General No driving lights on 750cl

[smokeme]

First of all hi everyone, this is my first post ever. Last week i bought a 1988 panda 750cl with a 1L fire engine in it. The car has never had driving lights, the low beams come on in both settings and the high beams also work fine. The cluster(instrument panel) lights also don´t work on any setting. So far it´s my only problem with the car other then the slipping clutch. Thanx in advance.

 

[kevin_ross100]

I had about the same problem with the dash lights it turned out to be one of the fuses worth checking them all they are down by the right hand side of the stearing wheel under the pocket thingy test them all as about 4 of mine were broken if not it might be the switch

 

[John H]

You may not have a fault with the headlights:

AFAIK most Pandas have "dimmed dip" for the first position of the lighting switch - there should be a big coil/resistor on top of one of the front suspension turrets, which reduces the voltage across the "dip" filaments.

If that resistor failed and was wired out you will get full intensity dip beam on both switch settings.

Parking/side light setting is achieved by turning the ignition key the wrong way while pressing a little tab, as you remove the ignition key.


Later addition to posting:

the knobs on a basic Panda are unlit, however the speedo should be back lit.

The way I read "Haynes", that back lighting is on one of the side light circuits.

If all your side lights are OK, it's not the fuse.

If you have a pair of side lights out on opposite corners of the car, you might find fuse 12 has blown.

Possibly both bulbs have in the back of the speedo unit - I haven't had to change one of these yet.... but ISTR, there are those here who have

 

[smokeme]

I forgot to mention that the driving lights do work once in a blue moon, i got them on last night but lost them within minutes.Thanx

 

[pandafan]

Hi, Checkk all of your earth connections in view of your last posting...especially if your 'once in a blue moon' is a day when it's been raining !

HHmmmmmmm

 

[smokeme]

I seem to have found the problem(driving lights only) a broken wire leading to that sort of relay thing on the passanger side of the engine compartment. The instrument panel i still need to look though as i got another worry now, i slid the car in to a deep(ditch1.5m or so) wrecking the drivers side flasher, front panel, rear panel, tail light. Its worse then it sounds but its a reason to get the rust repaired, remarkably the door is intact.
P.S.-i also lost the antenna.

 

[pandafan]

Sorry to hear of your accident...the car can be easily fixed....are you o.k.?[?]

HHmmmmmmm

 

[smokeme]

I didn´t get hurt, but the panda is in pretty bad shape. Anyone know where i can get info on fixing the rust spots with fiberglass instead of body filler? is it the same?

 

[steveyensen]

It depends on where the rust is located. Body filler and fibreglass are all very well but it's much better to cut out all the rust and replace with new metal. Pandas of that age rust spectacularly once the metal is exposed to the air

Steve the geriatric Panda and Beagle freak, but can't see no problem in running a Brava in the meantime ...

 

[pandafan]

Glad you're o.k.
Fibreglas is a very easy medium and you'll find all the instructions in the pack. Go for a pack marked: 'Bridging' or 'Hole filling' compound.

HHmmmmmmm

 

[smokeme]

The material i got is a 5kg industrial pack with a 1.8kg tub of hardener but has no instructions. The rust locations are;under the side rear window on the drivers side, the drivers side A-pillar(it actually has a hole now from the crash it had paint over before),drivers side fender on the joint by the door. All other spots are just bubbles starting up so im ok repairing them.

 

[pandafan]

It all sounds like a fairly easy job, but........... I'm a little concerned about the A-pillar. It might need more than a bit of filler. Please check it carefully,
Regards,

HHmmmmmmm

 

[smokeme]

(i replied before but for some reason it´s missing)

The A-pillar was reenforced with welding and sheetmetal, everything else was with fiberglass and lots of grinding/sandingto bare metal and primed. It´ll be resprayed when i finish modding it completly who knows when.