dodgy electrics and leaks

[lucky67]

First I'm know nothing...but have got a haynes manual and will give anything a shot -but need things like this to be explained like to a small child...

 

M reg escort - had a few problems with the electrics - first the rear lights didn't work (ford fixed it), a battery drain (alarm light on clock stayed on) ...and had a thing where when you pressed the boot release the fog light and heated rear windscreen came on...(eventually failed MOT on this - cos of defective fog light - supposedly fixed by electrical specialist)...now when you turn the rear windscreen washer on it *sometimes* doesn't work and the fog light/heated rear windscreen come on....now the (dreaded) red light next to the clock is on again ...and it wouldn't start when it was frosty the other morning (jump start worked)

 

It has leaked really badly in the boot for ages... I think there might be some kind of short in the boot area ...the red light (something to do with the alarm?) has come on before - and gone after a few miles when the car has dried out a bit - or maybe some water has been dislodged?

 

Seen a similar post about a dodgy earth in the boot ... and also one about troubleshooting leaks (I have seen the water drip in in torrential rain when the parcel shelf wasn't in the car -comes from half way down the boot through the side... ) but honestly I didn't understand them :-(

[sortedgti2.0]

the boot relice thing with the rear hetter comming on is an easy fix tbh, just make a new earth point up by a small wire from the boot lid to the body of the car, or sprey WD40 on the current earth point whitch is through the hinges

as for the alarm im not sure.

[lucky67]

the boot relice thing with the rear hetter comming on is an easy fix tbh, just make a new earth point up by a small wire from the boot lid to the body of the car, or sprey WD40 on the current earth point whitch is through the hinges

as for the alarm im not sure.

 

So could try spraying WD40 on the boot hinges? Or is there a general area I need to look at ? And don't need to touch the wiring at all? Sorry I really am clueless...

[shawdreamer]

the boot relice thing with the rear hetter comming on is an easy fix tbh, just make a new earth point up by a small wire from the boot lid to the body of the car, or sprey WD40 on the current earth point whitch is through the hinges

as for the alarm im not sure.

 

So could try spraying WD40 on the boot hinges? Or is there a general area I need to look at ? And don't need to touch the wiring at all? Sorry I really am clueless...

 

all the symptoms youve described (barring the system light staying on at the clock) are all caused by a bad earth at the bootlid as was roughly suggested and is a common fault on escorts of that era.

 

1. Check the copper touch earth plates on the chasis and the earth pins on the bootlid for dirt or grime that might obstruct a clean connection.

 

2. Using a hammer give the hinges a couple of light taps to dislodge any debri that maybe obstructing their contact with the chassis (dont go nuts or you could slightly alter the bootlids position and make closing it a pain afterwards)

 

3, check that the wiring tp the pins is still in place as over time the connectors are know to break off (you'll need to take the kick [anel off the bootlid for this but its simply fastened with screws around its edge)

 

 

good luck

[lips2k9]

I would check the boot lid contacts for faults as they are commonly know to go tits up... just take a wire brush to them and give them a good spray with WD40 or Contact cleaner as for your battery drain and clock light issue I would suggest dropping the fuse box out and chcking for corrosion or dry joints as again common problem... fusebox is located drivers side behind a plastic panel that fits beneath the steering colum, theres a metal clip thing that makes it hang down.

[lucky67]

I would check the boot lid contacts for faults as they are commonly know to go tits up... just take a wire brush to them and give them a good spray with WD40 or Contact cleaner as for your battery drain and clock light issue I would suggest dropping the fuse box out and chcking for corrosion or dry joints as again common problem... fusebox is located drivers side behind a plastic panel that fits beneath the steering colum, theres a metal clip thing that makes it hang down.

 

Thanks everyone for the advice ...

I have cleaned the contacts in the boot and hit and sprayed WD40 on the hinges....it seems like it has sorted out the fog light/rear windscreen wiper issue (fingers crossed - it was intermittent)

 

Will check the fuse box out tomorrow...it does let water in at the front as well - mainly in the doors....I could go swimming in it sometimes...if it isn't the fuse box and because it seems connected to the alarm - is there any point in trying to get rid of the alarm....and if there is how would I do it?

