Earth Fault?

[DJ Gav]

Since I have had the car, on turning on the rear heated window, the orange LED in the switch usually doesn't illuminate, although the one in the door mirror switch always does, but occasionally it will illuminate if it is very hot inside the car.

Also, the re-circ switch doesn't operate.

Could these two problems be connected? An earth fault perhaps? Where are they earthed? Is there an earth point behind the dash somewhere, e.g. on the bulkhead?

Also i'm having a weird spluttering problem (the engine - not me!) I think could also be a wiring or earth fault, after ruling out most other options. Where is the ECU earthed? Could this and the above problems be linked?

Finally, when I press the brake pedal and the brake lights come on, or use other electrical items like the sunroof, windows or turn the lights on, as they are switching on my subwoofer "thumps" which also seems to me like an earth fault, although I have checked and cleaned the earth point from the battery to the chassis and the earth connection to the engine/gearbox. Are there any other earth points I have missed? Could any or all of these problems be linked?

Sorry for so many questions, but I hope some of you may have ideas or experience of these issues. I do have a multimeter and an ounce of electrical knowledge!

Gav

[Fraz]

Since I have had the car, on turning on the rear heated window, the orange LED in the switch usually doesn't illuminate, although the one in the door mirror switch always does, but occasionally it will illuminate if it is very hot inside the car.

Also, the re-circ switch doesn't operate.

Could these two problems be connected? An earth fault perhaps? Where are they earthed? Is there an earth point behind the dash somewhere, e.g. on the bulkhead?

Also i'm having a weird spluttering problem (the engine - not me!) I think could also be a wiring or earth fault, after ruling out most other options. Where is the ECU earthed? Could this and the above problems be linked?

Finally, when I press the brake pedal and the brake lights come on, or use other electrical items like the sunroof, windows or turn the lights on, as they are switching on my subwoofer "thumps" which also seems to me like an earth fault, although I have checked and cleaned the earth point from the battery to the chassis and the earth connection to the engine/gearbox. Are there any other earth points I have missed? Could any or all of these problems be linked?

Sorry for so many questions, but I hope some of you may have ideas or experience of these issues. I do have a multimeter and an ounce of electrical knowledge!

Gav

the switch is prone to just failing, I would just try another switch as it sounds more like the bulb in the switch is on its way out, if the heated mirrors led is working that shows the switch is working

as for your other problesm how old is the battery?? as it sounds more like your drawing to much out the battery...is this sound sytem got a few amps fitted perhaps


Also, the re-circ switch doesn't operate.

dont work or dont light up ??

it dont work if you have the slider set to the windscreen.....if its still dont work then it could mean your aircon is faulty

oh and might be an idea to say what engine you have

[DJ Gav]

I thought that the orange 'on' indicator in the heated rear window switch was an LED rather than a bulb, am I wrong in thinking this?

Regarding the battery, it seems to be in good condition, as is the alternator, and I only have 1 amplifier running the subwoofer.

The re-circ switch doesn't work at all, but I wouldn't have thought the aircon would have any effect on this as it is seperate isn't it?

The car is a 4x4 Turbo LE.

[Phantom]

if the sub thumps then it is a bad earth to it try locating the earth somewhere better

[DJ Gav]

The earth for the sub is a big, fat oxygen-free copper cable connected directly to the battery terminal, so there defo isn't a bad earth on that!

[Allys Cally]

when you say the earth for the sub i take it you mean the earth coming off the amp, the amp earth should be earthed to the body not the battery