Dash Lights and Relays Going Wrong...

[Jolfa]

So the wiring for my cig lighter shorted out the other month, which then ended up popping the fuse for dash lights and rear number plate lights. Sorted the wiring out and changed the fuse and it was fine for a while until the same fuse started popping over and over.

Now the fuse is fine, rear number plate lights work but the dash lights don't. The clock on the dash illuminates until you switch the lights on, and then that goes out too. Aux gauges don't light up either.

Most recently the indicator relay has started playing up, meaning the left indicators work at whatever speed they feel like (sometimes really slow, sometimes really fast, often not at all, right ones are fine), I've changed the stalks for known working ones and the same problems remain. The ABS relay was also spazzing out when I first switched the car on the other day too. No idea if these problems are related or not.

The car is a B3 80q with an AAN fitted.

[K Simmonds]

Sounds like a bad earth somewhere, I start by checking all the obvious earth points.

[Donnie]

I had heaps of weird electrical problems when the wiring in the hatch broke down and started shorting out. Loads of unpredictable faults and fuses popping left right and centre.

[shaun5]

Check the glove box light wiring (goes from the bulb, behind radio, into main loom and then to fuse box)
I had problems with the number plate lights and other stuff (cant remember now) and the glove box wiring had melted into the loom causing all sorts of faults.

[Audicted]

Look at the wiring harness that goes to the rear lights, in the trunk (boot) support arm. They may be cracked and touching each other causing shorts. Also, check your ignition switch.