Omega Owners Forum

Omega Help Area => Omega Electrical and Audio Help => Topic started by: VXL V6 on 25 June 2014, 20:41:36

Title: Headlight switch / Dashboard Illumination
Post by: VXL V6 on 25 June 2014, 20:41:36
Had a strange one today, set off this morning, turned the lights on and a couple of minutes into the journey there is a pop and the classic smell of a electronic component being fried.

Anyway, checked headlights - all ok, just loss of dashboard illumination.

Managed to get 10 mins at lunchtime and dissected the light switch to find that what appears to be a 5v or similar regulator missing a rather large chunk  ::) , no fuses blown in the fusebox so clearly nothing else affected.

Swapped switch over with another one tonight and dashboard illumination restored. Will see what happens tomorrow.

Has anyone had this happen on their car?
Title: Re: Headlight switch / Dashboard Illumination
Post by: Magwheels on 25 June 2014, 21:08:37
Had an Omega for last 9yrs and never happened to me.

Still with these things anything is possible!!! :-[
Title: Re: Headlight switch / Dashboard Illumination
Post by: VXL V6 on 25 June 2014, 21:14:10
First time here as well, 5 Omegas, 9 Years!  ::)
Title: Re: Headlight switch / Dashboard Illumination
Post by: joff on 26 June 2014, 02:59:04
     I did have problems with the light switch on my brothers DTI elite when the wife had it. It was after we had a new windscreen fitted, and i think water was getting in as the interior lights would not go out even when car auto-locked. Fitted another switch and never did it again that i know off ??? :-\
Title: Re: Headlight switch / Dashboard Illumination
Post by: Dave DND on 26 June 2014, 10:09:28
Not sure how common on Omegas, but certainly on the VAG forums I am on, its quite common for the interior dash illumination variable resistor to burn out if the controls are left permanently in a very dim position - always made worse by fitting of incorrect dash bulbs, or connecting some aftermarket head units to the lighting dimmer circuit, as it ends up pulling more current through that resistor than it was designed for.

Hope this helps.

 :y
Title: Re: Headlight switch / Dashboard Illumination
Post by: zirk on 26 June 2014, 11:26:10
Not sure how common on Omegas, but certainly on the VAG forums I am on, its quite common for the interior dash illumination variable resistor to burn out if the controls are left permanently in a very dim position - always made worse by fitting of incorrect dash bulbs, or connecting some aftermarket head units to the lighting dimmer circuit, as it ends up pulling more current through that resistor than it was designed for.

Hope this helps.

 :y
Normally the other way around on Vauxhall's, where the dimmer is left on full, and vibrations etc moves the dimmer down a fraction causing the resistor to burn out at its full range, starts off by becoming intermittent at full brightness followed by a failed dimmer.  ;)
Title: Re: Headlight switch / Dashboard Illumination
Post by: chrisgixer on 26 June 2014, 23:33:28
Always leave mine on just below full. Hoping the dash bulbs will get an easier life...? :-\
Title: Re: Headlight switch / Dashboard Illumination
Post by: VXL V6 on 28 June 2014, 11:13:11
Replacement switch is fine so far. Bit of a mystery.

On another note, In my other car I replaced all the dash bulbs when I first got it because two had failed, one thing to note is that they are all 3W NOT the 5W ones Hellfrauds sell, if you fit those the dash will be too bright and the display too dim.
Title: Re: Headlight switch / Dashboard Illumination
Post by: TheBoy on 28 June 2014, 11:25:06
Hellfrauds do sell the 3w ones, as I have them in mine :y
Title: Re: Headlight switch / Dashboard Illumination
Post by: VXL V6 on 28 June 2014, 11:46:53
Hellfrauds do sell the 3w ones, as I have them in mine :y
Yeh, only they only have about two in the Solihull store!