farmerpug Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 I'm having a bit of an unusual problem with the old forester when I press the brakes and the light switch is off the headlights come on, as does the heater control and instrument cluster backlighting, is there any chance that this perhaps is a known issue, or will I need to look at some wiring diagrams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted September 7, 2013 Share Posted September 7, 2013 Hello mate nice to see you again mate :) hope them hand's are being kept dirty ;) I'm going to say either a wrong bulb fitted for one of the lights either front or back. But would have thought you would have known by now :( So only thing else is the earthing some how maybe dirty. I would check resistors too mate I had one that was bad earthing :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay762 Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Has it just started happening or is it something you have lived with as it sounds to me like a crossed wire somewhere along the line - similar to when you wire up the brake lights to the horn :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmerpug Posted September 8, 2013 Author Share Posted September 8, 2013 Thanks gambit nice to see you aswell, the hands are dirty, im stripping at another 406 i bought, foresters make a very good mobile shed for tools. It seems to have only started recently, my aftermarket central locking kit was installed long before this problem, but i suppose with the forester sitting unused for long periods of time an earthing point could have corroded, it also has LED sidelights fitted but i doubt in 1997 cars had any trouble with CAN BUS wiring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted September 8, 2013 Share Posted September 8, 2013 Good good glad to hear it be emptying the the tools soon for some off roading then when the weather start's to get colder :D That's why I said about the bulb I know in another car I had. I forced the wrong bulb into my break light until I went to the shop to get the right bulb every time I breaked it brought other lights on :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmerpug Posted September 15, 2013 Author Share Posted September 15, 2013 I just need to get a look at this light, there seems to be bulbs out in the back tail light and rusty looking earthing points round the front. I emptied out the spare 406 parts, left the tools in it and took it for a run through the fields: I suppose compared to some of the imprezza turbos about it isnt fast, but its good fun for £200 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay762 Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 That was great some nice editing and a lot of time spent setting up for different angles etc - 3.20 sllllllliiiiiiide ... clunk! :D I dont think you could have gone any faster the ground you were going over was clearly rough enough to loosen your fillings and a point to note the only offroading the majority of imprezas see is the occasional grass verge when parking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted September 15, 2013 Share Posted September 15, 2013 That's made my day that had a grin on my face just watching. I'm very jealous it look's lot's of fun. And I will echo Jay some good footage very well put together mate. And thank you for sharing just Gives people and idea of what there foresters can do if needed :D Love it :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miggs Posted September 16, 2013 Share Posted September 16, 2013 With regards the lights issue, I didn't have this issue in the subie it was in a vw but I guess it can happen to most cars, I had an alarm unit fitted and the fitters had cut a cable tie holding a bunch of wires to the steering column, after 2 years of no issues I suddenly and randomly started blowing the fuel pump fuse, the first few I didn't know why as nothing seemed to be causing it until I was fitting a new amp one day and I noticed a bunch of wires hanging down near the clutch pedal, 2 wires had been rubbed through with the pedal causing them to earth and it was this causing the fuel pump fuse to pop, I never would have thought to check wires under the dash, might not be the cause for you but just putting that up there in case your running out of things to check 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmerpug Posted September 17, 2013 Author Share Posted September 17, 2013 Glad to hear you enjoyed the video, you should see it when the ground is wet, then it feels more like a back wheel drive car. As for the lights, i took apart the boot area the rear left indicator and reverse light were blown, the earth seems ok but i haven't checked the middle brake light in the back window (the wires could be frayed in the rubber thingy that connects the boot to the car, it happened on a mk4 golf with me during the summer except it kept blowing the wiper and central locking motor) I took off as many earth points in the engine bay as i could find, wire brushed them all, WD40 sprayed everywhere and big blobs of copper grease put over them to prevent future corrosion still no luck. I took away the panel below the steering wheel away (to find electrical spaghetti :D ), i can hear and feel the relay clicking when i press the pedal it also turns on the fog lights if their buttons are pressed in, if the fog light relay is removed there is a relay clicking up round the front of the car for the sidelights. I know the wires that come from the door into the car give trouble because pushing them about can spontaneously lock and unlock the car, or cause the leccy windows not to work, but thats because water has corroded the plugs that connect the door loom, ill need to clean them up. So the problem with the lights hasn't really been solved, all i can say is that the fog lights are also connected to the problem, on a more positive note when i was checking round the engine bay fusebox i managed to fix the headlight washers, the plug was very badly corroded and the pipe cut, a terminal block and bit of spare copper pipe got them working again. A CD service manual off eBay has arrived so hopefully the wiring diagrams give some clues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmerpug Posted September 17, 2013 Author Share Posted September 17, 2013 Ah, i solved it Quite embarassing what the problem was, the drivers side brake/tail light is a 2 filament bulb, i test bulbs with a multimeter set to bleep not by looking at them so it didnt show up a problem, but the filaments were touching eachother, a pair of new tail light bulbs sorted out the problem. Anyhow all the earthing points have been cleaned up and i have working headlight washers. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gambit Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 Yep what I said :D well what I meant you worded it better though ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jay762 Posted September 17, 2013 Share Posted September 17, 2013 easy fix then ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miggs Posted September 18, 2013 Share Posted September 18, 2013 glad it's sorted pal, always seems to be the easy problems that you don't see till you've rebuilt the car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
farmerpug Posted September 18, 2013 Author Share Posted September 18, 2013 A lot of stripping at the car yes but on the plus side having cleaned up as many earthing points as i could find should keep future electrical issues away. I actually give the screen a whack there when i seen the flea walking on it, thats very realistic :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miggs Posted September 22, 2013 Share Posted September 22, 2013 lol sorry bud, been a few caught out with it, i was when i first saw it on another forum a few years ago, took a few attempts before i realised it wasn't real Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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