Fuse 23 keeps blowing

Post Thu May 11, 2006 12:36 pm

with the ignition off my lights work fine and the fuse doesn't blow.

with the ignition on the moment i turn on the lights it blows the fuse.

when i switch them on with the ignition on i hear a clicking coming from a relay i think it doesnt do this when the ignition is off

anyone had a similar problem

Post Thu May 11, 2006 12:59 pm

Remove the panel above the glovebox, and unplug the four pin radio connector from the big accessories socket at the back. See if that cures it.

Post Fri May 12, 2006 2:24 pm

dont see a four pin connector conected to the socket .

Can you elabotate which one it should be plufgged into ?

Post Fri May 12, 2006 2:49 pm

just fully removed the radio and it still blows the fuse

Post Fri May 12, 2006 6:50 pm

What is Fuse 23... I had a similar problem (I'm not sure if it was the same fuse) but it was the glovebox light shorting out and blowing the fuse..

Post Fri May 12, 2006 7:10 pm

glovebox light is fine.

Fuse 23 is used for the drivers side rear light, number plate lights and instrument cluster lights.

All of which work fine until i turn the ignition on

Post Fri May 12, 2006 7:37 pm

bigdek wrote:dont see a four pin connector conected to the socket .

Can you elabotate which one it should be plugged into ?

Right at the back left behind the glovebox there are two large white sockets.
The left one has a matching plug fitted and connects to the dashboard loom.
The right hand one is the accessories socket, and depending on what accessories your car has will have a few connectors in it.
Starting 2nd pin from the top left, there is a four pin vertical socket which in all E30s I've seen, has a plug in it for the radio loom.

Post Fri May 12, 2006 8:00 pm

not mine dude

That plug is empty and was the same on my touring

Post Fri May 12, 2006 8:05 pm

Mine was the same, home made loom scotchlocked to the back of the accesories socket

Got a proper one in there now

Post Fri May 12, 2006 8:08 pm

Right, in that case pull the plug off the main light switch.
Power in is a grey/green wire to pin 7, power out to instrument lights is a grey/red wire to pin 1, and power out to right sidelights is a grey/white wire to pin 5.
Link pin 7 to pin 1 and then to pin 5, to see which one pops the fuse.
Another test you can do, if you have "check" control up by the rear view mirror, is pull the plugs off the module on the left hand rear inner wing, and see if that stops the fuse blowing.

Post Mon May 15, 2006 7:01 pm

brian

diconnected the plugs in the boot and no change.

tried connected the wires as you describe but nothing.

No lights come on, no fuses pop.

Just nothing.

I am definately linking the pins you said.

Post Mon May 15, 2006 8:57 pm

bigdek wrote:brian

diconnected the plugs in the boot and no change.

tried connected the wires as you describe but nothing.

No lights come on, no fuses pop.

Just nothing.

I am definately linking the pins you said.

What do you mean by no change? Does the fuse still blow with the check control plugs in the boot disconnected or no?

If you link pin 7 of the light switch socket to the other pins as described, then the sidelights or panel lights will light or the fuse will blow.
If nothing happens then the fuse is already blown, or you aren't doing it right.

Post Mon May 15, 2006 11:21 pm

still blow with the check control disconnected.

will try connecting wire 7 to the others again tomorrow but nothing lights and the fuse is intact

Post Tue May 16, 2006 12:10 am

bigdek wrote:still blow with the check control disconnected.

will try connecting wire 7 to the others again tomorrow but nothing lights and the fuse is intact

You've eliminated the rear light clusters and number plate lights from the equation.
If pin 7 is live (i.e. fuse 23 intact), then jumping it to the pins I said will light lamps, or blow fuse.
Slight correction, due to ageing brain. You need to link pin 2 (brown) and pin 6 (brown/white) of the light switch with another piece of wire for the panel lamps to light.

Post Sat May 20, 2006 5:47 pm

linked the wies out .

back light works and doesn't blow the fuse.

Cluster lights and doesn't blow the fuse.

Very strange

Had a spare light switch so i changed it over and its just the same.

Any more ideas m8 ?

Post Sat May 20, 2006 7:13 pm

just noticed the drivers side sidelight bulb was blown.

Could that have been the problem ?

Post Mon May 22, 2006 10:22 pm

still the same

what else can be blowing this pain in the ass fuse

Post Mon May 22, 2006 11:07 pm

bigdek wrote:still the same

what else can be blowing this pain in the ass fuse

Look at your avatar!

Post Mon May 22, 2006 11:26 pm

If the fuse is blowing again, then pull the plug off the light switch and try the links again.

Post Fri May 26, 2006 7:01 pm

Brian I'm having a similar problem - fuse 23 keeps going whenever I put on the lights - both my rear lights, instrument panel and licence plate light go. Now the check lights don't show a fault either. I'm not even a competent mechanic so before I start trashing the car do you suggest I do what you have advised above?

Post Fri May 26, 2006 8:11 pm

no_whippets wrote:Brian I'm having a similar problem - fuse 23 keeps going whenever I put on the lights - both my rear lights, instrument panel and licence plate light go. Now the check lights don't show a fault either. I'm not even a competent mechanic so before I start trashing the car do you suggest I do what you have advised above?

First thing I suggest is pull out the four pin radio plug from the accessories socket at the back of the glovebox. If that doesn't cure it, pull the plugs off the bulb failure module (LH side of boot) to eliminate the rear and number plate lights from the equation (or confirm their guilt), and then do the wire link thing with the light switch socket.