Couple of electrical problems

From CEM to VEM, from LED to lightbulb and more. If you have an electrical problem, like a broken info-centre, search for answers in this category. This is also the place to be when you expect the problem to be of an electrical nature...

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Fox
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Couple of electrical problems

Post by Fox » Tue May 19, 2020 6:15 pm

When I got my car out of the workshop i noticed my speedometer, odometer, info center and the side indicators were dead. After I took out the CEM and back in, the pop up lights had also stopped working. Only when I disconnect the wire going to fuse box from the battery, the info center comes to life.
1987 Volvo 480 ES (red)

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MisterH
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Re: Couple of electrical problems

Post by MisterH » Tue May 19, 2020 7:33 pm

Maybe its time to replace the fuses? The pop ups I have fixed were to do with the relay needing some WD, but this is very odd how the whole car is 'dead'. I don't know if the car has something like this, but is there a sensor to tell if the ignition is on, thereby telling the car to fire up the instruments?

not a mechanic but just trying to think why this is happening, but pretty sure Brinkie will know
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brinkie
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Re: Couple of electrical problems

Post by brinkie » Tue May 19, 2020 9:01 pm

1986/1987 cars have VERY flaky electrics, they were the Volvo mechanic's nightmare. I once worked on a 1987 car, which had all sorts of strange failures (engine did start, but no brake lights, dashboard dead, etc.), turned out to be a bad socket of the "15" relay supplying power to the rail that is carrying 12V with ignition on. Those model years can have all sorts of electrical gremlins, especially if they have been sat for a long time in a moist environment.

So what you need to do, is measure voltages. Start at the fuse box, is there a voltage present when it should (with igntion on), is the fuse not blown? Work methodically, eliminating causes.
Robert.

Present cars: 1994 Volvo 480 GT 2.0i, 1999 Volvo S70 2.5 Europa, 2010 Volvo V70 2.0F Momentum

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Fox
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Re: Couple of electrical problems

Post by Fox » Wed May 20, 2020 6:12 pm

brinkie wrote:
Tue May 19, 2020 9:01 pm
1986/1987 cars have VERY flaky electrics, they were the Volvo mechanic's nightmare. I once worked on a 1987 car, which had all sorts of strange failures (engine did start, but no brake lights, dashboard dead, etc.), turned out to be a bad socket of the "15" relay supplying power to the rail that is carrying 12V with ignition on. Those model years can have all sorts of electrical gremlins, especially if they have been sat for a long time in a moist environment.

So what you need to do, is measure voltages. Start at the fuse box, is there a voltage present when it should (with igntion on), is the fuse not blown? Work methodically, eliminating causes.
Yes there is power running to the relay box, and the pop up lights were caused by a blown fuse, so no biggie. Should I look into replacing some relays? If so which ones?
1987 Volvo 480 ES (red)

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Murf
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Re: Couple of electrical problems

Post by Murf » Wed May 20, 2020 10:19 pm

I had an issue with my GT where the info centre was very faint and the radio didn't work. It turned out that the fuse carrier in the fuse box was faulty and was only allowing 6 volts to pass through.
Check the voltages at each of the locations that are faulty and see what you get.
Kia Pro'ceed GT 1.6 Turbo
1992 480 Turbo
2007 Focus ST

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