1999 Defender 90 Td5 - No lights!

I have a 1999 Defender 90 Td5 and everything was fine until last night. Drove home 60 miles yesterday, parked up and all was good, switched the lights off and locked the car up. Went back out an hour later to go to the shops and the lights would not work.

No headlights or sidelights, tail lights, number plate lights, dash lighting or any other form of lights that would normally come on with the sidelights and dipped beam. I have fully functioning indicators / hazards and brake lights

Checked so far
1. All fuses - GOOD
2. S100 light switch - GOOD
3. Bulbs - not pulled them all yet but suffice to say i don't think they would all pop at the same time....
4. Swapped heated rear screen relay with headlight relay, heated screen works still works (assume relay ok)
5. Disconnected the S100 light switch and checked voltage on connector - 12V present
6. Linked 12V to Blue & Red- voltage getting pulled down to 0v when linked to either.
7. (pointless test) - Pink Relay behind binacle - linked out 2 & 8. No power on 2 so made no difference...(i believe that this is a recommended check if you have a semi functioning lighting system to rule in/out the pink relay)

What am i missing? This seems way too complex an issue for all lights to suddenly stop working.

The key area that is not helping is that the 1999 Td5 wiring diagrams that i find online do not reflect my fuse box layout (fuse numbering) and the fuse box sticker also does not match the actual fuse functions either. For example, what i assume is Fuse 8 (top row 3rd from right) kills my indicators whereas i expected that to be 19 & 20 based on the fuse cover sticker.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

do they come on with full beam ? Just wondering if it may be your actual dip switch my be knackered ? i.e the lighting circuits don't think you are asking for light.

ER1C said:

do they come on with full beam ? Just wondering if it may be your actual dip switch my be knackered ? i.e the lighting circuits don't think you are asking for light.

Click to expand...

Hi Eric, if i pull the stalk (indicators / main beam) the headlights flash and i get the blue telltale on the dash, if i push it away, nothing happens. Thanks for replying so quickly.

Aranaise said:

Hi Eric, if i pull the stalk (indicators / main beam) the headlights flash and i get the blue telltale on the dash, if i push it away, nothing happens. Thanks for replying so quickly.

Click to expand...

This is TD5.... Not sure but on a 200TDI you have the stalk for side lights(1 click) main beam (2 clicks) then once they are on you have the left stalk pull towards you for full beam flash, push away for full beam always on.

Do you have that ? It sounds like you don't have a lighting circuit from the switch.

ER1C said:

This is TD5.... Not sure but on a 200TDI you have the stalk for side lights(1 click) main beam (2 clicks) then once they are on you have the left stalk pull towards you for full beam flash, push away for full beam always on.

Do you have that ? It sounds like you don't have a lighting circuit from the switch.

Click to expand...

That's the same set up Eric, two stalks (small one for the lighting control (side & dipped beam) and the main indicator stalk for the full beam and flash.

I've ruled out the small main lighting stalk as I disconnected it and linked out the connections and saw the same result. Also, the switch reads fine with a multimeter.

Aranaise said:

I have a 1999 Defender 90 Td5 and everything was fine until last night. Drove home 60 miles yesterday, parked up and all was good, switched the lights off and locked the car up. Went back out an hour later to go to the shops and the lights would not work.

No headlights or sidelights, tail lights, number plate lights, dash lighting or any other form of lights that would normally come on with the sidelights and dipped beam. I have fully functioning indicators / hazards and brake lights

Checked so far
1. All fuses - GOOD
2. S100 light switch - GOOD
3. Bulbs - not pulled them all yet but suffice to say i don't think they would all pop at the same time....
4. Swapped heated rear screen relay with headlight relay, heated screen works still works (assume relay ok)
5. Disconnected the S100 light switch and checked voltage on connector - 12V present
6. Linked 12V to Blue & Red- voltage getting pulled down to 0v when linked to either.
7. (pointless test) - Pink Relay behind binacle - linked out 2 & 8. No power on 2 so made no difference...(i believe that this is a recommended check if you have a semi functioning lighting system to rule in/out the pink relay)

What am i missing? This seems way too complex an issue for all lights to suddenly stop working.

