INTERMITENT PROBLEM

as the title says, intermitent problem which is getting more mittent.
right, i turn key in ignition and nothing, no dash lights noffink. when this is happening i have no interior lights from an open door or on the ON position, and the stereo comes on to standby, this is wired up to a permanent live feed.
things ive tried- juggling the key in the barrel, sometimes works sometimes not.
swapped over yellow relays in fuse box, worked for a while but still have fault.
took the steering lock/barrel off to reveal the switch, barrel ok and for a while turning switch directly has been working till tonight, when i got stranded in the pitch dark middle of nowhere.
made up jumper wire and bridged the live feed to first position terminal when heard a small click and ignition lights on dash came on, turned switch fired up and ran ok.
now ho probs once started, ie doesnt cut out, but by the time i got home 3/4 hour later the ignition switch felt warm?
iam thinking of putting a new switch on tomorrow, but iam not 100% convinced it is.
any ideas chaps?

and the vehicle is a Defenderish Spaceship ? of unknown vintage ....

come on ... help us to help you ...

ooh sorry 300tdi defender

Switch is knacked by the sound of it, quite cheap to buy.

I was hoping someone was going to say that as its allready hanging at the side of the steering column, cheers

Why would the ignition switch stop the interior light from working?

Don't know the answer but surely the interior light is wired direct to battery so it comes on when the door is opened not when you turn the key.

NeilB said:

Why would the ignition switch stop the interior light from working?

Don't know the answer but surely the interior light is wired direct to battery so it comes on when the door is opened not when you turn the key.

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It's a Land Rover ...

Switch cheap to buy and a pain to fit!!

Well, it's not, but getting the ickle bitty screw back in on the reverse side nearest the bulkhead can have you sweating for a while!

Did mine on Crimbo Day!

NeilB said:

Why would the ignition switch stop the interior light from working?

Don't know the answer but surely the interior light is wired direct to battery so it comes on when the door is opened not when you turn the key.

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At a guess, door switches didn't come in until TD5 so ign switched interior light?
I can't confirm that on mine because I upgraded to door operated light switches during my rebuild and never actually used my tratter prior to the rebuild, I got it as a write off.

Flossie said:

At a guess, door switches didn't come in until TD5 so ign switched interior light?
I can't confirm that on mine because I upgraded to door operated light switches during my rebuild and never actually used my tratter prior to the rebuild, I got it as a write off.

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My 1988 Ninety TC and 1991 110 CSW don't have door operated interior lamps....

NeilB said:

Why would the ignition switch stop the interior light from working?

Don't know the answer but surely the interior light is wired direct to battery so it comes on when the door is opened not when you turn the key.

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The interior lights are on a timer system, if you open the rear door for example and leave it open the light will stay on for something like 10 minutes then automatically goes out to save killing the battery. I'm pretty sure if you close the front door with ignition off the light will stay on for a further 30 seconds or so so you can see what you are doing, if the ignition is on then the light goes out as soon as you close the door so you can drive off without the light still being on. Can't be bothered to go outside to confirm as it is a bit to cool at the moment!

Looking at the circuit diagram it is the alarm ecu which controls the interior light timing so that will know the status of the ignition switch and door switches.

Kwakerman said:

Looking at the circuit diagram it is the alarm ecu which controls the interior light timing so that will know the status of the ignition switch and door switches.

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It's a 300 tratter are you sure?

Flossie said:

It's a 300 tratter are you sure?

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Spider ?

Flossie said:

It's a 300 tratter are you sure?

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Yep cos I've got one and that's what it does, must admit it's a 'posh' CSW (with factory 'spider' alarm)

Mines a 96 plate 300Tdi Defender CSW. It's got door switches. I had a very similar problems years ago and it was the spider. Haven't heard of the dreaded spider problem for ages. Most have probably been bypassed by now.

not got any fancy alarms etc, lol.well fitted new ignition switch and so far all is well, famous last words

Yup, the alarm unit fitted to the 300 and TD5 as standard (a green box behind the instruments) controls interior light timings. Or so I was told by someone at the independent garage I use. Seems to be the case on mine as a new alarm unit restored the timing on my interior lights to the pattern in Kwakerman's post.

Al2O3 said:

Mines a 96 plate 300Tdi Defender CSW. It's got door switches. I had a very similar problems years ago and it was the spider. Haven't heard of the dreaded spider problem for ages. Most have probably been bypassed by now.

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The main issue I have found with the alarm is dry joints on the starter and fuel solenoid inhibit relays in the immobiliser unit in the battery box which can cause either no starter or crank but no start. Its a bit of a pain to remove but once you have the unit out and opened up its an easy fix and restores full alarm/immobiliser operation. Mine has been 100% reliable since I resoldered it a couple of years ago.

XRIZLAX said:

not got any fancy alarms etc, lol.well fitted new ignition switch and so far all is well, famous last words

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Sorry, got confused there. It was Kwakerman who said he had the CSW. Hopefully, you've sorted it.