Wiring problem 2003 VTS

1. D4MJT Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Morpeth Posts: 2539 BMW 116d Regional Toner Sales Edition

   #1 22nd June 2014, 19:36

   Righty.
   
   I've got a 3 plug interior and exterior loom that previously worked fine and are known good. I've rebuilt the car into a new shell, using the VTS looms, engine, transponder etc.
   
   The car now works. The alarm was going a bit nuts but I've just unplugged it as I don't run interior sensors etc anyway. However it starts off the key.
   
   As far as I can tell, the interior heater blower is the only thing that doesn't work, but I could easily have forgotten to plug it in or something, I'll check.
   
   The real problem though, is this.
   
   When I turn the lights on, even if I have the car keys in my pocket, the ignition live comes on and the fuel pump primes etc. wtf? Dodgy earth maybe?
   
   Earths I can think of I know I have connected are:
   
   Behind passenger headlight
   Behind drivers headlight
   Behind battery tray on body
   2 earths to top of gearbox
   Passenger door a pillar
   Drivers door a pillar
   Rear c pillar by seatbelt bracket passenger side
   Rear c pillar be seatbelt bracket drivers side.
   
   Any ideas? I can't see anything obviously wrong, and it starts and runs, but obviously something is amiss
2. Brendanp Frequent Poster Joined: Mar 2009 Posts: 649

   #2 22nd June 2014, 19:47

   Heater blower could be down to the ignition switch. Some have 3 plugs (Big ones with 2 big pins) others have only 2. Simple quick check should narrow down if this is the issue
   
   Second part I'm not sure on as of now
3. blackie_2k5 Saxperience Hardcore! Joined: Oct 2008 Birtley Posts: 22253 VTR Turbo, 106 xsi track slag, Transit recovery, B

   #3 22nd June 2014, 19:55

   strange one
   
   remove the wiring to the stalks and make sure theyre all plugged in right etc.. sounds like something is shorting out or drawing earth through another circuit
4. D4MJT Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Morpeth Posts: 2539 BMW 116d Regional Toner Sales Edition

   #4 22nd June 2014, 20:18

   I'll double check I'm using a vts wiper stalk, but im positive I'm using both vts stalks for both intermittent wipers and also the light stick for front fogs etc
   
   Lights etc all work as expected when you turn them on.
5. chompy Established Member Joined: Jan 2008 Scotland Posts: 1764 Because racecar

   #5 22nd June 2014, 22:50

   Sounds fucked. Better just burn it.

   2 users thanked this post: D4MJT, Mickswan
6. D4MJT Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Morpeth Posts: 2539 BMW 116d Regional Toner Sales Edition

   #6 23rd June 2014, 07:34

   Wiper and light stalks are VTS items, all 3 ignition plugs are correctly plugged into the corresponding plugs on the loom, they're all colour coded.
   
   I've double checked the earths, they're fine.
   
   I've took about the maxi fuse box that holds 4 big fuses (3 x 40a, 1 x 80a) and rebuilt that to make sure no wires could be touching, that's fine too.
   
   I've plugged the alarm box back in incase for some bizarre reason that was an issue, that's fine too.
   
   Only thing that's not connected to the loom as yet are the front cooling fan and it's loom, and the PAS system, but that's been removed previously anyway.
   
   Argh.
7. D4MJT Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Morpeth Posts: 2539 BMW 116d Regional Toner Sales Edition

   #7 23rd June 2014, 10:13

   Lobbed a video up, it's on the piss so apologies, but you get the gist of it.
   
   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIAjHwv2NYc
   
   Also noticed indicators don't work on the stalk, but do on the hazards, since the stalk is setting ignition live I'd say it's got to be related?
8. chompy Established Member Joined: Jan 2008 Scotland Posts: 1764 Because racecar

   #8 23rd June 2014, 10:17

   fucked stalk?
9. D4MJT Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Morpeth Posts: 2539 BMW 116d Regional Toner Sales Edition

   #9 23rd June 2014, 10:41

   Quote:

   Originally Posted by chompy fucked stalk?

   although possible, I highly doubt it, as I know it worked previously and it's literally just been taken out of one car and put into another.
   
   Everything on the car is from my own donor car which I ran, so everything is "known good" as it were, which is leading me to think it must be some funky wiring.
10. MuZiZZle Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Jul 2011 Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 7779 Phase 2 VTS , E61 M5

    #10 23rd June 2014, 11:55

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by D4MJT although possible, I highly doubt it, as I know it worked previously and it's literally just been taken out of one car and put into another. Everything on the car is from my own donor car which I ran, so everything is "known good" as it were, which is leading me to think it must be some funky wiring.

    my indicators stopped, I'd blown a fuse, hazards worked
11. D4MJT Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Morpeth Posts: 2539 BMW 116d Regional Toner Sales Edition

    #11 23rd June 2014, 12:24

    Quote:

    Originally Posted by MuZiZZle my indicators stopped, I'd blown a fuse, hazards worked

    By 'indicators' do you mean 'heterosexual tendencies'
    
    and by 'fuse' do you mean 'overweight male trucker'
    
    and by 'hazards worked' do you mean 'I've now got the bad AIDS'
    
    Bender

    1 user thanked this post: chompy
12. MuZiZZle Saxperience Post Whore Joined: Jul 2011 Newcastle upon Tyne Posts: 7779 Phase 2 VTS , E61 M5

    #12 23rd June 2014, 20:50

    Your mam is a trucker?
13. D4MJT Saxperience Forum Bum Joined: Mar 2009 Morpeth Posts: 2539 BMW 116d Regional Toner Sales Edition

    #13 26th June 2014, 09:01

    right folks, update to this, I've narrowed the problem down to fuse 12 in the interior glove box, so something on that circuit is causing the problem.
    
    Pull fuse 12, the main lights work, the ignition doesn't come on, and you can still use the keys correctly etc.
    
    So, need to find out what's on fuse 12 and start eliminating things!