| Author | Message | ||
     Roderick Waite Prolific User Username: rodwaite Post Number: 172 Registered: 1-2012 |
Hello. The interior lights in my 1984 Spirit (ECH 09680) won't turn off. All doors properly closed, boot and bonnet too. They should go off after about a minute - but they don't. Is there a switch (like the map lights) somewhere? Has a fault developed? All ideas welcome! I have to turn the battery isolator off to avoid a flat battery all the time. Thank you ... Rod Waite '84 Spirit. | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 1844 Registered: 9-2004 |
Push the light switch inwards, should do the trick. | ||
| Paul Yorke Grand Master Username: paul_yorke Post Number: 2045 Registered: 6-2006 |
Hi Rod, Are the puddle lights and door marker lights staying on as well? Or just roof lights? | ||
| Roderick Waite Prolific User Username: rodwaite Post Number: 173 Registered: 1-2012 |
Hello Patrick - can't try that yet - you mean the main lights switch? Headlights etc:? Sounds the simple sort of thing RRs spring on you ... Hello Paul - puddle lights = map lights? Those I can switch off via a switch on the passenger facia. All the door lights stay on though, as well as the roof lights (actually over the doors). I can switch the rear ones off via a switch in the vanity mirror trims. But not the fronts. Thanks! Rod | ||
| Patrick Lockyer. Grand Master Username: pat_lockyer Post Number: 1846 Registered: 9-2004 |
Rod, yes the main light switch will do the trick. | ||
| Maxwell Heazlewood Prolific User Username: tasbent Post Number: 169 Registered: 9-2017 |
Individual door light switches are easy enough and give them a lube spray with electronic cleaner lubricant....NOT wd40! Also check the timer relay which controls the delayed turn off of the lights. | ||
| Roderick Waite Prolific User Username: rodwaite Post Number: 174 Registered: 1-2012 |
Hello Patrick - just been over to the garage and tried the main lights switch, and yes, it does indeed pull in and out - but it was in, and pulling it out only turned the driver's side map light on - pushing it back in turned it off again. But the other interior lights all stay on ... Hello Paul - see above, but I notice that all the red 'door open' warning lights built into the doors are all on too (I can see the glow through the gap) - that's 10 lights on! No wonder the battery goes flat! Stay well ... Rod | ||
| Paul Yorke Grand Master Username: paul_yorke Post Number: 2046 Registered: 6-2006 |
Hi Rod, puddle lights are on the bottom of the arm rests and shine down I to any puddles when the door is open. The red lights and puddle lights come on only when a door is unmatched. Main light switch and other switches do not operate them. Neither does the timer on most years ( so this narrows it down to the catch switches circuit nicely.) I think the operating lever is visible on your year and pressing it up and down with a pick should result in a feint click. Open door ONE AT A TIME. Operate the door catch with a pen so it is closed. Fine metal strip at the bottom is the lever. Clean and operate and listen. You may just detect the red light getting slightly brighter when operating it. (This means it's operating move to the nect). When you reach one that makes no difference it will probably be you culprit. Have you had any door trims off lately? Good luck with her  | ||
| Roderick Waite Prolific User Username: rodwaite Post Number: 175 Registered: 1-2012 |
Hello Maxwell - the switches are OK, thanks - the timer relay sounds a very likely candidate! Where does it live, please? I checked the relays in the fuse box anyway, they're OK - but there are dozens of relays (little aluminium cubes) all over the place! Finding the right one is the trick ... Hello Paul - the mystery deepens. The red warning lights in the doors are on even with the doors closed properly - I can see the glow through the gap, They shoulld only be on when that door is open? The other 3 staying off when the door is closed even with the driver's door open? All 10 lights are on all the time. So it may not be the catch switch? This morning, the first time I tried - they worked perfectly! Closed my door, and about 15 seconds later all the lights went out. Eureka! But the next time - they all stayed on again, and every time since.  I'll try Maxwell's relay if I can find it, replace it I guess, and then try your trick. Never easy, is it? Thanks everyone ... stay well Rod '84 Spirit | ||
| Paul Yorke Grand Master Username: paul_yorke Post Number: 2048 Registered: 6-2006 |
Hi Road, Sorry but I can't work out exactly what you are saying and when lights are on and if they are ever on (red lights). The timer is a beige plastic box. Most likely passengers side behind the fuse box. But I'd have to check. Cheers, Paul. | ||
| michael vass Grand Master Username: mikebentleyturbo2 Post Number: 456 Registered: 7-2015 |
Hi Rod hope your all ok down there! Sounds like an intermittent door switch to me. Mike | ||
| Maxwell Heazlewood Prolific User Username: tasbent Post Number: 173 Registered: 9-2017 |
