No side lights Skoda Felicia 1.9D Facelift

[kata999]

Hello! I have a problem with side lights on my Fely. As i was driving it suddenly stop all lights. I replaced the switch, but as soon as i put the new one it started to melt. Old one was melt too. I have no dashboard lights too. With another switch ( fog lights) , low beam works, high beam works, but side lights and dashboard lights don't. I've check the fusebox, no fuse were burned. Does anybody has a clue what may be wrong here? Thx. Catalin.

[ninjacj]

Normally the switches only burned out if they have been held temporarily in the half way position between on and off.

Your problem sounds a bit different. Have you checked the fuse box for water? Common place for electrical gremlins in these cars. There's a chance your replacement switch was faulty too but be worth Investigating all possibilitys before buying another!

[kata999]

Switch was not kept in half position, i just plug it in the socket, push it and it started to smoke and melt. There is not water in fusebox, or any sign of moisture.

[RicardoM]

What previous modifications you did to original (factory) wiring?

What third party (aftermarket) electrical devices you have on your car?

Do an all-around check of all electrical consumers to see what else might be wrong.

The better your answer, the quicker a solution.

[kata999]

No previous modification was made.

Aftermarket only a radio was mounted,it works ok ever since i put it.

Rear wind screen defrosing doesent work, but that is becouse copper layer is broken in some places. ( i dont think is related to my issue)

Also i noticed that when i replaced the switch with the one for fog lights, low beam was working but tend to go on high beam, when signal light was on, it went back to low beam, but as soon as the signal light was off, it went back to high beam. If i touch the flash switch ( indicator switch) it went back to short beam. May be that switch broken and from there to be the issue?

Edited 21 June, 2016 by kata999

[kata999]

Ok! Back with an update. I found front side light bulbs broken. Replaced them, check for wire integrity, no issues found. Tryed again with a new switch, same thing, smoke and switch melt out. checked again fusebox, and i found F22 melt out. I dont know for what reason, it was a 30Amp fuse... after i pulled away what was left from the fuse, i tryed again with 3rd switch ) Surprise, i can turn on low beam and high beam, also position lights work on left side, but no right side, and cigarette lighter. Ive tried to find out were that short circuit may be but no luck. I will try again tomorow after work.

[RicardoM]

Fuse 11 is responsible for right side lights. It is obvious there is a short circuit somewhere.

Without having evidence in your case, based only on my experience, most often it is the radio installation causing problems. During summer the radio heats a lot and any wire laying on top of it or in the back could melt and short to ground. In your case could be the wire for the lights on the radio.

 

If you find any signs of melting, take a clear photo for everyone to learn from it.

[kata999]

Fuse 11 is responsible for right side lights. It is obvious there is a short circuit somewhere.

Without having evidence in your case, based only on my experience, most often it is the radio installation causing problems. During summer the radio heats a lot and any wire laying on top of it or in the back could melt and short to ground. In your case could be the wire for the lights on the radio.

 

If you find any signs of melting, take a clear photo for everyone to learn from it.

Radio player doesent get hot, at least warm in worst case, it is a small usb player, 22w maximum, i replaced the stock radiator with a bigger one from a cd player. You are right with F22, i was not carefull when i typed. I will check tomorow for the short circiut and will make some photos too. I will probably have to dismount fuse box becouse a pin from fuse remain inside the socket. Do you have any clue how to dismount that fuse block?

[RicardoM]

You are right with F22, i was not carefull when i typed.

No, you got it right. I have indicated fuse 11 to help you at next step, right side lights not working. But don't change the fuse yet, find the short first.

 

Do you have any clue how to dismount that fuse block?

1. Disconnect the negative cable from the battery.
2. Slide locking lever to left (red arrow).
3. Disconnect all coloured connectors.
4. Remove the nut holding the thick red cable coming from positive battery post.
5. Unclip the hinge lock (green oval) by sliding it downwards. The relay block is free now.
6. Remove all relays and fuses.
7. Unscrew all flat-head Philips screws holding the cover of the relay block.

Hopefully you'll find relevant traces inside to help you identify the short. The sidelight switches are compromised after melting and smoking. Even if they might seem to work, you'll regret if you don't buy a new one now.

 

[kata999]

I've checked fusebox, cleaned, no water/moisture signs inside. Checked wiring at all sockets related to F22 and i have short circuit at BE 3. According to schematic diagram that is interior lighting feed. On my think, if i disconect that wire, i should loose all interior light at dashbord, switches. But i dont know how a 3 watt light bulb can melt down a 30 Amp fuse...

Edited 22 June, 2016 by kata999

[kata999]

I added some images during fuse box dismoumt. Also if somebody is curious on how it looks on the inside there is the last picture.

