Hey guys. Have a 1.6 AEH Octavia recently bought.

 

Noticed that the car wouldn't start today after I left it sitting the last 24 hours. Something had drained the battery. To my surprise as well, the indicators and the wipers worked without any ignition, which shouldn't be. Did some poking around, and realized that the load reduction relay (or x contact relay) was the cause of the issue. When I pulled it out, the wipers and indicators no longer worked without ignition, as it should be.

But when I replaced it with a good relay, the issue started again. and I noticed that after about ten minutes the relay becomes noticeably hot? Has anyone had issues like this before? And is it likely to be a wiring issue if I've replaced the relay and the problem persists?

Water ingress can cause all sorts of weirdness..

Yours sounds like theres a short on wiper circuit that preventing the relay from resetting.

 

Try pulling the fuse for the rear washer wiper (this is known, twrribly designed and highly likely failure point) and see if it changes anything.. if it doesnt, then pull the fuse for front wipers.

4 hours ago, mac11irl said:

Water ingress can cause all sorts of weirdness..

Yours sounds like theres a short on wiper circuit that preventing the relay from resetting.

 

Try pulling the fuse for the rear washer wiper (this is known, twrribly designed and highly likely failure point) and see if it changes anything.. if it doesnt, then pull the fuse for front wipers.

 

Alright I'll give it a spin. But that wouldn't affect the fact that the indicators are still getting direct current from somewhere, would it? Unless the two issues are unrelated

Could be unrelated, but.. 

I cant remember if The stalks have independent power supplies or if they are shared. If shared, the short "may" also be running all the way back to the stalks, or it may be in the wiring looms to them...

 

If the wiper fuses dont cure it, try the light circuits' fuses next..

3 hours ago, mac11irl said:

Could be unrelated, but.. 

I cant remember if The stalks have independent power supplies or if they are shared. If shared, the short "may" also be running all the way back to the stalks, or it may be in the wiring looms to them...

 

If the wiper fuses dont cure it, try the light circuits' fuses next..

At my wits end. Changed the relay, fuses and trafficator and I'm still getting power to the indicators and wipers

The "X" contact releif relay is energised by a contact in the ignition switch, so I would be suspecting that has shorted out the internal contacts and hence leaving the "X" relay permanently energised

2 minutes ago, nige8021 said:

The "X" contact releif relay is energised by a contact in the ignition switch, so I would be suspecting that has shorted out the internal contacts and hence leaving the "X" relay permanently energised

 

Well I'm getting 12v at the relay with the battery connected and ignition off. You'd recommend changing the relay board?

Okay, @A_Butler

 

Disconnect the battery, give it 20-30mins, reconnect and see what happens, without putting the key in the ignition

 

Edit... only saw the above 2 posts after i posted this one, but by chance it was thinking along similar lines to Nige

 

If disconnecting the battery denergises and releases the probably stuck ignition contact, at least then you verify that by after trying tge stalks without the key turned and then with the turned in then off again.. 

It equaly might not be the actual contact energised, but simply the ignition barrel mechanically sticking.. in which case a shot of contact cleaner (not wd40) into the barrel may help..

Edited 28 April, 20197 yr by mac11irl

There should be a constant live on one pin of the relay base, 

 

(a) goes to the horn relay

1 hour ago, mac11irl said:

Okay, @A_Butler

 

Disconnect the battery, give it 20-30mins, reconnect and see what happens, without putting the key in the ignition

 

Edit... only saw the above 2 posts after i posted this one, but by chance it was thinking along similar lines to Nige

 

If disconnecting the battery denergises and releases the probably stuck ignition contact, at least then you verify that by after trying tge stalks without the key turned and then with the turned in then off again.. 

It equaly might not be the actual contact energised, but simply the ignition barrel mechanically sticking.. in which case a shot of contact cleaner (not wd40) into the barrel may help..

 

Made small progress. When I disconnect this, the issue goes away. I'm guessing that's what supplies power to the ignition. The question is, what do I do from here? 

1 hour ago, nige8021 said:

There should be a constant live on one pin of the relay base, 

 

So if I get power on all four pins it's definitely a problem?

7 minutes ago, A_Butler said:

 

So if I get power on all four pins it's definitely a problem?

 

If you look at that wiring diagram, you can see there should only be 12v on 1 pin with the ignition OFF, 

 

As you have disconnected the back of the ignition switch and the problem has stopped, it means the internal switch contacts in the switch have shorted as I said previously, so you need to replace the switch 

5 hours ago, nige8021 said:

 

If you look at that wiring diagram, you can see there should only be 12v on 1 pin with the ignition OFF, 

 

As you have disconnected the back of the ignition switch and the problem has stopped, it means the internal switch contacts in the switch have shorted as I said previously, so you need to replace the switch 

 

Hey you were correct. Took your advice and replaced it with a spare, and the problem's resolved. Think I'll leave the battery in overnight and see if it drains again. Shouldn't though. Cheers