1996 Escort 1.8 Si (130) Cab - Central Locking / Lights Problem/S

[Guest barclayrob]

Hi all,

 

1996 (N Reg) Escort 1.8 Si (130) Cab - Central Locking / Lights Problem/s

 

I haven't posted for a while but just a quickie in the hope someone can PLEASE point a 'novice', with a problem, in the right direction ?

 

Cab has just developed a 'double problem' - do we believe in co-incidences ?

 

1) Front headlights have become temperamental - main(low) beam keeps switching off and leaving just the sidelights on. Nightmare in the dark but thanks to the frong fogs for getting me out of a BIG fix ! Was intermittent BUT for last 24 hours seems to be 'permanent ?

 

2) At about the same time as above the central locking also became temperamental. Again was intermittent BUT now won't work at all ?

 

Is there something electrical that links the two ?

 

I'm not the best with electrics so any help for a 'simple norfolk lad' would be gratefully appreciated.

 

BIG thanks and a Merry Christmas to each and everyone of you.

 

b

;

[gingergman]

could be fuse box, commen problem,

 

someone with the same mk cab should know

[Guest barclayrob]

Thanks ginger - is that just a fuse or is there a problem with the box itself ?

Thanks again,

b

[Guest barclayrob]

Hi all,

 

Can anyone help (pls see above) ?

 

BIG thanks & Happy Christmas,

 

b

[gingergman]

fusebox mate, look in the electric prob forum, think there a few simular topics (my opinion)

[Guest Tuft]

The left and right headlights run off different fuses so for them both to go it has to be a bit more involved. The central locking module and the headlight relays seem to share the same two earthing points according to the Haynes manual. Ground points G1001 and G1002 from the main fusebox. I would lower the fusebox down and follow all brown wires to earthing points and check they're not corroded.

Hope this helps.

[Guest barclayrob]

Hi Tuft,

 

Happy Christmas & thanks for your reply.

 

I've now done a little work and here's where I'm up too.

 

I did have a bulb gone which has now been replaced.

 

When side lights switched on everything looks ok.

 

when you switch from side to main lights the lights both look the same BUT seem to dim - you certainly can't see well enough to drive in the dark then !

 

when you flick onto high / up beam (either 'flash' OR 'switch' then one headlamp goes up but the other doesn't n/s OK. o/s not working.

 

The central locking will still not work at all.

 

This all seems to have co-incided with the bad weather / snow / ice / extreme cold.

 

I don't think both the above faults, at the sametime, are any co-incidence ?

 

Do you still think this is possibly an earthing issue ?

 

I'm not that brilliant with electrics but any ideas 'roughly' where the earth wires may hit the body work - I can then remove, clean up and try again ?

 

BIG thanks to you and anyone else who can help a 'desperate lad' !

 

Kind regards,

 

Rob

[Guest Tuft]

Behind the drivers side kick panel to the right of the accelerator pedal is an earthing point which has many brown wires going to it. Check it's ok. Also behind each headlight is another earthing point. N/s is under air box and o/s is under a black hose. Check these too. There should be no corrosion. If these are ok then as gingerman say's it's the fusebox itself. Not just a fuse but the result of water ingress from the scuttle above onto the surfaces of the fusebox.

I took mine apart and resoldered every single joint. Not easy as the panels are folded over like a concertina.

[Guest barclayrob]

Hey Tuft..................

Just logged back in - thanks for your further reply / help.

Been out in car earlier today (in daylight !) and same problem BUT...... wait for it when I got home I tested everything and not only are the lights now working normally BUT so is the central locking !

I've not touched another thing..... yet - all I did do was stick the battery on a charger overnight BUT this made no difference when I switched her on first thing!

It does seem a bit milder here, today BUT sh lives in the garage anyway !

Does this narrow things down any further, do you think ?

I guess the earth situation could be the route to go down next ?

I daren't just ignore this problem as I don't think it will just go away ?

Talk later & thanks,

b

[Guest Tuft]

Does seem like a water/damp issue on a connection. Because the central locking is effected too I would say the problem is down by the kick panel.

[Guest barclayrob]

Hi (again) Tuft,

The problem has reared its head, yet again, but this time it doesn't seem like its going away.

Thanks to your photos I've now removed the earthing points behind BOTH headlamps (tricky little blighters to get too !) and cleaned them up, along with the points they touch / earth to the car body. Not made any difference.

It looks like you're right and perhaps its the one behind the kick panel ?

I've briefly removed the kick panel and am confronted with a stack of wires and relays etc... BUT I'm struggling to crawl into the foot well to actually find / locate / see the earth point - is your photo also of a similar model to mine (mk6, N reg, 1996, 1.8Si, 130bhp) ?

I bet you're right and this is where the problem lies BUT its just getting to it to sort it !

Any tips / help from anyone else would be much appreciated.

Can't use the car in the dark now - not good at this time of year !

Kind regards & Happy New Year to each and everyone of you....

b

[Guest barclayrob]

UPDATE

 

I've now been in behind the 'kick panel' and removed and cleaned up all the earth points - there was actually two points with approx. 8 or so wires going into them !

 

I've also cleaned up another earth point located under the trim above the sill between the drivers door and seat !

 

Unfortunately NEITHER the central locking or 'some lights' are still not working (by the way I replaced 2 blown fuses too, behind the kick panel BUT not even sure what they were for and don't seem to have affected anything ? ! ? !

 

As a reminder no central locking and the lights........... on side lights BOTH front ones appear fine BUT on a main beam only the passenger side works (not the drivers side which appears to dim). Likewise on full / high / flash beam only the passenger side works !

 

I have noticed the thinnest possible wire, which is a greyish colour, which appears to run from the rear of the car through the drivers side sill trim and then points up towards all the other wires in the 'kick panel' BUT this has either never been connected OR possibly snapped off ? Maybe this is the offending wire BUT I can't seem to see where it MAY (?) have been heading ?

 

THIS MUST BE SOMETHING SIMPLE BUT ANYONE PLEASE, PLEASE OFFER ME ANY FURTHER HELP ?

 

Thanks guys............ the cars's in pieces and its getting dark here, in Norfolk, so if anyones about and can help I'd be so grateful !

 

Thanks,

 

b

[Guest Tuft]

I'm afraid it looks like it's going to be the fusebox itself. A common problem. You seem to have checked everything else. The central locking module is behind the drivers kick panel. A grey box about 5 inches square. It should have two connection blocks going in to it from the underside. One will have lots of thin wires, the other will have fewer but thicker wires. It's this one that does the control for locking and unlocking. The thick yellow wire does the locking and the thick white wire does the unlocking. Maybe worth checking for loose connections here. I can't think of anything else really. You may find an auto electrian who will recondition the fusebox.

My Escort is a 1994 1.8 Si 130.

[Guest barclayrob]

Thanks Tuft,

Any thoughts on the VERY thin wire I mentioned ?

Regards,

b

[Guest Tuft]

The only grey wires to run from back to front that I can remember is grey/red and grey/black which are for the stop and tail lights.