Defender TD5 2001 no lights

[Lrw]

Got into the village and all my lights went out. Dashboard, sides, mains and tails. Still have break lights, indicator and flasher. 

Came home on hazards holding the flasher. Several people are now probably blind. 

Would this be a burnt out switch or on of the big fuses? 

I am very ignorant 

[sgnas]

I’ d bet 50p on it being the switch.

Not hard to get at and remove. If you can read a wiring diagram to find the right colours you could use a small length of wire to jump the terminals and see if the lights come on. 

[Anderzander]

It’s these things :

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Main-Master-Light-Switch-for-Land-Rover-Defender-Td5-PUMA-AMR6104-/402580852103?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49286&mkrid=710-127635-2958-0

When mine have gone I’ve been able to see the plastic has melted under the load.

Just take the cowl off of the steering column and it’s there 😊

[cackshifter]

They all seem to be rubbish, even the Lucas ones.  The rivets that pass for contacts can become loose, and though there is continuity to the switch movable part, the contact to the cable can sometimes be the issue. I have successfully repaired these (temporarily) with solder, but you have to be fast - don't melt the plastic more. The long term solution is to take the load off the switch with relays (loads on here about that)

[Snagger]

Yep, the switch or the permanent live wire that runs to it having a break or becoming disconnected.  If you installed halogen light bulbs without adding relays to the lighting circuit, then a melted switch is almost a certainty.