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Car Forum / Subaru Cars / May 2009electrical problem
My tail lights, backup lights, front turn signal lights (not blinker lights) and side marker lights now stay on even if I turn the engine off and remove the key. To remedy this, I have to pull the 20amp fuse that controls these lights every time I park. Fortunately, I can leave the fuse out in the daytime since these lights are not needed in daylight hours (except the backup lights). All this happened all of a sudden, although I've been having problems with my driver's side front blinker light blinking too fast. My thinking is that the problem exists somewhere under the dash, where the switch that controls these lights is defective. Where do I start? I do have a wiring diagram but it does not show where these units are located. Has anyone had this problem or is familiar with the unit that controls these lights? All of the lights in the car work. Just that I can't turn some of these lights off. Thanks, Wayne 1992 Legacy Wagon > My tail lights, backup lights, front turn signal lights (not blinker > lights) and side marker lights now stay on even if I turn the engine off [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Wayne > 1992 Legacy Wagon Happens to all of us at some time. Check the switch on top of the steering column. >> My tail lights, backup lights, front turn signal lights (not blinker >> lights) and side marker lights now stay on even if I turn the engine off [quoted text clipped - 18 lines] > Happens to all of us at some time. > Check the switch on top of the steering column. Gee, I was going to say that... Until I noticed he said his backup lights were on. Hachiroku wrote: >>> My tail lights, backup lights, front turn signal lights (not blinker >>> lights) and side marker lights now stay on even if I turn the engine off [quoted text clipped - 22 lines] > > Until I noticed he said his backup lights were on. Hmm, my solution only would work on specific lights, like the headlights, not the headlights and backup lights. Sounds like a big short. Could a bad ignition switch screw over those circuits (short them together)? The OP said that all these lights stay on when he turns off the car. The ignition switch makes/breaks the hot-side of the solenoids for the relays. If it isn't breaking contact when the move to the Off position then those circuits remain energized. Pulling the fuse(s) breaks the ground-side of the relays' solenoids. Wonder if he is positioning the key to the Off position. Supposedly you cannot remove the key unless in Off but maybe the ignition switch is worn. I've seen plenty of these that get iffy regarding their indents for position or keeping the key locked in the cylinder when a little off the Off position. > Hmm, my solution only would work on specific lights, like the > headlights, not the headlights and backup lights. Sounds like a big > short. Could a bad ignition switch screw over those circuits (short > them together)? My headlights are fine. They turn off when the engine turns off or when I switch them off. The only lights that stay on are the 2 tail lights, the license plate light, the two side marker lights, and the two front amber colored (turn signal) lights next to the headlights. The blinkers work fine, except the driver's side blinks a little faster and is a bit dimmer. The fuse in question is actually a 10amp fuse #5, which controls the above mentioned lights. I haven't figured out how it's connected to the front amber (turn signal) lights, unless they're really called the front clearance lights, which are connected to fuse #5 but the wiring diagram says are only for '95 models. Mine is a '92 wagon. Wayne >> Hmm, my solution only would work on specific lights, like the >> headlights, not the headlights and backup lights. Sounds like a big [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > Wayne You omitted the backup lights this time. Follow Bugalugs suggetion about the swith on the top of the steering column. Took me a while to get used to this, too. (Parking lights...) >>> Hmm, my solution only would work on specific lights, like the >>> headlights, not the headlights and backup lights. Sounds like a big [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > the swith on the top of the steering column. Took me a while to get used > to this, too. (Parking lights...) If the drivers side blinkers are blinking faster I would check all bulbs and their fittings on that side too. > If the drivers side blinkers are blinking faster I would check all bulbs > and their fittings on that side too. I've already replaced the both blinker bulbs. The fittings looked good. The driver's side blinker still blinks faster and dimmer than the passenger's side. I'll check the switch on the column. Thanks, Wayne I assume the reverse lights only stay on if in reverse??? OP did not specify. > My tail lights, backup lights, front turn signal lights (not blinker > lights) and side marker lights now stay on even if I turn the engine off [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Wayne > 1992 Legacy Wagon Same one that I own. The relay could be above the fusebox on the left sidepanel under the dash. I suspect it's actually in the black relay box inside the engine compartment on the driver side. Some of those removable "fuses" are actually relays. I don't remember its name but many public libraries carry a database which include car electrical diagrams along with repair procedures. Ask the librarian about using this database at one of their terminals and then print out the electrical diagrams for your vehicle. From what I can tell in the electrical diagrams that I printed from that library's database service, the fuses for the headlights are in engine fusebox (#24 and #26). Inside that fusebox are square blocks that plug into the box. Those, I believe, are the relays. Don't know which one is for what. In the last few visits to the salvage yard to get parts to replace in my Subie (they specialize in cars over 20 years old), I would yank out those relays (I think they're all the same) to keep as spares. I probably have about half a dozen now. I suspect they're very pricey from the dealer. Since you know the fuse numbers, you could trace the wiring to the contacts inside the engine fusebox from the fuse connectors to the connectors for the relays (remove battery power, pop out a fuse, and pop out a relay one at a time to check for continuity). Probably easier would simply to pull the relays one at a time until the headlight goes off. > My tail lights, backup lights, front turn signal lights (not blinker > lights) and side marker lights now stay on even if I turn the engine off [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Wayne > 1992 Legacy Wagon A while ago, I had the same problem. I took the car to a repair shop. Later I got a call from the shop, saying that the problem was fixed. The bill: $80 (minimum charge). The problem? The switch on top of the steering column. They turned it off and reinstalled the fuse. I'm sure they had some laughs at my expense (literally). (I never went back to that shop.) Uncle Ben test > My tail lights, backup lights, front turn signal lights (not blinker > lights) and side marker lights now stay on even if I turn the engine off [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > Wayne > 1992 Legacy Wagon |
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