Odd electrical fault - aren't they all ?

[Richard Moore]

Car was in at JZ last week for a service. One of the things that needed fixing was a sticking door release on the drivers side (where the window switches are).

When I picked it up the windows and sunroof wouldn't open so I suspected that something had been dislodged when the door panel was off. One of the guys came out to have a look but it seemed to be a fuse issue. Replacing it fixed it so off I drove. I parked it in town. When I came back the windows weren't working again so presumed something was blowing the fuse. Called JZ who said much apologies - bring it in for another check.

Of course by the time I got home it was working again. Over the weekend I've discovered that when the car has been standing - it won't work. Drive the car a few miles and it starts again. It's consistent so that should help diagnosis (ever the optimist).

All other electrics are fine so I'm wondering if it's some weirdness with the battery charge. Doubtful though that something that can start a car engine can't power an elecy window.

Oh and just to prove that this is rusty wing season - if anyone has a passenger side one going spare I'll be ever so grateful as I'm currently in denial and I'm sure there won't be any other rust once the wing is off []

 

[paul kelley]

HI Richard

Could be an earth problem or the more obvious loose connection.

If there is rust about ,a suitable earth connection may not be there at all times.

Hope this is of some help.

Have Fun

Paul Kelley

 

[bones]

Weirdly enough Richard my horn won't work for the first few miles after the car has been standing but does after a few minutes, this has only started happening this winter, the battery is about three years old now. As there are only switches and one relay involved in the circuit I've put this down to a combination of damp inhibiting the system, a low battery charge from standing and a possible bad connection somewhere. I'll investigate when the weather warms up. I suggest you check all connections in that circuit. pull apart , clean and spray 'damp start' or similar on them. As Paul says a rusty earth somewhere may be a contributory factor, check your battery connections too.

 

[Guest]

Sounds like bit like a dirty fuse or bad earth to me - picking up current after a few miles suggests that the vibrations of the moving car are making good a connection somewhere. Do the windows and roof share a fuse? Check back through the wiring diagram (would look at mine but Bentley book buried under a pile of furniture moved by the builders) and see where the circuits meet, if it's at the fuse or earth point then make sure that the terminals either side of the fuse (and the fuse itself) are shiny clean and that the fuse sits tight when in position, bend the spring in if you need to tighten it up. Have had this prob on my fuel pump fuse in the past.

 

[Richard Moore]

Thanks for the comments guys. The guys at JZ are going to have a look at it tomorrow. We did change the fuse but that doesn't seem to be it. The battery is new after the alternator took out the other new battery []

What's odd about it (and why I'm a little doubtful about intermittent connection issues) is that it is so predictable. Just drive for a few miles and they start working. Everytime. Leave the car and they stop.

 

[Guest]

Good luck with JZ Richard, though if two circuits (window and roof) are dropping in and out concurrently, a glance at a wiring diagram will probably find the fault easy enough, it will likely be something they share. Can't see it being a problem with the charging system myself.

One of the reaons I went for the SC over the 3.2 was for the manual roof and manual seats, so no pricey leccy worries (not to mention a few kilos lighter), and then had problems with the the fuel pump wiring instead - there's always something!

 

[Richard Moore]

Thanks for all the comments guys. In the end I took it back to JZ. Dave swapped a relay(?) in the fuse box - big red thing. That fixed it - and it didn't cost anything - they're so good those guys [] He said the contacts looked a bit cramped so it was heat expansion that was probably remaking the connection (or somesuch)

And it's even a sunny day. I still love this car as much as when I bought it nearly five years ago. Well almost all of it. I don't love the rust that is eating away my passenger side wing. And while I am grateful to my old alternator for not giving out while I did 3000 miles across Europe last summer I do wish it hadn't died taking my then new battery with it when I got home. Expiring alternator and battery here http://www.pbase.com/luc/image/32499119 would not have been a lot of fun. I guess the guy in the 996GT3 RS (or whatever that red and white one is called ) coming down the pass might have given me a tow.

I feel the urge for another long trip. I fancy that new bridge in the Tarn Valley in France . There was a time when I was precious about the mileage but with a great sense of freedom I just don't care anymore. A 700 mile trip to Millau - pah ! No problem.

 

[Guest]

Glad you are now sorted Richard.

We came up through Millau bringing the cab back from south of France last year, our first anniversary of ownership in a couple of weeks. Rounded a corner coming down through the mountains and bingo, there was the unfinished Millau Viaduct about a kilometre up in the air. We drove under it just to have a look, could not believe how high it was. Really incredible. I did a DVD of the trip home for myself and my brother to remember it by and all you can hear on the video when we round that corner and see the bridge is one big simultaneous 'WOW'.

There was a great show on Discovery a few months back about how it was constructed - they built the deck on the road leading up to the bridge and then slid it out into place with huge hydraulic wedges, a bit like a walking floor in a HGV trailer, brilliant. Definitely worth a trip.