red dash lights stay on

[rugbyfan]

hope someone can help more than auto serve did..i have a 2.0lt auto carlton diplomate J redg..i parked car up and engine kept running even when i took keys out of ignition.only way i could stop it was disconect battery..since then when i turn engine of my dash lights stay on..only the red ones and the abs light..to stop draining battery i have to remove a large fuse from fuse/relay box under the bonnett..iv had a dignostics done and they first said it was the alternatore..change it still the same..took it back and they now say they have no idea what it could be..wondering if anyone can help me..getting fed up with having to do thisevery time i leave the car

[Pedro]

Have you been fiddling with a large red/black wire in the dashboard, above the glovebox?

Seen it disconnected and thought to yourself "Ooh, best put that back together!"

If you did, disconnect it again!

I think it's summat to do with foreign auto/alarm stuff, and not connected for us in Blighty.

Apart from that, I dunno, so I need to think on it..........

[rugbyfan]

no mate only thick wire there seems to come from rear of car,,think its from c/d auto changer that doesnt work..might take cd player out again and check there are no bare wires touching anything..if u can think of anything else thats causing dash lights to stay on would appreciate it..cars in for test next frid..if it passes was thinking of putting it in to vauxhall see if they can find reason but they charge 50 quide

[Tetleysmooth]

I didn't realise you meant ignition related lights when you said the dash lights stay on, I thought you meant the white dash lights related to the lighting system. If I'd known that at the time, I'd never have suggested changing the lighting switch.
Just a wild guess, it couldn't be the alternator buggering about, could it?
Is your fusebox in good nick? Wonder if you've got a bit of melting going on there, as they usually do, and it's causing some sort of short.

[rugbyfan]

changed alternatore...still the same..doing my head in..might think about changing fuse box and also relay box under bonnett

[Pedro]

Fuel pump relays throw a wobbler every now and again - when they die, they usually try and take summat alse with them, and all sorts of wierd goings-on can occur.

Usually under the bonnet near the front left strut top - I think it's the longer relay.

[rugbyfan]

thanx..will change later and see if it works..will let u know as soon as iv changed it

[rugbyfan]

changed all relays under bonnett and still the same..anyone got any other ideas ..im willing to try anything..

[carlton_mad]

what does the fuse you pull out control other than the dash lights?

try and trace it through all the components and see which one is causing the fault.

what is the car by the way (i know its a carlton)

[Tetleysmooth]

I think it's a 2.0 litre Dippy, Chris.

[rugbyfan]

when i pull the 30amp fuse out from by the relays under the bonnett and then start the car fuil gage,,temp gauge,,heaters stop working..also battery light comes on the dash..hope this helps...

the car is a J redg 2.0ltr carlton diplomate automatic..

[rugbyfan]

by the way tetlysmooth,,how do we get more stars by our names..is that for the amount we use the forum

[carlton_mad]

sounds like the voltage regulator on the back of the dash has gone tits up try a different one from a breakers

[rugbyfan]

any idea how i get to it and is it an easy job

[Tetleysmooth]

by the way tetlysmooth,,how do we get more stars by our names..is that for the amount we use the forum

Yeah, pretty sure the more posts you put up, the more stars you get.

[rugbyfan]

thanks ..il have to come on here a lot more often then..lol

[Tetleysmooth]

Best forum I've been on so far.
I used to run BMW's, but found the forums a bit snooty, to be honest.
Much better here, lots of helpful geezers.

[rugbyfan]

i agree..just hope now someone from vauxhall joins and reads my post and knows exactly wats wrong..would be great to get the old girl running right

[mrchaz]

Had a similar problem and it turned out that the ignition switch had broken and was making a constant circuit. Could be worth looking at it

[rugbyfan]

i disconected the black plug of the ignition switch and was still the same..would the black plug be the part that could be the trouble and if so can it be changed without just cutting the wires and connecting another one on

[Murph]

The black plug IS the ignition switch (electrical part anyway) and, if you follow the wires down a short way you will find that it just unplugs.

Easy job to do and could well be the fault.

Hope this helps mate.

By the way, you will become a Jr member (2 Stars) when you have posted 50 posts, and a Full member (3 Stars) after 150.

[rugbyfan]

cheers murph..if weather good tomorrow will try it out and see if when i disconect this the lights go out..if they do will go to scrap yard morning and pinch a couple to try..

[mrogers]

Best forum I've been on so far.
I used to run BMW's, but found the forums a bit snooty, to be honest.
Much better here, lots of helpful geezers.

i found the e32 register quite a friendly place when i had one.

[Tetleysmooth]

I didn't go on there matey.

[Bernard]

Voltage Regulater on back of dash only supplies a feed to the fuel and temprature gauges and is not connected to the Charging Circuit.I see you have tried the obvious , changing the alternator but was this secondhand or new?
You may have been unlucky and picked up another alternator which also had a faulty Diode  pack in it  which would cause the problem you are describing if it was secondhand.
What you could try if you have not already done so is after Disconnecting Battery First!,disconnect all cables from Alternator,make sure none of these can touch each other or the bodywork or engine and then Reconnect the Battery .
If the Warning Lights no longer come on with the Ignition switched on suspect the replacement Alternator.
If the problem is still there have a close look at the Alternator Harness.