Electrical problem with Defender 90

Hi I've just signed up to forum after buying my first land rover last week! i have a 1994 Defender 90 300TDI

i was driving home in the dark when all of a sudden all my lights just turned off, dash lights, indicators, full and dip beam. at first my horn and full beam flash were working but then they stopped working as well. i checked all the fuses and they were all fine. I found that the tow hitch wires were all shorting on the back so i separated them all but it still made no difference. i done some research and found it could be the switch so i tested it but that was fine, i'm not getting any power to the switch at all. the previous owner fitted some terrafirma HID spotlights and i think the main/dip beam are also HIDs, from them there is a relay and a fuse, i check the fuse and that's ok.
i found a 7 pin relay behind where the speedo is, was wondering if that could control the lights.

What would cause everything to go off? the wipers and radio work and it starts fine.

Thanks!

Alex

location?

SteNova said:

location?

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Could be earth related, butto be honest would expect some circuits to be working, even if on reduceed power

Think there's a cable header behind the dash - basically has several wires going in and out again - have come across those mellting.

Have you tried taking a +ve feed direct from the battery to the headlamp switch?

I'll try putting a feed straight to the switch tonight and let you know how it works out

thanks!

that sounds like a very weird combo of things concking out

have u got any of them working again yet?

Sounds like a classic ignition power issue - the systems are not getting power.

Thing that is odd is that the horn is not switched, it's always operational.

Could be a relay issue, but more likely a bad connection on the main supply to everything which is via the ignition barrel.

Alex. It's Kerrin. If you need a hand I have a 1996 300tdi now and can pop past a night on the way home. Give me a shout on Facebook.

I fixed the horn and headlight flash that was a dodgy fuse connection, but i can't find any other problems i still have no headlights, dash lights or indicators. if i put a +12 live to the headlights switch it just doesn't do anything?

Cheers Kerrin have messaged you on Facebook

Is there a load of sparking and smoke when you put the 12v feed to the switch?

If not can rule out a dead short in the wiring.

That leaves:

- bulbs broken (guessing you checked!)
- Connectors no longer connecting to bulbs
- earths
- faulty switch

I would start to check your earths from the bulkhead to the chassis and chassis to the battery. If you are supplying power but it doesn't work it means there isn't a circuit.

G

I think you have a stick switch failure ! Has you're vehicle got spots fitted ?
I have seen a few where spots are wired to main beam ! Burns switch contacts away !! Plug a new stalk on , it's a few mins job and will cure you're problems !! Maybe !!

After playing with it all last night i found a dodgy connection on the earth which is now sorted. If i put a live to the headlights switch the headlights turn on, but I'm not getting any power to the switch.

I took the hazard switch out which does get a live, i then put the live to the indicator connection of the hazard switch which makes the indicators go on continually, so that's the power feed and the bulbs ruled out, so I'm gonna test the switch tonight because it has to either be the switch or the relay

indicator relay, maxi fuse, dodgy earth and dodgy fuse connection was the cause of it all! thanks to kes86, saved me a lot of time!

No worries, shame it was tipping it down or I could have had a better look round it. Glad you are sorted.

I had same problem, was the switch. Switch takes all the power, dumb. I rewired the whole lot and ran relays for everything. All good.