Console Switches - Not Illuminating
#1
11-30-2017, 06:41 PM
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Warwickshire, England
Age: 41
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Console Switches - Not Illuminating
Some of the switches on my dash are no longer illuminating at night
I assumed I could just take the switches out and replace the bulbs
I removed the switches, but couldn't see any bulbs behind them
So, I took the switches apart and they have LED bulbs inside them on a small board
It seems unlikely the LEDs are faulty, so how do I go about tracing the problem and getting my switches to illuminate again?
I assumed I could just take the switches out and replace the bulbs
I removed the switches, but couldn't see any bulbs behind them
So, I took the switches apart and they have LED bulbs inside them on a small board
It seems unlikely the LEDs are faulty, so how do I go about tracing the problem and getting my switches to illuminate again?
Last edited by ant_8u; 11-30-2017 at 07:16 PM.
#2
11-30-2017, 08:29 PM
Registered User
Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Montreal Canada
Age: 69
Posts: 2,804
Rep Power: 266 Some of the switches on my dash are no longer illuminating at night
I assumed I could just take the switches out and replace the bulbs
I removed the switches, but couldn't see any bulbs behind them
So, I took the switches apart and they have LED bulbs inside them on a small board
It seems unlikely the LEDs are faulty, so how do I go about tracing the problem and getting my switches to illuminate again?
I assumed I could just take the switches out and replace the bulbs
I removed the switches, but couldn't see any bulbs behind them
So, I took the switches apart and they have LED bulbs inside them on a small board
It seems unlikely the LEDs are faulty, so how do I go about tracing the problem and getting my switches to illuminate again?
Last edited by jpflip; 11-30-2017 at 08:38 PM.
#3
12-03-2017, 07:48 AM
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Warwickshire, England
Age: 41
Posts: 1,751
Rep Power: 139
Yep, all fuses have been checked and are fine.
All the buttons perform their operation, but not all of them illuminate
My car is RHD, so the switches are on the opposite sides....
Left Switches:
Door Lock - Illuminates, and Warning Light functions correctly
Heated Rear Window - Illuminates
Rear Wiper - Illuminates, but only very faintly
Right Switches:
PSM - No Illumination, Warning Light doesn't function
Rear Spoiler - No Illumination
If I disconnect the switches and changes their locations around I can sometimes get the 'broken' ones to illuminate
Thanks
All the buttons perform their operation, but not all of them illuminate
My car is RHD, so the switches are on the opposite sides....
Left Switches:
Door Lock - Illuminates, and Warning Light functions correctly
Heated Rear Window - Illuminates
Rear Wiper - Illuminates, but only very faintly
Right Switches:
PSM - No Illumination, Warning Light doesn't function
Rear Spoiler - No Illumination
If I disconnect the switches and changes their locations around I can sometimes get the 'broken' ones to illuminate
Thanks
Last edited by ant_8u; 12-03-2017 at 07:53 AM.
#4
12-03-2017, 09:59 AM
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Location: Montreal Canada
Age: 69
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The reason I was asking about the fuse is this component called "DIM LED TERM 58D"... Looks like the power is coming from the instrument cluster and going to different lights in switches....All the same color of wires....There is also another one called "DIM LED 31D" that goes to the bridge plug B/S 5/2....Look at the lights in switches it activate! I wonder if a plug behind the instrument cluster need to be looked at.... I personally never saw this kind of problem before and I was thinking "can it be a symptom of a bad light switch"...Many avenues possible....
Last edited by jpflip; 12-03-2017 at 10:12 AM.
#5
12-03-2017, 12:58 PM
Do your lighted makeup mirrors in the visors light up?
The thing connecting all of these switches etc. together is they are all fed power from the alarm module. It also feeds power to the makeup mirror lights. If the makeup mirror lights up that proves the alarm module is providing power.
An aside on the switch lights, 58d, 31d: The cluster provides two dimmer signals for the LED lights in the switches and other places. 58d is variable power, 31d is variable ground. Depending on how the switch is wired up it gets one or the other.
The thing connecting all of these switches etc. together is they are all fed power from the alarm module. It also feeds power to the makeup mirror lights. If the makeup mirror lights up that proves the alarm module is providing power.
