1997 Cerbera 4.2 serious electrical problems!

[Jcerb]

Hi just signed up. Wondering if anyone could help as i have lots of major electrical problems on a 4.2 cerbera: Firstly got 1.locked out, 2.indicators stopped working once i got back in, 3.boot switch was clicking twice now doesn't work at all, 4.no boot light or interior lights, 5.no rear lights or number plate lights, 6.no full beam, 7.no indicators, 8.hazards on constantly, 9.wipers and screenwash on constantly, 9.doors don't work along with nearside window, 10.clock on dash stopped working, 11.radio not working, fuse 15 keeps blowing for nearside door,etc. We have checked ecu's in the boot all look fine, had various people have a look and no one has a clue! Does anyone have a clue what this could be??? The car does run and fans work correctly. Any help would be much appreciated! Thankyou

[CER927]

when I had these symptoms the ecu had water in the connection block. It had dripped down from behind the water expansion tank into the space in the passenger footwell where the ecu is sited. Its worth removing the ecu and disconnecting the cables and see if there is any sign of water, my connector pins had turned green. YUCK.

[sweeper]

Yes, sounds like you have a pond sitting somewhere messing around with your electrics...
Ever had water inside/ footwell/ Ecu?

Edited by sweeper on Sunday 13th February 16:05

[mikethebike1127]

Could be a family of mice in there somewhere feeding on your delicious loom

[jammy_basturd]

Did all these things happen at once? Or is it a new car you've just bought and those are the things you've noticed? Or did some of the problems appear before others and that's the full list over a few weeks/months?

If you assume they are all related then I'd be looking at something seriously wrong with either a major earthing point, the fuse box, maybe The Big Fuse or spikes from the alternator screwing up the electrics.

[Ireland]

I'd suspect dampness somewhere as well.

Was the car idle during the very cold weather?

There may be condensation that formed then causing these issues.

Check the boxes on top of the petrol tank in the boot as well.

It might just be a case of taking the control boxes and the ECU out and opening them up and drying them with a hairdryer.

[Jcerb]

Firstly thanks guys, The footwell is bone dry i have opened all ecu's and all look fine, all conectors are fine too, checked all the ones along the top of the boot. The car doesn't leak when washed. I have checked the fuse box, behind it all cables look fine, what is this 100 amp fuse? The boot lock went wrong first, then it was sat for a week in my garage and next week all had gone wrong. It happened in the second week of buying the car from a dealer Drivestyle Horseless Carriages in Harrogate(be warned!) Have been no help what so ever! The car has been sat for the last 5 months due to this problem. When i bought the car i drove it 600 miles until problems started, all was perfect, ftvrsh etc etc... The car was run up to temperature every week during the cold weather in a dry garage. Could the loom be burning out??

[BCA]

Does the cigarette lighter work??

This sounds familiar to something we had years ago... still got it through scrutineering at Croft with all of the chaos going on. IT turned out to be fuse related IIRC, but it was triggered by a tyre pump that plugged into the cigarette lighter.

[Jcerb]

I shall check if it works, haven't checked to be honest, one thing i haven't checked! Also the mirrors don't work, though the horn does!

[BCA]

IIRC the radio went, door locks went, boot lock went, horn went, indicators, alarm etc etc... ridiculous mickey mouse wiring, the amount that we've changed on our Cerb is amazing, just to avoid this stupidity. Equally, there was a fuse on ours that if it failed, it would cycle the starter motor continually - dangerous doesnt quite cover it for a car that doesnt have a great handbrake!!

[Jcerb]

Was that due to wiring burning out or getting hot? shorting out etc? I just wonder if it is one thing messing the whole lot up, as the chances of ALL the control boxes having faults must be pretty slim. Anyone know if the diagnostic obd 9 pin would help in this situation? I am pretty clueless with these cars!

[BCA]

It was all reliant on one fuse.. yep, all of it! The tyre pump blew it every time we used it (worked it out second time round, proved it over and over) - chaos ensued. I am working from memory here, but I'll have a word with Dad when I can.

[Jcerb]

I see that would be great if you could have a word, really need to get to the bottom of it, cheers for that! Anyone know about what fault codes can be found with the obd 9 pin diagnostic cable? Pleased and grateful for all your responses.

[JensenA]

Have you checked the main Engine ECU in the passenger footwell? It's not too clear from your post if you have, so apologies if I'm trating you as a numpty.
The 9 pin OBD connection? There is a 9 pin connection inside the engine ECU (so maybe you have checked it after all ) but that is for Engine Diags - I don't think the Cerb is OBD compliant.

[big_treacle]

The 100 amp fuse is at the back of the engine in a small black plastic holder with 2 fat electric cables going to it. If you search for 'big fuse' or '100 amp fuse' you'll find all sorts of stuff & probably some pictures.

[Gazzab]

Per above I would do the following (as said your post isn't clear):-
1. Get into passenger footwell and get the ecu out. Unplug it. Check the connectors are dry. Unscrew the lid and check inside ecu box is dry and nothing burnt out.
2. Check every fuse in the off side rear boot fuse board.
3. Check wiring to the fag lighter
4. Check big fuse
5. Give up.

[sweeper]

Gazzab said:

5. Give up and have a beer instead.

Corrected.

[julian64]

Gazzab said:

Per above I would do the following (as said your post isn't clear):-
1. Get into passenger footwell and get the ecu out. Unplug it. Check the connectors are dry. Unscrew the lid and check inside ecu box is dry and nothing burnt out.
2. Check every fuse in the off side rear boot fuse board.
3. Check wiring to the fag lighter
4. Check big fuse
5. Give up.

5. Check the earth points to the frame of the car, and between the battery and the frame of the car.

[BatleyBoy]

Jcerb said:

I see that would be great if you could have a word, really need to get to the bottom of it, cheers for that! Anyone know about what fault codes can be found with the obd 9 pin diagnostic cable? Pleased and grateful for all your responses.

Where approx are you based?

[Byker28i]

Check Fuse 7. On my 97 4.2 it does door locks, boot lock, radio and cigar lighter. If that is OK, then check the cigar lighter connections, but do it with the boot and doors open.

Mine had similar issues and it was down to a dodgy connection on the cigar lighter.