Interior light

[cam.in.head]

what will also happen ( as seems so in other cases) is that if the car thinks the door is open it will time out the consumer relay as well and various things that are fed from it will switch off.
have you had a meter on it yet to check for low earth reading

[TheBoy]

Its looking like mine was a doorswitch.  On a meter, it was perfect. In circuit it seemed to allow a small amount of current. It was desperately intermittent, so fingers crossed.

[cam.in.head]

hope so. glad it might be sorted.
thought you were selling it ?  is this the silver one with pimples !

[Darius]

Mine has fixed itself and I started thinking about it. 

When I took off the plastic cover to remove the light bulb I saw a printed circuit board about the size of a postage stamp inside the interior light unit - there may have been two.  I suspect one is to do the delayed slow dimming when the light goes off - ie it holds the light on. 

I wondered if the PCB or PCBs could be where the problem lies.

Several of us have all had the same fault at the same time.  We aren't using our cars as much with the pandemic.  Moist air will condense inside the cabin and, as this PCB is close to the windscreen and roof, it is likely to be colder than other places so moisture will condense here first.

With normal use in the winter, the heater is on and it dries out the PCB every time the car is driven so not enough moisture collects to cause the problem.  But, when the car isn't used, the moisture can collect and cause the problem. 

If anyone has the problem it would be interesting to see if a hair dryer blowing warm air on these PCB(s) fixes it.

[cam.in.head]

the delay is done in the central locking unit rather than the light unit. but yes its all down to moisture somewhere !
as the weather warms up this will clear itself .but just be nice to know the actual area.
il be removing door trim this weekend so il at least find where mine was .

[gbh]

Thinking my problem is somehow door switch area just the 2 wires on it and although they look just fine there must be a problem if you can scrape the pvc and rev or stop a car.So today made sure wires just the 2 were not touching in that last few inches and added a layer of tape to each and sprayed some wd40 around and at the moment it's working.Has to be tracking up the conductors somehow maybe to earth  is shorting and confusing both me and the car.To be continued!!!!!

[relluf]

Just to add to the confusion

I have been experiencing the same symptom's etc, I have left my interior bulbs out but having had a week off work last week the car was stood unused, went to go to work 6am Monday morning and battery (new in Jan) was dead, nothing, no ignition lights no central locking nothing, luckily started instantly from swmbo's bus. (jump leads)

So I obviously have a drain somewhere (sigh)

I have since noticed upon opening door before starting, the puddle lights not coming on, but when running they work??
still no memory seat on drivers side and buzzing from dimmer but only on low, dial it up to bright and it stops.
I give up

[cam.in.head]

its all connected.
if the central locking unit thinks the door is open ( not necesarily ) by the door switch) it will turn on the interior kight. and if the consumer relay doesnt know otherwise that the door is not it too will turn things off including seats ,windows etc.

[Doctor Gollum]

Just to add to the confusion

I have been experiencing the same symptom's etc, I have left my interior bulbs out but having had a week off work last week the car was stood unused, went to go to work 6am Monday morning and battery (new in Jan) was dead, nothing, no ignition lights no central locking nothing, luckily started instantly from swmbo's bus. (jump leads)

So I obviously have a drain somewhere (sigh)

I have since noticed upon opening door before starting, the puddle lights not coming on, but when running they work??
still no memory seat on drivers side and buzzing from dimmer but only on low, dial it up to bright and it stops.
I give up

Kevin Wood's excellent starting and charging guide is a must read. Follow it to the letter and work through systematically to trace your drain.

[relluf]

Just to add to the confusion

I have been experiencing the same symptom's etc, I have left my interior bulbs out but having had a week off work last week the car was stood unused, went to go to work 6am Monday morning and battery (new in Jan) was dead, nothing, no ignition lights no central locking nothing, luckily started instantly from swmbo's bus. (jump leads)

So I obviously have a drain somewhere (sigh)

I have since noticed upon opening door before starting, the puddle lights not coming on, but when running they work??
still no memory seat on drivers side and buzzing from dimmer but only on low, dial it up to bright and it stops.
I give up

Kevin Wood's excellent starting and charging guide is a must read. Follow it to the letter and work through systematically to trace your drain.

Yes your right I know but i am at the point of thinking if it starts and runs and gets me to work and back with a little buzzing, that will do

Or it might even fix itself!!!!!!

[Doctor Gollum]

Jump starting it every time you drive it gets a bit boring after the second time in a day... as does changing the battery every month

Fortunately we get used to get free jump start call out at the staff carparks

Also, the current drain might cause enough of a voltage drop to disrupt the rest of the car... relays and timers not working quite as they should etc. In my case it was an aftermarket addition/alteration. Cold and damp won't help any.

[relluf]

Jump starting it every time you drive it gets a bit boring after the second time in a day... as does changing the battery every month

Fortunately we get used to get free jump start call out at the staff carparks

Also, the current drain might cause enough of a voltage drop to disrupt the rest of the car... relays and timers not working quite as they should etc. In my case it was an aftermarket addition/alteration. Cold and damp won't help any.

It actually only needed jump start on Monday morning, it has started every morning and every night since with no issue so there is some charge going in, but left for the week was enough to drain it.
If its dry this weekend I will start pulling fuses armed witha multimeter i think,.......... maybe

[Darius]

I think the problem is most likely to be inside the cabin. 

Outside the cabin isn't affected by not using the car (apart from close to the engine) but inside the cabin is. My door switches and leads to them were as clean as new. 

[TheBoy]

hope so. glad it might be sorted.
thought you were selling it ?  is this the silver one with pimples !

Scrapping it, not selling. Yes, the one with paint bubbles.

[TheBoy]

as does changing the battery every month

But a necessary evil during the pandemic

Remember once you let a lead acid battery heavily discharge, its oppsed. Bust. Kaput. Shagged. Buggered. Screwed.  You may be able to get some charge into it to make it possibly appear otherwise, but its still oppsed. Bust. Kaput. Shagged. Buggered. Screwed.

And no amount of Ctek* conditioning will make it anything other than oppsed. Bust. Kaput. Shagged. Buggered. Screwed.


Did I mention that heavily disaharging a car battery leaves it in a state of oppsed. Bust. Kaput. Shagged. Buggered. Screwed.

Additionally, leaving a car battery partially disacharged for long periods (couple of weeks) leaves it oppsed. Bust. Kaput. Shagged. Buggered. Screwed.


*Other better brands available that claim similar, but once you have a battery to this state, its oppsed. Bust. Kaput. Shagged. Buggered. Screwed.