An aside on the switch lights, 58d, 31d: The cluster provides two dimmer signals for the LED lights in the switches and other places. 58d is variable power, 31d is variable ground. Depending on how the switch is wired up it gets one or the other.
#6
12-03-2017, 01:23 PM
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Warwickshire, England
Age: 41
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Ok guys, I've just been out to the car to have another play and I think we're on the right track.....
(you might need to read this a couple of times for it to make sense)
1) With the IGNITION ON, and the ENGINE OFF, the switches on the LEFT illuminate, but the ones on the RIGHT do not.
2) If I REDUCE the brightness of the instrument cluster (using the dimmer) the PSM switch (it's on the RIGHT in my car) begins to BRIGHTEN. The SPOILER switch does nothing. The switches on the LEFT illuminate as expected
3) If I INCREASE the brightness of the instrument cluster the PSM switch gets DIMMER and turns off completely when the dimmer is at full brightness. The SPOILER switch does nothing. The switches on the LEFT illuminate as expected
4) With the ENGINE ON, the PSM switch does nothing regardless of the dimmer level, the SPOILER switch does nothing. The switches on the LEFT illuminate as expected
5) If I then switch the ENGINE OFF, and leave the IGNITION ON, the PSM switch (which previously worked with the IGNITION ON) now does nothing. The SPOILER switch does nothing. The switches on the LEFT illuminate as expected.
6) The make-up lights illuminate as expected at all times
(you might need to read this a couple of times for it to make sense)
1) With the IGNITION ON, and the ENGINE OFF, the switches on the LEFT illuminate, but the ones on the RIGHT do not.
2) If I REDUCE the brightness of the instrument cluster (using the dimmer) the PSM switch (it's on the RIGHT in my car) begins to BRIGHTEN. The SPOILER switch does nothing. The switches on the LEFT illuminate as expected
3) If I INCREASE the brightness of the instrument cluster the PSM switch gets DIMMER and turns off completely when the dimmer is at full brightness. The SPOILER switch does nothing. The switches on the LEFT illuminate as expected
4) With the ENGINE ON, the PSM switch does nothing regardless of the dimmer level, the SPOILER switch does nothing. The switches on the LEFT illuminate as expected
5) If I then switch the ENGINE OFF, and leave the IGNITION ON, the PSM switch (which previously worked with the IGNITION ON) now does nothing. The SPOILER switch does nothing. The switches on the LEFT illuminate as expected.
6) The make-up lights illuminate as expected at all times
#7
12-03-2017, 01:27 PM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Montreal Canada
Age: 69
Posts: 2,804
Rep Power: 266 Do your lighted makeup mirrors in the visors light up?
The thing connecting all of these switches etc. together is they are all fed power from the alarm module. It also feeds power to the makeup mirror lights. If the makeup mirror lights up that proves the alarm module is providing power.
An aside on the switch lights, 58d, 31d: The cluster provides two dimmer signals for the LED lights in the switches and other places. 58d is variable power, 31d is variable ground. Depending on how the switch is wired up it gets one or the other.
The thing connecting all of these switches etc. together is they are all fed power from the alarm module. It also feeds power to the makeup mirror lights. If the makeup mirror lights up that proves the alarm module is providing power.
An aside on the switch lights, 58d, 31d: The cluster provides two dimmer signals for the LED lights in the switches and other places. 58d is variable power, 31d is variable ground. Depending on how the switch is wired up it gets one or the other.
Last edited by jpflip; 12-03-2017 at 01:41 PM.
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#8
12-04-2017, 08:29 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Montreal Canada
Age: 69
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I've been looking at the diagrams and I must admit that this fault exceeds my abilities .... I cannot see where the 'switch of power" can affect the dimer function (especially reverse function) and lights illumination....
#9
12-04-2017, 10:26 AM
Let me ask: how long have you had this car? Did the lights and switches ever work correctly? And if they did work properly, when did they go wrong?
#10
12-04-2017, 01:02 PM
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Warwickshire, England
Age: 41
Posts: 1,751
Rep Power: 139 I’ve had the car for quite a few years.
As the switches are obscured by the steering wheel there’s every chance they’ve never worked and I’ve only just become aware of it.
