Technical Lights fault

[Freddyparrot]

Hi, I have read through the various threads about light issues on 2003 Ducato.
Still not found anything that solves my issue. Any advice welcome.
I have no dipped beam or sidelights at from, but I do have full beam.
I have a brake light on the o/s but not the near side. I have reverse light. I have no marker lights on body at all. I have no driving tail lights or fog lights. I have all indicators. I have checked earths where I can.
Checked all bulbs, fine.
Dipped beam relay has ohms reading for coil, can’t hear any noticeable clicking but then again flicking full beam although working I can’t hear a relay click so are they just very very quiet?
Any suggestions gratefully received. I am away from home at present and looking to take a feed from the working brake light to the non working one as a get home measure.

 

[Communicator]

Hi, I have read through the various threads about light issues on 2003 Ducato.
Still not found anything that solves my issue. Any advice welcome.
I have no dipped beam or sidelights at from, but I do have full beam.
I have a brake light on the o/s but not the near side. I have reverse light. I have no marker lights on body at all. I have no driving tail lights or fog lights. I have all indicators. I have checked earths where I can.
Checked all bulbs, fine.
Dipped beam relay has ohms reading for coil, can’t hear any noticeable clicking but then again flicking full beam although working I can’t hear a relay click so are they just very very quiet?
Any suggestions gratefully received. I am away from home at present and looking to take a feed from the working brake light to the non working one as a get home measure.

And I thought that I was about to start some gardening work!

I am assuming from year of registration, that your vehicle is an x244 model, but please confirm, if necessary by checking first three numbers of VIN.
Also is it a motorhome, as then lights at rear will be part of the conversion.

Following applies to x244 model only.

Forget the dipped beams for the moment, and concentrate on the sidelights etc., After making jury rig.
(Dipped beams require instrument panel illumination. fuse, F24.)

And now its raining!

EDIT To add: With ignition AND sidelights on, check for 12V at top of fuses F12, F13, F24 group of 3 all Beige 5A in LH Cab fusebox. If 12V not present, then check both sides of F37, again in LH Cab fuse box (red 10A bottom row.

 

[Big Bed]

Sorry to ruin day. Lol. Yes it’s a motorhome. Yes a 244.
Currently a short distance from the van on a beach! I will recheck fuse 24 when back. Last check though it was good but no instrument backlights.
Thank you for responding. I have just seen on another thread you mention about bypassing the dip beam relay. Worth a try at this point?

 

[Communicator]

Sorry to ruin day. Lol. Yes it’s a motorhome. Yes a 244.
Currently a short distance from the van on a beach! I will recheck fuse 24 when back. Last check though it was good but no instrument backlights.
Thank you for responding. I have just seen on another thread you mention about bypassing the dip beam relay. Worth a try at this point?

No. The weather is a larger disrupting factor.

 

[Big Bed]

Fuse f24 good. ( side issue, should f39 be permanently live? one port fuse I believe, as a relay clicks upon removal and insertion with ignition off)
Other thing I should mention. I removed engine compartment fuse for dipped beams and there is no power being supplied to the fuses.

 

[Big Bed]

One port should read obd port.

 

[Big Bed]

And I thought that I was about to start some gardening work!

I am assuming from year of registration, that your vehicle is an x244 model, but please confirm, if necessary by checking first three numbers of VIN.
Also is it a motorhome, as then lights at rear will be part of the conversion.

Following applies to x244 model only.

Forget the dipped beams for the moment, and concentrate on the sidelights etc., After making jury rig.
(Dipped beams require instrument panel illumination. fuse, F24.)

And now its raining!

EDIT To add: With ignition AND sidelights on, check for 12V at top of fuses F12, F13, F24 group of 3 all Beige 5A in LH Cab fusebox. If 12V not present, then check both sides of F37, again in LH Cab fuse box (red 10A bottom row.

 

[Big Bed]

F37 good, no power to f12,13,24

 

[Communicator]

F37 good, no power to f12,13,24

Its a bit convoluted. See diagram E2010. F37 is supplied from battery, via ignition switch, and sidelamp column switch. It feeds back into the ignition switch at connector B pin 4, and should emerge at connector B pin 3, to supply the three fuses. This suggests that one of your problems is either in the ignition switch or the wiring to the fuse box. Loose connectors at the ignition switch have been reported. Neither ignition switch, or rear of fuse panel a easy to access, but I would go for the ignition switch by preference.

