Car Electrics Please Help!

[timbr00]

Hi I'm new so don't know if I'm posting this in the right place. I have a peugeot 205 gti and after having done some work on it none of the electrics are working. I have voltage at alternator and starter motor but no headlights, interior lights or ignition. Can anyone offer any ideas?

 

[m4tty]

Have you checked fuses ?

 

[pmb515161]

What work was done on the car and was it done by a garage or yourself?

 

[timbr00]

A friend did the work clutch cable, brake switch and fog lights. the clutch cable ran under the battery tray. I have 12.5v at alternator and starter motor fuses in engine bay unit seem ok and power getting to fuses. As for fuses under the dash I havnt checked as there is no single fuse that controls all the systems

 

[Apache]

We can try and help the best we can but I suspect there will be car forums for your particular car out there, that can likely be more help.

I'd still check individual fuses.

What is the battery voltage with the engine off?

 

[timbr00]

12.5v. Havn't found a car forum yet and thanks for any suggestions

 

[jon small]

check the multi plug on the steering column wiring harness, it sounds like this has been pulled apart at a guess

 

[northernspark]

try 205drivers, rallye register even saxperience or 106 owners plenty of people on those forums that own/have owned 205 gti's

have you checked the connections on the ignition switch?

 

[timbr00]

Havnt tested the ignition switch as yet as nothing works. I.e interior light which should be door operates and sidelights. Seems connected correctly though

 

[Ray4438]

Make sure the earth is connected in the engine bay to body work there will be one on the clutch/ gear box also

 

[Andy™]

did the battery get removed? are the battery connections on properly? the voltage at alternator & starter, is that to chassis or negative terminal? i would start by checking fuses in engine bay, or the negative strap to chassis. as you check the fuses, make sure you havent pulled a cable out of the bottom of it if you were working near them, more some on push in fuses

 

[pmb515161]

It does sound a lot like a negative to the battery may have been left off this is why Andy has asked if the voltage at the alternator and starter are to chassis or battery terminal. If the battery was removed there may have been more than one earth so one may have been left off. Where was the earth taken from for the fog lights? If this was a factory earth point a cable may have been left off of there too.

I doubt the issue will be fuses at the fuse box because too many things are not working and i'd be suprised if more than one fuse was blown. It could be a large fuse under the bonnet so try following the large live cables from the battery and see if they go to a fuse box under the bonnet.

 

[timbr00]

The voltage was from starter to chassis not battery earth terminal there are 3 earth cables on the battery connector and have chased them all back to earth points. The fog lights were checked and are connected correct as far as can be seen. The battery was removed during work and the fuse box was nearby too there is power to the box and connectors under it which appear connected correctly. the numbers on witing diagrams mean nothing to me as to finding which connector or pin to test. When trying to jump start it there was a little spark when connecting the lead not of the intensity I would expect if that gives any clues. It is going to garage tommorrow if not fixed.

 

[pmb515161]

I would only expect a big spark from jump starting if the battery was dead. It might be worth dropping down the interior light assuming it is not working and testing for the perminant live. Try it between the chassis and direct to the battery. If you have power there it will be an earthing problem if not try looking for an earth to the light, you can use a continuity between chassis and again to the battery. The interior light will have three wires: Live, Earth and -ve sw from the door pin.

 

[Ray4438]

Did he use a blow torch or was some welding done if so check as near to where it was done due to fact that loom could have been burnt but would have expected fuse to blow but you never know still think there is an earth problem to chassis

 

[Andy™]

did anything get welded? if so, did battery lead get removed?

 

[timbr00]

No welding or blow torch. No voltage at light but continuity

 

[timbr00]

I have found the tachymetric relay. Has a supply to one cable but none have continuity to earth

 

[pmb515161]

So you have got continuity between both chassis and battery neg terminal and earth at the interior light? Must be a problem with your lives if this is the case. Isn't the tachymetric relay something to do with the fuel pump and ign coil? I don't think this would kill all the electrics in the car and would only click over during crank and engine running, it may trigger with a negative from the ecu.

Running out of idea's....

 

[NozSpark]

Well, the first thing I would look at would be anything that your mate might have disturbed while he was working on your car, including disconnecting and re-seating any plugs/sockets that he may have disconnected to gain access (it's amazing how many things are powered through the ECU nowdays)... after that I'd be looking for an auto electrician