Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

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Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by 2226cc »

1.4 carb 2006 citi.

Started to happen on the way home today. Radio only thing on and thought it was just losing signal now and again. It'd just kinda switch off sound briefly. Then I noticed the lcd would go blank for a second which got my attention.

Then turned on headlights. Noticed that interior lights would go off when the radio did. Then come back on again.

Checked the headlights and they also go off briefly.

By the time I got home the lights would go off inside then slowly start increasing back to normal brightness.

It sometimes did this as the fan came on, sometimes not.

Engine runs fine.

Battery checked out fine for voltage at 14.38V so I assume this is not the regulator on the alternator. Fair assumption?

No lose connections in the engine bay.

Ideas of what to look for please? Wiring to fuse box?
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by riaz786 »

The 2 main fuses next to the battery
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by 2226cc »

Will go check in a few minutes.

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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by 2226cc »

Both still good. 50A had bit of corrosion at very top of legs. Cleaned it off and don't see much inside the socket. Will see what happens in the morning.

On a similar note, over the last month or so the instruments (clock and trip meter) have reset themselves, sometimes when switching off and sometimes when switching engine on.

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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by riaz786 »

Definitely bad connection on those fuses
Clean the terminals that hold those fuses and have them re crimped
See if that helps
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by 2226cc »

Will do. Thanks. :)

Also, I relayed the starter motor much earlier this year. Wasn't enough coming through from the ignition switch to work the solenoid.

PS: I like electronics but I don't like electrics

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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by playa69 »

Could also be a relay. Had a similar issue.
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by Psycho8v »

Long shot, could be your earth cables that are dirty. Remove them and clean them properly, and give the earthing contact a good clean and see if it helps? :hi:
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by Neuk »

Psycho1400 wrote:Long shot, could be your earth cables that are dirty. Remove them and clean them properly, and give the earthing contact a good clean and see if it helps? :hi:
My first thought, bad earthing somewhere...
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by 2226cc »

Thanks guys. I did check the main earth strap at the gearbox and was clean. Well pull properly tonight and give it a fresh metal surface.

Where are the other main earth points?

After fettling with the main fuses last night the car have no issues this morning. But just drove to century city from town and when I stopped it all switched off again. Left the key in on accessory and if came back to life inside after a minute.

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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by 2226cc »

Urhh ... I need to get this main fuse holder/block done tomorrow. The whole dead-on-start thing is just happening more often now. Was on the list of things to do when I get car into garage, but I want it sorted tomorrow.

Going to cut off the old crimp connectors and replace fuse block.

Anyone know if Midas usually carry fuse blocks worth using or should I just go to Goldwagen? Don't have time to run around to several places tomorrow.

Should I solder the wiring down onto the crimp connectors or will crimping do just fine?
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by 2226cc »

Can anyone please tell me how to remove the pins from the main maxi fuse holder? Just can't get the thing apart to inspect.

Car has gone dead a few times now and fiddling with that fuse for a bit gets it going again.

But when I got home today it seems to have been its last switch off.

For the life of me I cant see any fault with the connector.

Midas had nothing of any use. Now stuck without a car at the start of a weekend when everyone will be closed. Classic me.

And it doesn't help one bit when the damn fuse falls down the hole in the front valance cavity.

If anyone is in the tableview/parklands area I'd really appreciate a spare set of hands tomorrow please.
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by 2226cc »

These connectors look perfectly healthy to me.

Image

Crimping is solid. No serious corrosion apart from a tiny spec on the wire surface.

Should I short this out to see if the issue is further down the line?
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by 2226cc »

So it's been 3 weeks of bliss after I fettled with those fuse blocks and put in nice clean fuses.
They're crimped properly, look clean, etc.

Today it has all started over again.

Anyone have a wiring diagram for the 2006+ citi? Want to know where these wires go. My x-ray vision for looking through electrical cable covering doesn't work in cloudy weather.
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by 2226cc »

Aaarrgghhh.... 5 years of bliss and suddenly this issue has started again.
Seriously, it can't just be these fuses.

Been happening sporadically over the past couple of weeks after having clutch done and coolant changed. Mechanic also pressure washed the bay. Hmmm...

Looks like I'm going to just keep a voltmeter in the car now for the next time it switches off and finally see if there's any voltage across the fuses.
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by Lnrathan »

hi
boil hot water and pour over the earth cable below the battery it usually has dirt build up on it
the other thing to do is(i did this) i bought from GW brand new positive and negative battery cables(they come complete with terminals)
also spray some Q20 into the fuse holders next to the battery to keep moisture and dirt to a minimum.

this definitely is a earth problem.
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by 2226cc »

Yip, looks like earth. Will clean that ground strap tonight, remove the ground points I can get to and just clean them all up.
When it happens the voltage reads 0-2V between +ve terminal and earth strap on battery tray. 12V+ when it's good.
Think I'll buy a different set of fuse holders.
Something like this:
https://www.4x4andmore.co.za/collection ... use-holder

Interesting times driving the other day:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdiNeMn_zWs

Yes, I know, dusty in that thing and needs a clean.
Funny how the cluster dies, but the time/trip-meter and radio still run.
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by Supervan II »

Could also be a faulty ignition switch.
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by panic-mechanic »

yup. That is where I would have started. Common failing on citi/mk1
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by Supervan II »

panic-mechanic wrote: Thu Nov 08, 2018 9:34 am yup. That is where I would have started. Common failing on citi/mk1
And A3 Jetta! :wink:

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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by Yamikani »

Hi Guys, I have just bought polo 2008 and is not even registered. It just stopped and all the lights appeared. I tried to start the engine but it could not until 2 hours. It gives a powertrain error codes. the shift indicator is blank and i can not see whether am in drive or reverse. All sensors have been tested and seems to be fine. I have visited several electricians but to no avail.
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by Supervan II »

Yamikani wrote: Fri Nov 09, 2018 8:05 am Hi Guys, I have just bought polo 2008 and is not even registered. It just stopped and all the lights appeared. I tried to start the engine but it could not until 2 hours. It gives a powertrain error codes. the shift indicator is blank and i can not see whether am in drive or reverse. All sensors have been tested and seems to be fine. I have visited several electricians but to no avail.
Take it back. NOW!
If you cannot drive it back, phone the people you bought it from and tell them to send a lift-back to come fetch their POS.
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by 2226cc »

panic-mechanic wrote: Thu Nov 08, 2018 9:34 am yup. That is where I would have started. Common failing on citi/mk1
I'm beginning to think the citi/mk1 have many common failings. :D
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by 2226cc »

panic-mechanic wrote:yup. That is where I would have started. Common failing on citi/mk1
I'm on leave so need to find time to spend on the car.

Any tips on what to test on the ignition switch? This doesn't look like a job that gets done just for the sake of it, let alone finding a proper puller/separator this time of year.

Surprisingly I've not had a dead car for weeks now. But started having old issue again in the past couple of days with starter motor not engaging for long enough.
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Re: Electrical, mk1: lights and accessories cut out briefly

Post by UDC »

The ignition switch is fairly cheap, maybe buy 1 and keep loose in car, when problem starts unplug the original switch and plug into your new loose switch then use a flat screw driver to turn switch and start car, if it works fine then you know for sure its your original switch is the issue.
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