ant3000

Hi

I was hoping i could get a little advice.

I've got a 2001 Ford Focus Zetec 1.8 which has developed a strange fault with it's lights.

With the ignition ON i have no side, parking, dashboard or rear lights (except for indicators and brake lights)

BUT

with the ignition OFF i get parking lights (front and rear)

I've changed the light control switch and checked the fuses and relays under the bonnet (couldn't find the interior fuses but turns out they might be behind the glovebox so will check them tomorrow)

I've had a look around online and common faults seem to be the wiring loom into the boot of the car (behind rubber grommet)? dodgy earth? or fuse (apparently the dash and rear lights share a fuse? although this doesn't explain the front side lights working / not working?)

I've also contacted a guy on the forum who had the same problem and ended up taking it to an auto electrician who claimed it was a "wire at the rear of the stereo" although neither of us are convinced!

I was hoping there was anyone here who could offer some more suggestions or has experienced the same fault and found a solution.

Much appreciated and thanks in advance!

JonathanJ

Diagnostic path I would take when lights not working

1) Check bulbs ( unlikely in this case to have all bulbs blown and parking lights working )
2) Check fuses and feeds into fuses F47 and F48 in this case , if feed one side and not other then fuse blown , if nothing in then wiring or switch ( as you have changed switch unlikely again )
3) check connections on fuse box

Let us know how you get on

ant3000

Hi JonathanJ Thanks for your help.

We've checked the fuses behind the glovebox and they all seem to be fine? We've also taken a multimeter to the switch terminals and there is definitely 12 volts coming from what appears to be the ignition on / off circuit so it seems power is getting to the switch?

I've also had a wiggle of the wire looms behind the dash and that doesn't seem to be having any effect?

As i recall as the fault was manifesting itself the dash lights would work intermittently until finally after a few flickers as i went over some road surface bumps they eventually died which implies a dodgy wiring connection?

I'm completely baffled? Online searches produce results which implies it's a reasonably common fault but no-one has given a solution?

JonathanJ

Try feed across the fuse so you know if it before or after switch / fuse , the order is

1 battery
2 Ignition Switch
3 Light switch
4 Fuses
5 Bulbs

So by checking feed into fuse you know if the wiring is faulty between switch and fuse and as it is a single wire up to fuse this would seem to be your favorite , I have been known to simply join a length of wire between the 2 known good points ie cutting wire away from switch and into fuse and see if that sorts it

ant3000

Just as a very quick update, after a little more research i eventually found a thread that happened to mention FUSE 32!!! which is the light switch fuse so checked it out and sure enough it was burnt through! Simply changed he fuse and PING!! everything came to life so anyone reading this thread - FUSE 32 makes you car electrics go mental!! : )

chris_tegra

hi im new to the site iv read through a few posts now and the information on this site is really good im having the same issue as above and have checked the fuses and all are good i have swapped the switch for one that i know is good from a friends car but still have the problem. I tried to run a wire from switch to fuse box like mentioned above and i got the lights working but they would not turn off so now im stumped on where to go next as im not very electrical minded but would really like to fix the problem my self. can some one please help this newbie out.....

thanks in advance for any help

ant3000

This just pinged up on my email so thought I'd reply and see if I can offer some help! It's been a while (and I've actually sold my focus since) but I did manage to fix this. In my case it turned out to be a fuse (32) which had blown in such a way that it wasn't obvious so might be worth double checking each fuse individually?

Alternatively while I was looking to solve the problem I did read a lot about the possibility of a break in the wires where the loom passes through to the boot of the car (little rubber casing in the top of of the boot)

Hope this helps? Remember how infuriating this was at the time!

chris_tegra

thanks for the info il take a look now and be back with some feed back for you shortly

chris_tegra

there were a few brakes in the wiring loom going from roof to bootlid through the lil rubber boot i repaired them but still nothing so i then went back to the fuse box to double check nothing had been blown in the process and there was an abs fuse blown that wasnt blown before so i changed that and everything worked thanks for the help in pointing me in the direction of the wiring

martynl

Hi, read the thread, rear lights not working front side lights not working did the same as everyone else checked bulbs and fuses, but it was not fuse 32 for me BUT fuse 30, all works a treat now, however quite a few weeks ago we noticed that normally when had lights on and stopped engine and open door a warning alarm would start to remind to switch off the lights this had stopped working Fuse 30 sorted that also.....begs the question !