[RicardoM]

kata,

I've looked at your photos and I didn't see anything wrong at pin BE/3. Instead I've seen lots of corrosion (from moisture, obviously)  at connector C. I've drawn for you what goes to each pin of C connector. As you can see, there could be a bridge between side lights fuse, +12V and ground. Clean thoroughly all plates of the relay box. Corrosion might be deeper too.

 

Keep us updated.

 

 

[kata999]

At C 1/2 there is no wire going out. I've checked for corosion but it was just in the socket first layer, no deeper. At pin BE-3 i have under 5 ohm, that why i think is in short-circuit. I could try to disconect BE-3 from socket and see if fuse blows again

Edited 23 June, 2016 by kata999

[RicardoM]

Pin BE/3 is connected to pin BE/8 which feeds left sidelghts. It is normal to measure 5 Ohms. It's the filaments of the bulbs in parallel. As long as it's not dead short, it's OK.

 

As you can see in the diagram below, there are 3 electrical consumers that feed from the melted 30 A (Why 30??! It should be 7.5A) F22 fuse. So here is what you need to do: having connectors BE (8-pins, green) and C (6-pins, green) disconnected, check for short on each circuit as follows:

• The radio lighting feed (pin C/6, yellow wire if exists) - probably not used, but follow the wire anyway
• The interior lighting feed (pin BE/3, gray/green wire) - check for short on all 3 positions of the lamp switch. If shorted, remove interior lamp, disconnect its 4-pin connector, remove the bulb, check wiring until you find the cause.
• The left sidelight (front/rear), number plate lights, and luggage compartment light - check for shorted bulbs (! rare but possible), corrosion / bridge in the sockets of the bulbs (often from rain at rear left sidelight and luggage compartment lamps) and wiring with worn insulation touching the body of the car.

Be meticulous, use a bright light to see any electrical fault, have the ohmmeter handy.

 

[kata999]

I've measured the wires that leave the socket, with conector unpluged, at BE-3 wire i have under 5 ohm resistance. Rest of what i measured gives infinite resistance. (Or at least over the scale of my tester). The 30 Amp fuse...i dont have any clue who put it there and why. It was like that since i brought the car. Btw, that lightning feed, that is for interior lightning or just for dasbord backlight? Becouse without F22 interior lamp (the one ghat lights when you open dor) works.

Edited 23 June, 2016 by kata999

[RicardoM]

You are right, the interior lighting feed is in fact going to the lighting for the instrument cluster (four 2W bulbs in parallel, connector T10c/3). The interior light (ceiling lamp) gets power from F15.

 

In addition to those 3 electrical consumers, F22 also feeds the following:

• the lighting for the socket near ashtray
• the lighting of the sidelight switch

[kata999]

Ashtray lightning does not work. Also F22 powers up lightbulbs behind air blower switch, dashbord,and should be also for radio/mp3 player light ( i think this works only for original player). I will check that cable from one conector to other, hopefully i will find the short-circuit somewere. I will keep you informed.

Edited 23 June, 2016 by kata999

[RicardoM]

Ashtray lightning does not work.

I was talking about the lighting for this socket near ashtray. By the way, does your car have a socket or a cigar lighter?

 

 

Also F22 powers up lightbulbs behind air blower switch, dashbord,and should be also for radio/mp3 player light

Indeed "interior lighting feed" stands for "feed for every backlight on the dashboard" that are turned on by the sidelight switch.

Edited 23 June, 2016 by RicardoM

[kata999]

I was talking about the lighting for this socket near ashtray. By the way, does your car have a socket or a cigar lighter?

 

 

Indeed "interior lighting feed" stands for "feed for every backlight on the dashboard" that are turned on by the sidelight switch.

It has a cigarette lighter, but backlight never worked since i have the car. Socket works.

[RicardoM]

Disconnect all consumers on F22 then attach one by one. It's easy to find the short. Is there anything you find difficult?

[kata999]

Not at all, just that i dont have time to do it today, i will try to get some tmorow after work. I will keep you informed.

[kata999]

I've finaly fixed that short-circuit problem. Was on the wires that go to number plate light.

[RicardoM]

• The left sidelight (front/rear), number plate lights, and luggage compartment light - check for shorted bulbs (! rare but possible), corrosion / bridge in the sockets of the bulbs (often from rain at rear left sidelight and luggage compartment lamps) and wiring with worn insulation touching the body of the car.

Be meticulous, use a bright light to see any electrical fault, have the ohmmeter handy.

 

Was it in area A or in area B? A green/black wire?

 

 

 

Edited 4 July, 2016 by RicardoM

[kata999]

B area and aprox 20cm more. At firts i could not see the wires melted, untill i cut off that black isolation, and was at about 10 cm before light bulb socket.

[RicardoM]

Cool. Now you should put a 7.5A fuse for F22. That will prevent melting the wires and protecting the fuse