No indicators, wipers, temperature gauge or fuel gauge after it rains.

[simonlandy]

Hi, new to defender ownership and loving them, apart from when it rains I lose indicators, fuel gauge,  wipers and temperature gauge. When it dries out they all come back, can any of you knowledgeable people suggest where to start looking.

[FridgeFreezer]

When more than one thing is acting weird it's usually the earths - check all the black wires, earth straps, etc.

[fmmv]

What @FridgeFreezer said. To elaborate a bit the earth point on the top of  the bulkhead seems a prime candidate, also another on the RH side of the transfer case. Assuming pre-Puma. If you cast around internetly you will be able to download a manual of electrical diagrams and also the Defender Electrical Library. The points named in the wiring manual are often pictured in the Electrical Library so you can see exactly where they are. Lots of good reading material  in there (for insomniacs).

[steve b]

As above, earth points are the primary suspect. 

The bulkhead earth point - either on the sloping face near the clutch pedal box or near the fuel filter on the BH just under the bonnet gutter. 

I usually add an earth from the BH earth point to the back of the engine to give the best earth return.

The T/box earth is often missed when re-fitting the boxes after say a clutch change.

Steve 

[Snagger]

You could try taping over the bulkhead vent flaps and then running a hose over the windscreen for a while to determine if the faulty earth is inside the dash and you have leaky vent seals or if it’s under the bonnet.  I rather suspect the latter.  Look for a bunch of black wires connecting to the bulkhead near the clutch pedal box, probably covered in crud and rust.   Remove the fixing, clean everything right back to shiny metal, smear Vaseline on all of the contacting faces, bolt it back together and add more Vaseline.  That should fix it.  Likewise if you find it’s a bad earth inside the dash.

[simonlandy]

Thanks for all the advice, I've redone all the earths I can find, but still same issue, but I have found if I click the battery isolator off then back on it all works again. I'll replace this and fingers crossed it'll fix it.

[FridgeFreezer]

23 hours ago, simonlandy said:

Thanks for all the advice, I've redone all the earths I can find, but still same issue, but I have found if I click the battery isolator off then back on it all works again. I'll replace this and fingers crossed it'll fix it.

Buy a good quality metal one, the plastic ones are all varying degrees of junk.

[reb78]

On 11/29/2023 at 10:17 AM, FridgeFreezer said:

When more than one thing is acting weird it's usually the earths - check all the black wires, earth straps, etc.

All he lists are on the same fuse (certainly on 200tdi and TD variants, not sure about others) if that makes any difference here?

[FridgeFreezer]

On 12/7/2023 at 11:17 PM, reb78 said:

All he lists are on the same fuse (certainly on 200tdi and TD variants, not sure about others) if that makes any difference here?

Hadn't realised that, that's another "common point" then - everything going back to that one fuse / feed would certainly make it suspect.

[simonlandy]

Problems solved.... New indicator relay was faulty and ignition switch dodgy so when I clicked the isolator off I then restarted it which must've made a better connection.  Thanks for all the advice.

[FridgeFreezer]

If it's a plastic isolator bin it immediately and fit a decent Hella one or a good clone - ISTR Goodwinch sell a decent clone for about 20 quid.