Do remember that a modern multimeter can give a plausible reading via a high resistance connection , if connection is not under load.

 

[Freddyparrot]

Its a bit convoluted. See diagram E2010. F37 is supplied from battery, via ignition switch, and sidelamp column switch. It feeds back into the ignition switch at connector B pin 4, and should emerge at connector B pin 3, to supply the three fuses. This suggests that one of your problems is either in the ignition switch or the wiring to the fuse box. Loose connectors at the ignition switch have been reported. Neither ignition switch, or rear of fuse panel a easy to access, but I would go for the ignition switch by preference.

Do remember that a modern multimeter can give a plausible reading via a high resistance connection , if connection is not under load.

Thanks for your help. I think I will get the rear brake like jury rigged and then continue when back home which will be Monday evening now. No night driving required so hopefully get home ok. Thanks again, I will confirm if ignition switch is issue at or after that point.

 

[Freddyparrot]

Firstly , just to explain, I seem to be swapping between two user names here due to problems resetting original (now sorted).
Anyway just for info. I now have a n/s brake light working again, turns out to just be a coincidental issue. Stripped the cluster down to find a dodgy connection. Looks like some historic bodge using a cluster with a plug fitting different to original and a non satisfactory wiring job. Something else to correct when home.

 

[Freddyparrot]

Ok, back home. Dash stripped. Fuses rechecked. F37 still fine but no feed getting to the three fuses for the driving lights and number plate and instrument panel lights. I have been advised that the light switch on the stalk is good as it allows full beam to lock on which ( i am told) would not work if dipped beam was not working through the switch). I am unable to mess with the ignition switch but feel that as power is going through the light switch there may not be an issue there. I understand there is a short circuit sensor somewhere after fuse f37, but at this point I am going well beyond my skills and knowledge so I have succumbed to booking in with an auto electrician ( who immediately suggested it sound like a circuit protection issue or fuse board failure which he had come across before). Like I say I am hoping they know these things as it’s beyond me. Thank you to communicator for helping as much as you could. If nothing else I have learnt quite a lot about the electrics on the vehicle and also just generally. I know know how a relay works for instance and how to check it. I will drop back in with the results of the auto electricians findings. Cheers

 

[Freddyparrot]

Ok, back home. Dash stripped. Fuses rechecked. F37 still fine but no feed getting to the three fuses for the driving lights and number plate and instrument panel lights. I have been advised that the light switch on the stalk is good as it allows full beam to lock on which ( i am told) would not work if dipped beam was not working through the switch). I am unable to mess with the ignition switch but feel that as power is going through the light switch there may not be an issue there. I understand there is a short circuit sensor somewhere after fuse f37, but at this point I am going well beyond my skills and knowledge so I have succumbed to booking in with an auto electrician ( who immediately suggested it sound like a circuit protection issue or fuse board failure which he had come across before). Like I say I am hoping they know these things as it’s beyond me. Thank you to communicator for helping as much as you could. If nothing else I have learnt quite a lot about the electrics on the vehicle and also just generally. I know know how a relay works for instance and how to check it. I will drop back in with the results of the auto electricians findings. Cheers

 

[Freddyparrot]

Well it’s been a few weeks. Main auto electrical who gets recommended in our are was/ us booked out then on holiday so would be a longer wait than it already has been. I dropped it in a local guy who could not find any obvious fault. So I took the gamble and ordered a new steering column switch unit not really expecting it to make any difference. Could only find one in Lithuania at a sensible price! Still £200 delivered. Arrived this morning. Mounted and van now lights up like a Christmas tree again.
Used the opportunity of a stripped dash to hide some other wires (dab aerial, dash cam) and removed a never used lift up screen blind, lump of deadweight that I had carried around for many years, interestingly my screen registers are now a lot more effective as there was a rubber seal at the bottom covering much of the demister vents!
Once again thanks for your input communicator. I learned a lot on this adventure.