Roderick, make it easy on yourself and check out the wiring diagrams for your model on this site. Also, your hand book or other literature should have a diagram of the fuse and relay layout. I'm well aware of these poxy little silver cubes!! And after 34 years they would be just about done with corrosion and bad contacts. I found it easier to replace the damn lot, including the ones contained in the doors with modern relays and the heavy usage ones I up-rated with higher amp relays.....27 in all if I remember. We know have all the door lights and central locking working properly, along with a few other minor glitches that were miraculously cured. Check all your fuses....I don't mean just look at them, physically remove every one of them and clean the tabs with a fine brass wire brush and use a cotton bud smeared with a dab of di-electric grease to help prevent future corrosion. All this was on a 91 Bentley Eight....so yours will be similar. Arm yourself with a couple of cans of electronic spray cleaner/lubricant....I swear by this stuff for all electronics. Make sure you also check as many earthing points that you can access and physically undo them and clean them either with a brush or emery paper....you can't get a good earth on corroded metal and in your climate that is essential! As Paul has suggested, the interior lights relay is mounted in below glovebox area....look up the details of it's location. These will go wonky over time and it's easier to replace but from memory they are not exactly cheap. | ||
| Maxwell Heazlewood Prolific User Username: tasbent Post Number: 174 Registered: 9-2017 |
Roderick....you may find this useful. If link doesn't work....copy and paste into your browser. file:///F:/MY%20PIX-2/WORD%20DOCS/WORD%20DOCS/AUTOMOTIVE/BENTLEY/SZ%20BENTLEY%20EIGHT%201990/TECH%20FOLDERS/tsd5069p2.pdf | ||
| Roderick Waite Prolific User Username: rodwaite Post Number: 176 Registered: 1-2012 |
Hello Maxwell, and thank you! The Bentley 8 seems in the '20,000 +' with a quite different layout to my Spirit (ECH 09680), but the timer relay is tucked up behind the fuse-board! Ouch! I have no intention of disturbing all that wiring, so will tackle the door switches as outlined by Paul earlier - if they're all OK, I will simply use the battery isolator every time I park. Night driving is something I avoid anyway. I am fortunate that I have no other issues - Echo runs very nicely, and my local Renault dealer is also a classic car nut, and looks after her very well ... provided I supply all the parts! | ||
| David Gore Moderator Username: david_gore Post Number: 2863 Registered: 4-2003 |
Roderick, Here is a working link to Maxwell's TSD5069 Part 2: http://rrtechnical.info/sz/cs/tsd5069p2.pdf | ||
| Maxwell Heazlewood Prolific User Username: tasbent Post Number: 175 Registered: 9-2017 |
Thanks for that David....makes life easier ;o)) Maxwell - service with a smile as always | ||
| Roderick Waite Prolific User Username: rodwaite Post Number: 177 Registered: 1-2012 |
Hello David (and Maxwell) - as I feared, the Bentley 8 hardware is nothing like my '84 Spirit! But I've had enough help here to figure out what's going on, thanks to all. | ||
| Maxwell Heazlewood Prolific User Username: tasbent Post Number: 176 Registered: 9-2017 |
Roderick...it's amazing how much they look th same but are different....hopefully you will get it sorted....have you done a google search for diagrams? | ||
| Roderick Waite Prolific User Username: rodwaite Post Number: 181 Registered: 1-2012 |
Hello David (Legget) - I did reply to your Post, but it came back undelivered, and I don't see your Post on this Forum, so don't know if you'll see this either! Yes, I still have problems, but it is intermittent - I had the boot lid open for several days charging the battery (isolator off), and when I closed it the puddle lights and warning lights suddenly worked normally - but the interior lights (above the doors) stayed on. Then yesterday, the whole lot stayed on again. So I figure to turn the isolator off every time I park ... still have to try Paul's technique for the door switches. | ||
| Roderick Waite Prolific User Username: rodwaite Post Number: 183 Registered: 1-2012 |
Another little update - if I open the driver's door, get in and close the door, the lights stay on. If I open the door again, and close it again, the lights go out after about 8 seconds. New routine ... it has to be the driver's door switch, but I'm leaving well alone and do the door twice thing ... | ||
| david leggett Yet to post message Username: fireflyer Post Number: 1 Registered: 5-2017 |
Hi Rod, The time delay of 8 seconds is correct, When you timed the lights switch off some time ago you quoted 17 seconds I think, That is definitely too long, so looks like thwe time delay relay is the most likely culprit. | ||
| Nigel Coombe Experienced User Username: nigel_adelaide Post Number: 19 Registered: 10-2017 |
Paul Yorke above is correct had it on a Mulsanne S.The timer relay unit beige is probably problem and is in fuse box under glove box .In meantime have to take out interior light fuse. | ||
| Roderick Waite Prolific User Username: rodwaite Post Number: 184 Registered: 1-2012 |
Hello Nigel et al - when it works, it all works fine. Close driver's door, puddle lights etc: go out immediately, followed 8 seconds later by the interior lights. But it doesn't always work in that the puddle lights and interior lights all stay on indefinitely, which indicates (to me) that the fault lies with the driver's door switch. So far I've not dared touch it in case I destroy all kinds of stuff ... opening the door and closing it again often works ... removing the fuse is a good idea, as I never venture out after dark anyway, but don't know what else is on the same fuse. I've yet to check ... thanks for thoughts, people, it's the only niggle I have with Echo, so things could be a whole lot worse! |
