Been searching around for this problem but haven't found anything so I thought i'd ask the experts!
I have an '01 TJ Magna VRX with a weird problem that's come out of no-where really. When the cars switched on, everything works a treat. As soon as I flick off or sit on accessories or lower my parkers turn on. That includes the front and back lights, the dash lights and that annoying beep noise when you open the door with your lights still on.
If I turn the car back on though, they'll switch off unless I physically turn them on with the switch.
Anyone have any idea how to fix this?
You think I should just buy a whole new headlight/indicator assembly?

Thanks!

When you lock the doors, do the lights go off?

first thing i would do is pull the tail light relay to isolate the problem... ie if you pull the relay and the lights stay on then its not the switch/relay, but more like a short on the park/dash/tail light wiring.

When you lock the doors, do the lights go off?

No the lights stay on. So as you can imagine its a bit of an issue with killing my battery...


first thing i would do is pull the tail light relay to isolate the problem... ie if you pull the relay and the lights stay on then its not the switch/relay, but more like a short on the park/dash/tail light wiring.

The lights stay on when the relays are pulled out. So how do you think I should go about isolating where exactly the problem is? The cars had a bit of history with electrical problems..

No the lights stay on. So as you can imagine its a bit of an issue with killing my battery...



The lights stay on when the relays are pulled out. So how do you think I should go about isolating where exactly the problem is? The cars had a bit of history with electrical problems..

start with anything that has been fitted to the vehicle (ie radio)
also try disconnecting the dashboard dimmer as the fault could be in the instrument cluster or trip computer

You think I should just buy a whole new headlight/indicator assembly?

I laughed at this. To be honest, that is the one thing that has literally no chance of causing it. Unless there is a ground/short in the unit, which is highly unlikely unless you've tampered exessively with it.

Have you installed LED globes anywhere, by any chance? These can cause odd issues. I found that when I installed one LED parker in my new parra's, the remaining standard bulb illuminated ever so slightly.

Well my first thought was there was a short in the unit (which i also thought would have been highly unlikely) but I pulled it apart and unplugged the whole thing so I 'think' I can assume that's not the problem.

And yep you're correct, I have LED parkers... I have a feeling though the problem first arose before i put them in though (had the problem months ago, went away on its own, now has come back.)
I don't understand how they could have such a weird effect though, I mean its not just the front parkers that are on, but the dashlights and rear and all. How on earth could the LEDs do all that?
Any idea how it could be fixed scorcher?

Well my first thought was there was a short in the unit (which i also thought would have been highly unlikely) but I pulled it apart and unplugged the whole thing so I 'think' I can assume that's not the problem.

And yep you're correct, I have LED parkers... I have a feeling though the problem first arose before i put them in though (had the problem months ago, went away on its own, now has come back.)
I don't understand how they could have such a weird effect though, I mean its not just the front parkers that are on, but the dashlights and rear and all. How on earth could the LEDs do all that?
Any idea how it could be fixed scorcher?

first of all try removing the LED's and see if that fixes the problem
you could also pull your fuses one at a time until the lights go out (but go through them all to ensure that there isn't multiple issues), that (or they) will be the source circuit.

Well my first thought was there was a short in the unit (which i also thought would have been highly unlikely) but I pulled it apart and unplugged the whole thing so I 'think' I can assume that's not the problem.

And yep you're correct, I have LED parkers... I have a feeling though the problem first arose before i put them in though (had the problem months ago, went away on its own, now has come back.)
I don't understand how they could have such a weird effect though, I mean its not just the front parkers that are on, but the dashlights and rear and all. How on earth could the LEDs do all that?
Any idea how it could be fixed scorcher?

LED's are a completely different technology to incandescent (glass bulbs with a filament) bulbs. They draw a fraction of the current and use a fraction of the power. They can do weird things as older circuits they are placed in to, such as a 3rd gen magna, are designed for incandescent bulbs. Look at your indicators. If you put LED globes in, they'll flash faster because the unit controlling the flashing is designed for incandescent loads. My dome light with an LED light actually illuminates slightly when the doors are closed (turns off completely when switched to off).

Revert back to incandescent and test.

The column switch probably has a short.

Unplug the column switch (take off the steering column shroud and unplug the small (5 pin) plug on the lower side of the switch)

The headlight/parker circuit is ground switched. So there is probably something in the stalk that is giving that cirucit access to gound.

Mike

So turns out a lot of other issues arose from the flood damage so I took my car to a mechanic/auto-electrician and was just planning to claim everything on insurance. Turns out there might be that much damage that my precious VRX could be written off..
But thanks for the help anyway guys!