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[tommycon]

hiya,, posted a few topics about this problem but just putting this out there after i`ve tried a few things,,
 here goes,
when turning engine off the ignition lights remain on sometimes bright sometimes dim,, they remain like that even when keys are removed,,, when putting keys back in and try to start car it will only fire up and die unless i disconnect the battery while keys in ignition and reconnect battery then the car starts perfectly,, it doesnt affect the running of the car at all in fact after thinking off selling i`ve decided to keep it as long as i can sort this problem out..
 would welcome any views on this,
many thanks,
 paul

[iainb]

Hi Tommycon. Intresting fault you got there,but I have come across simular before.
 Sounds like you car isnt shuting down when the ignition is off AKA not going to sleep. So something is running after the key is turned off.So I have some questions for you.
1) Has any item been added like road angel or DVD player or even a tracker. If so disconect them and isolate the wires, sometimes fitters hard wire them into a battery live wire and it mucks everything up.
2) Try a battery hard reset. Disconnect the battery and lock the pos and neg connectors together then leave them like that for atleast 30 mins. That should put all modules and ecu's back to facory default condition,dont worry any updated software will still be there afterwards.
3) With the car in fault state try and get some fault codes,once the car is running normaly these type of fault codes get wipe.
Sorry I couldnt be more help but I think you should be able to crack this one
Iainb

[tommycon]

Hi Tommycon. Intresting fault you got there,but I have come across simular before.
 Sounds like you car isnt shuting down when the ignition is off AKA not going to sleep. So something is running after the key is turned off.So I have some questions for you.
1) Has any item been added like road angel or DVD player or even a tracker. If so disconect them and isolate the wires, sometimes fitters hard wire them into a battery live wire and it mucks everything up.
2) Try a battery hard reset. Disconnect the battery and lock the pos and neg connectors together then leave them like that for atleast 30 mins. That should put all modules and ecu's back to facory default condition,dont worry any updated software will still be there afterwards.
3) With the car in fault state try and get some fault codes,once the car is running normaly these type of fault codes get wipe.
Sorry I couldnt be more help but I think you should be able to crack this one
Iainb

  for ideas Iain,
 the car is completely standard,, the only way i can restart the car is to reconnect the battery while the key is in the ignition turned to auxillary,,, all this happened one day i came to start the car.
 thinking back to when i first bought it i immediately had a new battery fitted and the bloke put one of them charger type things in to keep the radio code,,, i turned the keys to stop the engine but it didnt,,, thinking i may of burned someting out,, the self level unit pumps all the time and the rear heated seats stay on,, i just pulled the relays for these and disconnected them but the car started fine for the 4 months i had it.
i did fit a new cd player but removed it before this fault occoured,, they is no radio fitted at all at the moment

[johnnycboy]

you haven't got anything left plugged into a cigerette lighter have you.  noticed over the weekend if something is running of the cig lighter it will keep the display on the mid on. just a thought.

[iainb]

Sounds like like medium speed can is falling over.
  If im wrong and please all do correct me if im wrong
  The hevac (heating ventilation  aircon) is where your problem maybe as all these system are on demand feed. It could be just a chaffed wire or an earth that has lost contact, I would still try a battery hard reset just incase the modules are having a tissy fit
Iainb

[unlucky alf]

hi there, i had a similar fault on my partners astra, whereas the ign light etc had a feint glow at times when it was turned off,it turned out to be a dodgey diode pack on the alternator, just thought id give it a mention

[tommycon]

thanks for all your ideas,,, the alternator does sound a possibility,, i will do the battery reset thing,,, the only thing is the car hasnt  faltered once since i asked the question,,, but i`m sure its just waiting until it pours down so i have to get soaked,,,
 thanks again and i will update next time it happens.
 cheers paul

[Darth Loo-knee]

hi there, i had a similar fault on my partners astra, whereas the ign light etc had a feint glow at times when it was turned off,it turned out to be a dodgey diode pack on the alternator, just thought id give it a mention

I was going to say exactly the same thing as above.

We had this problem with a Range Rover we had years ago, turn off the ignition pull out the keys and the ignition lights would all be on....
Turned out that the diodes were shafted which allows current to go back to the instrument bulbs. :-?

[jimmas]

agree I would say 90% chance it is the alternator, seen this type of problem a few times.

[feeutfo]

i was going to say alternator until you said the car runs fine. My previous mig did similar but would not run. Will make a mental note of the replys.

[tommycon]

hi there, i had a similar fault on my partners astra, whereas the ign light etc had a feint glow at times when it was turned off,it turned out to be a dodgey diode pack on the alternator, just thought id give it a mention

I was going to say exactly the same thing as above.

We had this problem with a Range Rover we had years ago, turn off the ignition pull out the keys and the ignition lights would all be on....
Turned out that the diodes were shafted which allows current to go back to the instrument bulbs. :-?

did you have to replace the whole alternator or just the diodes??? how did you diagnose the fault??
 cheers

[unlucky alf]

due to the fact that astra alternators were plentiful i just changed it, there are companies that will re-con them but you have to weigh up the price of that compared to a 2nd hand unit, also the car will run fine but when standing for a week or so it will drain the battery, unless you want to disconnect it every night , im sure the diodes could be found in a good electrical components shop but you would need a heavy duty soldering iron as they are put in with loads of solder, then of coarse you might find the brushes are badly worn so youd want to change them while your`e at it, i would opt for 2nd hand one then play with your old one at your leisure.

[Darth Loo-knee]

hi there, i had a similar fault on my partners astra, whereas the ign light etc had a feint glow at times when it was turned off,it turned out to be a dodgey diode pack on the alternator, just thought id give it a mention

I was going to say exactly the same thing as above.

We had this problem with a Range Rover we had years ago, turn off the ignition pull out the keys and the ignition lights would all be on....
Turned out that the diodes were shafted which allows current to go back to the instrument bulbs. :-?

did you have to replace the whole alternator or just the diodes??? how did you diagnose the fault??
 cheers

TBH a new Alternater for the Rangey was only £50 fitted so I had a new one

[tommycon]

the battery does drain if left for a few days,,, excellent help there lads,, thank you all very much