and wiggled the wires now hanging outside the Tailgate to knock them off - but they continued to glow. I checked the voltage at the connector which was 9.6Volts not ideal but working.
I couldn't get them to go off so disconnected the battery again and boxed everything back up. A final check and again all is ok??
I suspect the problem could be in the Fusebox as that is the only other area I disturbed although not knowing exactly which fuse controls that circuit doesn't help.
I'll end with a couple of questions for those that know;
Is this circuit actually protected with a fuse and if so where is it, F number and it's rating please?
What is the meaning of the symbol on the schematic for the fuse box (5) in the circuit? It's not mentioned in the key for the diagram nor is there anything like it in the Periodic Table of Electronic Symbols. It's also on (18) the Instrument Cluster. And just an observation - I'm sure a connection block (using sprung copper contacts) could have replaced the wires in the flexible conduit, positioned in a bottom corner of the Tailgate assembly. Making the Tailgate work as a switch - when closed, power is fed to the wiper, high-line brake light, window heater, number plate lights with only the washer fluid pipe flexing in at the top.
Thanks.
Continuing an earlier post from Sharpyboy - As the temperature has risen slightly and I've managed to get the 500 into my garage, I've had a go at sorting these non-working lights out.
After disconnecting the battery earth and removing all the clips, connectors and the Elephant trunk flexible conduit at the tailgate, I began to pull the wires through the tailgate aperture after tying some cord to the ends to pull them back afterwards! I checked the wires for obvious breaks or damage close to the Elephant trunk and only found one supplying the rear wiper motor with a nick in it - that I patched with tape.
I needed to check further along the line to confirm a break and find it!
Checking the Haynes Manual (I noted the disclaimer regarding information available at time of print) I followed the wiring diagram below - acknowledgement to Haynes Publishing.
As can be seen the circuit runs from connection '15' on the Passenger Compartment Fusebox (5) to position (25) the Number Plate Light unit and Tailgate Lock Switch (not shown on diagram) and circled in red my me.
So after eventually finding and opening the Passenger Compartment Fusebox (why is something so important placed in a stupid position?)
I then checked the layout of the fuses to locate a test point.
Well, as you can see the Rear Number Plate Lights fuse is nowhere to be found from the information available. I also had a look inside the Fiat Owners Manual supplied with the car, again with no joy. After isolating all loose connectors, I hitched up the Number Plate Light unit to the loom again, connected the battery and turned on ignition and lights. With the tailgate still in the air I had my wife look to tell me when or if they come on. 'There both on,' she said. I couldn't believe it, and wiggled the wires now hanging outside the Tailgate to knock them off - but they continued to glow. I checked the voltage at the connector which was 9.6Volts not ideal but working.
I couldn't get them to go off so disconnected the battery again and boxed everything back up. A final check and again all is ok??
I suspect the problem could be in the Fusebox as that is the only other area I disturbed although not knowing exactly which fuse controls that circuit doesn't help.
I'll end with a couple of questions for those that know;
Is this circuit actually protected with a fuse and if so where is it, F number and it's rating please?
What is the meaning of the symbol on the schematic for the fuse box (5) in the circuit? It's not mentioned in the key for the diagram nor is there anything like it in the Periodic Table of Electronic Symbols. It's also on (18) the Instrument Cluster. And just an observation - I'm sure a connection block (using sprung copper contacts) could have replaced the wires in the flexible conduit, positioned in a bottom corner of the Tailgate assembly. Making the Tailgate work as a switch - when closed, power is fed to the wiper, high-line brake light, window heater, number plate lights with only the washer fluid pipe flexing in at the top.
Thanks.
.so rather than there being no output from the bcm the problem was hidden between the fog light switch( curcuit board all good!) speedometer electronic, ,and the feed INTO the bcm rather than the output! so in the end i had to run a bypass to get it working as i had no desire to start pulling the dash and facia apart to try to find the fault.