The key area that is not helping is that the 1999 Td5 wiring diagrams that i find online do not reflect my fuse box layout (fuse numbering) and the fuse box sticker also does not match the actual fuse functions either. For example, what i assume is Fuse 8 (top row 3rd from right) kills my indicators whereas i expected that to be 19 & 20 based on the fuse cover sticker.

Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

Click to expand...

Hi mate, had the same problem.on my 99 before now.

Its the big high beam/low beam switch on the left hand side of steering column which is at fault.

The contacts are set in plastic, over time with heating which occurs when leccy runs through them they sink down in the plastic, and although look perfect, don't actually make a contact, it leave you with no lights whatsoever, I know from experience!!

Get a lucas/oem replacement, britpart ones are useless. Very easy job to do, takes less than 5 mins. I also replaces the pink relay behind the binnacle at the same time to totally rule it out

Gottschalk said:

Hi mate, had the same problem.on my 99 before now.

Its the big high beam/low beam switch on the left hand side of steering column which is at fault.

The contacts are set in plastic, over time with heating which occurs when leccy runs through them they sink down in the plastic, and although look perfect, don't actually make a contact, it leave you with no lights whatsoever, I know from experience!!

Get a lucas/oem replacement, britpart ones are useless. Very easy job to do, takes less than 5 mins. I also replaces the pink relay behind the binnacle at the same time to totally rule it out

Click to expand...

Thanks, i'll take another look at that, i had previously pulled the connector that goes to the stalk and linked out the wires on the socket with the Brown, Red and Blue wires and still get the same fault. Maybe need to retrace my steps, done so much troubleshooting on this that i think i'm tying myself in knots

Solved, had it reviewed by an auto electrician and it was found to be a melted connector down behind the fuse box. This is going to be an expensive one to put right, anyone got any guidance on how to pull the dash to get access to some cable length on the harness to allow the connector to be changed?

If you can remove the centre dash unit (if you have one) and lift the top cover of the horizontal dash tray behind it (held with screws) you should be able to just get at the loom where it drops down towards the fuse panel. I'd patch in a new piece of cable rather than try to stretch the old one.

Glad you traced the problem mate, electric faults are a right mare sometimes! Dash is actually very simple to take apart etc, just be patient with it!

I'm resurrecting an old post since I have the same make & model. My Defender has functioning headlights, but I'm having other serious light gremlins. My 1999 Defender 90 Td5 is located in Panama. I've owned it since 2005. Headlights HI/LO features both work as Headlight Switch is on a Relay as I have previously melted that switch.

My current problems are:
1. When you turn the Headlights ON, Rear Brake lights (running feature) do illuminate. However, when you press the brake pedal, the Rear Brake lights do not illuminate to indicate Braking Action. If the Headlights are OFF, and you brake, again, no illumination of the brake lights. Brake Switch PRC4297 on order.
2. Reverse Light does not work. Bulb tests good. Perhaps Reverse Light Switch below the trasmission tunnel is bad or stuck due to high humidity in Panama... Not quite sure. New Reverse Light Switch AMR3918 on order. I hear that is a rear PITA on a left hand drive to get to in order to change it out.
3. And finally the other day, I was driving down the road and I noticed my VDO aftermarket voltmeter was indicating less than 12 volts (as it normally indicates 14v). So I have a new Denso Alternator ERR6999 on order. Battery is new & good.

So I am wondering if all these problems are just a co-incidence or did my reverse light and brake light issues perhaps cause the alternator to go bad.

Other weird symptoms include, Indicator/Dipped Beam/Horn Switch: High Beams Function, Turn Signals All Function, but Horn does not function.

So I have ordered a new Denso Alternator, Brake Light Switch, Reverse Light Switch, Indicator/Dip/Horn Switch. It just seems odd, all this has happened at the same time. If anyone has any advice or if I'm definitely missing something please let me know. It is most appreciated. Thanks. Don