Tom17 Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 Hi allRebuilding my defender and at the final sort of stages and having murder with the lightsI've managed to get everything working apart from the reverse light brake lights and the passenger side indicators.With regards to to indicators the relay was buzzing when switched to passenger side so I changed it and now it's clicking as It should but still no lights I'm measuring no Voltage at the front but I do have the rear blinker working? What is next basically?Also what colours are reverse light? And what colours are brake lights I can't seem to find them anywhere? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted August 1, 2015 Share Posted August 1, 2015 reverse lights wiring is plain green from fusebox to reverse light switch on gearbox, then a green/brown trace wire to the left & right rear corners which connects to the reverse light unit. brake lights are plain green from fusebox to brake light switch on back of brake master cylinder/serbo/pedal bracket, then a green/purple trace wire to the rear corners for the brake lights on each side. your front indicator could be a disconnected or dirty connection in the front corner behind the lights, there should be a matching connector with a green/red trace wire. 90/110 wiring diagram & list of what the numbers are for attached below Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom17 Posted August 2, 2015 Author Share Posted August 2, 2015 ok I'm getting nothing down at the back end for brake lights. could this be an issue with the switch on the pedal? if so how easy is this to replace? is the reverse switch easy to get to also as i am not getting anything down at the back for this( this is not such a big problem as i may just run a work light from an independent switch and i believe this is ok for an mot. and with regards to the indicators I'm pulling my hair out here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 brake light switch is fiddly as it sits between bulkhead/servo mounting, just a case of disconnecting the 2 wires & unscrewing it, fit & set up procedure is in the manual. reverse switch lives on rear face of gearbox can be replaced to, again set up should be in manual. reverse lights are NOT a MOT testable item, so no need to worry about them indicators could be a poor contact or a pulled wire inside the non working light add your location to your profile, there maybe some members in your area who could help. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeffR Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 Not being cheeky here, but did you have the ignition switched on when you tried the brake lights? I spent the best part of a day trying to find a non existent fault in the brake lights cos the ignition was off, well I am blonde! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotts90 Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 A quick test for the brake light switch...just bridge the two wires. Using a 10a blade type fuse is ideal as it gives you a fusible link...it also means you don't have to get an assistant to press the brake pedal if you're doing the "wiggle" method of fault finding...always a favourite on the bullet connectors on the old looms! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom17 Posted August 2, 2015 Author Share Posted August 2, 2015 yes i did have the ignition on haha although i have been testing electrical faults before and forgot to this time i did remember! as for the quick test you talk about could you give me more info on how to do it? thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted August 2, 2015 Share Posted August 2, 2015 or keep the brake pedal pressed on with a length of wood or similar, my 3 'D'cell maglite torch gets used when I need to check brake lights are fully working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom17 Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 Ok I have everything working apart from the brake lights now! I found the green and purple to be a live with my little illuminating tester probe but when I connected it and tested again nothing so I'm 100% sure jt was working now nothing? Any ideas? All fuses are also ok? I'm baffled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotts90 Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 So you have tail lights but no brake lights? These use the same earth as the brake light so rules that out, are the bulbs good and fitted in properly? Have you removed the bulb and checked for power at the pin inside the light fitting too? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom17 Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 Yes I've put the receiving brake lamp to a known live and they both illuminate! So confusing? The only thing I can think of is its a worn out old cable with possible beaks somewhere down it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 so the wiring when disconnected from the brake light switch & supplied with 12v makes the brake lights work, if that's correct, try a new brake light switch , you can connect this to the vehicles wiring & check all is working prior to fitting the switch to the brake pedal mounting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom17 Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 i got a live off the brake light down at the back and confirmed it by getting my dad to press it while i had a test probe on it but when i connected it up it went dead on me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom17 Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 to confirm not sure if I'm being clear in my explanation so i will try type it better basically the green and purple wire at the back of the loom is measuring 12v when it is not connected to anything. the second i connect it to any circuit the 12v disappears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotts90 Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 Ok, try and start from scratch here.... To confirm you have all functioning lights apart from the brake lights? Going from your info that's "yes" So, what we have been trying to tell you is how to verify the brake circuit wiring. You should have 0volts at the green/purple wire until the brake pedal is pressed? Our previous info was to remove the brake light switch from the equation and check it was operating or not. Is the 12v present with no other circuit live? (ie sidelights off?). Is it 12v as measured from a multimeter or just a test lamp illuminating? If it was a true 12v then your brake lights would be on constantly. If it's a dim light with other circuits on then it could be the cause of a bad earth. Older defender wiring is very temperamental and especially regarding earths, try and rig up a decent known earth (eg jump lead to battery -ve and onto the tag for the rear light earth) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mo Murphy Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 Sticky brake light switch. They get sticky when not used for a while. Mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 consulting the wiring diagram I posted earlier, the green/purple trace wire can only be 'live' 12v when the brake switch has it's plain green wire connected & the brake switch/pedal is operated, with ignition ON & brake pedal not pressed, the green/purple wire should be 'dead' no 12v. so I reckon same as Mo, the brake switch is suspect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom17 Posted August 3, 2015 Author Share Posted August 3, 2015 The green and purple is giving 12v as you'd expect at the back of the car. No voltage when not pressed 12v when a foot is on the brake But as soon as I connect the cable to a lamp I get nothing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted August 3, 2015 Share Posted August 3, 2015 sounding more like no connection inside the lights or bulbs fitted incorrectly, just confirm you have the correct 5watt/21watt 2 filament bulbs fitted with offset pins on the side & 2 contacts on the base like this also look inside the light where the bulb base fits & confirm the earth strip is up on side & 2 contacts at the bottom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom17 Posted August 4, 2015 Author Share Posted August 4, 2015 Yes correct bulbs and brand new light fitting also. I have touched each light assembly to a spare battery to illuminate them at the point I am working so I know they are good. I'm somehow loosing the voltage when I connect it up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted August 4, 2015 Share Posted August 4, 2015 If you have +12V at the lamp socket with the pedal pressed yet fitting a working bulb 'kills' the voltage then there might be a high resistance somewhere. With no current flowing, the volts just 'floats' but trying to pull the correct current with a connected bulb will mean that the volts are all dropped at the high resistance and not available at the bulb filament. This could be any connections along the green wire from the start of this IGN switched wire to the brake-switch, at the brake-switch itself or on the way to the rear lamp socket, or the earth on that socket. If you temporarily bypass sections of this circuit using a length of wire to bridge, you should be able to identify the dodgy section. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom17 Posted August 8, 2015 Author Share Posted August 8, 2015 thanks for the help everyone turns out it was bad connections around the switch giving me an intermittent fault. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 glad you found the problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peaklander Posted August 9, 2015 Share Posted August 9, 2015 thanks for the help everyone turns out it was bad connections around the switch giving me an intermittent fault. Yes me too. Aren't forums useful!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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