#11
12-04-2017, 03:44 PM
I think your switches may be plugged into the wrong sockets. The wiring inside will plug into any switch so they are easy to mix up. Also the order of your switches doesn't match the factory order - which is not particularly important, except that it may explain a reason why the switches are mixed up.
I believe this to be the factory order, RHD:
To differentiate between the two yellow plugs you will need to look at the wire colors.
Lock switch uses: white/black, red/brown, gray/blue/brown, white, and red/brown.
PSM uses gray/blue/brown, red/blue, white/blue, white/pink, and black.
You might check that the switches & plugs match up. Naturally the position of the switches on the dash doesn't matter as long as they are plugged into the correct sockets.
I believe this to be the factory order, RHD:
Code:
Lock (yellow plug) PSM (yellow plug) Rear Window Heat (green plug) Spoiler (black plug) blank unless you have lighting package Rear Wiper (purple plug)
Lock switch uses: white/black, red/brown, gray/blue/brown, white, and red/brown.
PSM uses gray/blue/brown, red/blue, white/blue, white/pink, and black.
You might check that the switches & plugs match up. Naturally the position of the switches on the dash doesn't matter as long as they are plugged into the correct sockets.
#12
12-04-2017, 04:31 PM
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Warwickshire, England
Age: 41
Posts: 1,751
Rep Power: 139
Just checked, and can confirm....
1) All switches are connected to the correct colour plugs
2) The wire colours are as you described
3) All switches function and carry out their correct operations
So, everything is wired up and plugged in as should be, but something is clearly amiss
1) All switches are connected to the correct colour plugs
2) The wire colours are as you described
3) All switches function and carry out their correct operations
So, everything is wired up and plugged in as should be, but something is clearly amiss
#13
12-04-2017, 05:05 PM
The light in the PSM switch is powered by Fuse E10. Does not appear that anything else is powered by E10. Yes, a 15 amp fuse for one LED. I'd check that next.
The PSM dimmer is the same as the door lock and heated rear window switches which you said work properly. So that points to the E10 fuse.
The light in the spoiler switch is dimmed by the same dimmer as the heated seat switches and the wiper intermittent **** (different dimmer circuit from the other buttons). Do the heated seat and wiper intermittent **** light up properly?
The PSM dimmer is the same as the door lock and heated rear window switches which you said work properly. So that points to the E10 fuse.
The light in the spoiler switch is dimmed by the same dimmer as the heated seat switches and the wiper intermittent **** (different dimmer circuit from the other buttons). Do the heated seat and wiper intermittent **** light up properly?
#14
12-04-2017, 05:16 PM
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Location: Jacksonville, FL
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I have read ignition and/or headlight switches starting to fail will wreak havoc, but I have no first hand experience. Just throwing it out there, if you're all out of ideas. Maybe someone else can chime in with anecdotes
#15
12-04-2017, 05:34 PM
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Warwickshire, England
Age: 41
Posts: 1,751
Rep Power: 139 The light in the PSM switch is powered by Fuse E10. Does not appear that anything else is powered by E10. Yes, a 15 amp fuse for one LED. I'd check that next.
The PSM dimmer is the same as the door lock and heated rear window switches which you said work properly. So that points to the E10 fuse.
The light in the spoiler switch is dimmed by the same dimmer as the heated seat switches and the wiper intermittent **** (different dimmer circuit from the other buttons). Do the heated seat and wiper intermittent **** light up properly?
The PSM dimmer is the same as the door lock and heated rear window switches which you said work properly. So that points to the E10 fuse.
The light in the spoiler switch is dimmed by the same dimmer as the heated seat switches and the wiper intermittent **** (different dimmer circuit from the other buttons). Do the heated seat and wiper intermittent **** light up properly?
1) E10 fuse looks to be in good order.
2) The heated seat and wiper **** dim as expected
3) If I operate the PSM switch with fuse E10 REMOVED and the ENGINE ON the switch does NOT illuminate and the PSM warning on the dashboard is not displayed.
4) If I REMOVE fuse E10 and turn the IGNITION ON the PSM switch still illuminates and dims (in the reverse order to what is expected). If I then start the engine the PSM switch is EXTINGUISHED