Electric Problems When it rains

[richteex]

Hello All. Had a problem witn my windscreen wipers last week not working properly..... they would wipe at the highest speed on all settings and would stay on permanently even when the ignition was off and ket removed. Probelm went away the next day. Yesterday, i was driving and the engine management light came on and then, the dash lights went off, windows wouldnt work, indicators wouldnt work. then lights came back on and all fine. this happended intermittently all day until it remained a problem. Had to disconect battery in end to stop wipers. Problems seem to happen when raining.
Car is working fine today ???!!!!!

Somebody mentioend it is probably water getting into the electrcis which makes sense and that it could eb the BSI unit, but AS MY CAR IS a 406 hdi 1999 REG Iim under the impression my model isnt fitted with one.

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated as Im reluctant to scrap as has always been a reliable car uptil now.
Many Thanks

[Blue406]

Check for water getting in behind the Rear light lenses.
Once water gets in there, the electrical system can get screwed up, particularly on D9s.

[mjb]

Somebody mentioend it is probably water getting into the electrcis which makes sense and that it could eb the BSI unit, but AS MY CAR IS a 406 hdi 1999 REG Iim under the impression my model isnt fitted with one.

Exactly what I'm thinking - water ingress around a BSI. On a D8 all the systems you have mentioned are only linked at the fusebox and the ignition switch, but I can't see how water would get in there (speaking as someone whose car has been doing a great impression of a sit-down shower cubicle until last week)

The changeover to D8.5s, D9s and the dreaded BSI happened in 1999, so the first thing you need to do is determine which you have. If your hazard light switch is next to the heated windscreen switch and stereo display/temperature display/fag packet holder then you have a D8 or non-multiplexed D9 and don't have a BSI. I'm betting you've got a little triangleish-shaped button on its own next to the instrument cluster though, which would mean you have a D8.5 or D9

D8s and D8.5s have a radiator grille like the one in my signature picture. D9s have a mesh grille.

Sadly I don't actually know where the BSI lives, although I think it's somewhere around the drivers footwell. Obvious possible sources of water ingress are from the door sills (blocked drainage hole, do a search - welton's shown us how he cleared his) and from the aerial mount on the roof (there's actually no seal, so water can get in and trickle down the pillars...)

[Welly]

Check under the drivers footwell carpet!

If water gets in there then all sorts of funny stuff happens. As far a I remember the BSi is up under the dash on the drivers side but many of it's connections are under the carpet. Also look for a big earth under the carpet but near the accelerator pedal as this can corrode.

If we ask Steve_earwig nicely he'll dig out a pic of a corroded multiplug from a wet footwell as (again) I can't remember the orignal poster's name but it was giving him a lot of trouble.

Good luck!

[richteex]

ive checked and I have D9. So def have a BSI. I did have a leaky seal on the rear passenger side door which has been on and off for a year but replaced the seal on that recently and is now ok. Did notice the front passenger side carpet damp a few months ago but that seems ok now and driver carpet is bone dry. I will check the rear lights though and go from there.

It just seems odd that one day it is completely knackered and the next it working ok !!!!! odd

[mbell666]

It just seems odd that one day it is completely knackered and the next it working ok !!!!! odd

french electrics, got love them never a dull day....

[steve_earwig]

Check under the drivers footwell carpet!

If water gets in there then all sorts of funny stuff happens. As far a I remember the BSi is up under the dash on the drivers side but many of it's connections are under the carpet. Also look for a big earth under the carpet but near the accelerator pedal as this can corrode.

If we ask Steve_earwig nicely he'll dig out a pic of a corroded multiplug from a wet footwell as (again) I can't remember the orignal poster's name but it was giving him a lot of trouble.

Good luck!

I believe the search term you're looking for is "carpet"

Very mnuch one for the old Knowledge Base.

[Welly]

I believe the search term you're looking for is "carpet"

Well pardon me

[richteex]

COULD IT BE A LEAKY WINDSCREEN ??

[richteex]

checked the car over today and found a puddle of water in the spare wheel bay in the bonnet ???? not sure where the water is coming from.... any ideas and would this cause the electrcial problems im having..

[DaiRees]

checked the car over today and found a puddle of water in the spare wheel bay in the bonnet ????

Spare wheel in the bonnet? do you mean boot? Water in the boot usually comes from around the rear lights.

Did you check under the carpets in the front right footwell?

[steve_earwig]

Ah, another swimming pool in the boot. All it needs now is for it to be parked facing down a hill...

[richteex]

no havent checked front footwell..... is it easy to remove the rear lights and if so, do i need to replace the whole lights set or just the seals if seperate..... any advice would be appreciated or a link to instructions if known. Thx again Rich

[steve_earwig]

Hope this helps

[rapierKen]

Have a look at this post. I had lots of problems until I lifted the carpet!