side light problem

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johnnyoxford

New Member
Posts
200
Location
Bucks
Hi guys, 200 tdi 1993 defender

I have an odd problem, side lights dont come on until the headlights are switched on, so only in the 2nd forward position of the switch.

Not had time to investigate yet, but I am assuming it cant be a fuse or they would not work at all, so would it be the switch? If so is it an MOT failure? I guess so.

Is the switch expensive / difficult to change?

Any help or info appreciated, cheers guys, superb forum this, dont post very often but read it almost every day.

Johnny.
 
hi, I have not, no, but I also dont know if they have ever been any different - I only had it 6 months.

The only thing I did today was to take the indicators and side lights off so I could clean up and spray the headlight surrounds - I had to cut all the wires to get them out and rejoined them after with choc blocks.

It was when I tested all the lights after to make sure my connections were good that I noticed the side light problem. It may have been like it since I had the vehicle, I dont know.
 
there are 2 wires to each side light. I assumed 1 live and 1 earth, but like I said have not looked into it properly yet.

Would they have an earth wire? Or would the earth come from the vehicle body? There is a tab earthed to the wing inside each side light, so I suppose it is possible that they have 2 lives to them? 1 for side lights alone and 1 with headlights? Wouldnt have thought so though? If so it could be just a fuse.
 
Should have one live and one earth which goes in to a block connector and then connects on to the inner wing.
 
No offence mate, but why did you have to cut the wires? There should have been connectors behind the headlamps to disconnect everything.

And whenever I need to make a permanent joint, I solder it and then heatshrink it - anything else is just gonna need attention further down the line.

Ian.
 
if you didnt check something as basic as lights when you bought it, did you make sure its what it says it is and that it had a chassis under it or will it be another mot due no chassis,switces easy to do and not stupid price if youve got a tester is simple job to check switch,if side lights only coming on with head lights then sounds like someone bodged it to sell it, so what else they bodged. what you need is a proper landy w/shop manual it does quite detailed wiring disgrams,theyre worth every penny,not likr the haynes crap
 
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