Edited November 20, 2010 by lucky67

[demented]

Within the tailgate the fog light has its own earth feed, it’s the black wire of the fog light bulb holder. Join a wire to the black wire and attach the other end of that wire to the earth point of the tailgate actuator.

 

 

This is my original post:

http://www.escortevolution.co.uk/forums/in...=135550&hl=

 

 

From my own experience, the seals around the rear lights normally cause the water leaks in the boot. I use Carafax IDL99 to reseal the lights, its a non drying bedding sealant, which always remains sticky and cost approx £3.00 per tube.

 

As for the issue with the alarm LED, that’s a difficult one.

If water is also leaking into the driver’s side foot well, I guess that could be interfering with the alarm. I believe the alarm module is mounted adjacent to the fuse box but on the right and fixed to the internal bodywork. It’s in the area of the driver’s side kick panel but much higher up.

If your car has central locking, I believe the alarm module and central locking is all one unit, so if you remove or unplug the alarm, you will also lose the central locking.

 

Does your car have a separate air bag warning light?

 

The reason I ask, when I owned a 1994 Escort some years ago, I'm certain that the air bag warning light was also the LED of the alarm?

 

I've raised this issue on here before but no one has replied.

 

I'm almost certain that when I started my Escort, the red LED would illuminate for a few seconds then extinguish. If it remained illuminated then there was a fault with the air bag system.

 

This is only my opinion, I could be totally wrong, it over 10 years since I owned that car.

 

 

As for the flat battery; firstly ensure the battery is in good condition and that none of the cells are at fault.

 

With the engine off and using a multi-meter, it should read 13/14 volts and stay or a slight fluctuation between the two.

 

If the reading is initially 12/13/14 volts and then drops and remains at 6/7volts, then a cell within in the battery is faulty, which will account for starting some mornings but not when its cold.

 

If the battery is in good condition the next thing to check are the relays, they are located within the fuse box.

 

It’s so easy to remove a relay and replace it, fitting it snugly into the slots but the wrong way round, thus energising it when it shouldn't be, this will most certainly drain the battery.

 

Also, a relay could be stuck in the energised position, touch them to see if any feel warm or hot when the engine and ignition is switched off, if so, they shouldn't be.

 

Also, listen for relays clicking on when the engine/ignition is switched off, in my experience this shouldn't happen, so if any relays energise when the engine/ignition is off they require closer inspection.

 

Otherwise look for devise/components, which are ON when they are actually are switched OFF.

To be honest, this would be quite obviously; such has the lights being on although turned off.

 

I've never come across this but one example could be the heated rear screen being on when it is actually switched off at the switch, not so noticeable but over night would quite easily drain the battery.

 

 

Otherwise but in my opinion highly unlikely, wires shorting out.

I say highly unlikely, as it’s normally instantly noticeable when wires short out. A fuse will normally blow or the component fed by the shorting wire will operate intermittently or when switches off, such as examples given earlier.

 

I hope this helps

[lucky67]

Thanks again

Recharging battery - (BTW - it was a cheap 'mammoth' one with a 2 year guarantee - and it has been on for almost 4 yrs and it seems to be charging ok - so I'd recommend them...)

 

But I need to sort out the red light problem. Managed to find the bill from the last time I had a problem (4 yrs ago!) and it was described as being something to do with 'fuse box'. I've seen on the internet a post where a similar problem was caused by water getting in at the front....which it does as well... The LED is something to do with the alarm system - my airbag warning light is on a separate fuse.... and there is also a relay and fuse to do with the alarm in the left hand side c pillar -(have to admit I didn't know what a c pillar was before I started to try and solve this problem....) which is the side I get most leakage in the boot...

But thought I'd tackle the easiest check first

'Fuse 29' is the relevant fuse - according to the manual fitted 'to the rear of the fuse box'. So I've taken the bottom cover off the driver side and managed to undo one clip but the fuse box is only coming out a little way...I can just see the 'relays' but no fuse 29....(and so far everything seems dry...)

 

Does anyone know where Fuse 29 is and should I have undone something else to get the fuse box out further?

[sortedgti2.0]

The clip that holds the fuesbox. Pull towrds you then push fusebox down to the pedals. Fues 29 is on top of the box next to the realys,thats why you cant find it.