Electrical problems - rear demister, heater blower, lights alert

[EmB]

Morning!

I just bought a 2002 1.4 Desire (my previous one was written off when someone drove into me on a roundabout - brokenhearted but moving on...).

It has electrical issues. I can't figure out if they're related - was hoping someone knowledgeable would recognise what's going on. It also needs a new lambda and possibly cat, and has a fuel leak. And needed a new tyre. I sent him indoors to pick it up and won't be doing that again

So:

- rear demister doesn't work. It's not the fuse (I've checked F1 and F5) and the relay clicks when I push the button. I've checked the connections to the screen and there's some black shit clumsily pasted all over them - dunno what it is but suggests bad DIY job.


- heater blower works but is really weak.


- the alert that goes off when you leave the lights on and open the door doesn't work. It gave a faint meep yesterday but now nothing. It is silent on both driver's and passenger's side.


We've got an OBD II scanner but I can't get a reading (couldn't in old car either but can in my husband's car so dunno what that's all about )

Thanks for reading

[aldred309uk]

The rear Demister in my saxo doesn't work, one of the tab connections from the wire to the panel has cracked. Tried fixing mine with that silver paste but it just burnt off and never had another look since. I think there are YouTube videos that show how to use cold melting solder to fix the connection. You could try using a multimeter between the two wire ends at the rear glass and see if it shows a value when the demister is turned on?

[aldred309uk]

Unsure of the deeper for the lights being left on, maybe it's dead and needs replacing?

Does the fan make much noise when its turned onto full but not much air comes out or is it rather quiet too?

There's quite a basic air filter for the cabin air. If you open the bonnet and look from the front of the car, it's at the very top left of the bonnet area, bottom left of the windscreen, hidden a bit by the cowl that covers the wiper area. Almost like a pond filter. And it's in the area that builds up with gunk, twigs and leaves. May be as simple as unplugging that hopefully! It is quite well hidden.

[aldred309uk]

Is the saxo which was written off the one we were trying to figure out idle issues on? If so that's bad luck!

[EmB]

Thanks aldred

I don't really get electrics but think I might have to give myself a crash course if I'm going to keep driving Saxos! I'll look into getting a multimeter.

I didn't even consider something as simple as the beeper just needing to be replaced... I'll look into that too. And great tip about the filter! The blower works but is really quiet and weak so it could well be that. Will have a look under the bonnet today.

Originally Posted by aldred309uk

Is the saxo which was written off the one we were trying to figure out idle issues on? If so that's bad luck!

Yes! Your memory is very good It was a great car, I am absolutely gutted to have lost it. Really tried to get it fixed for the money I got from the insurance company but it just wasn't possible after all the hoops you have to jump through for a cat s write off. Scrapped and gave the money to charity though, which helped a bit. Funnily enough I've just seen you've also got a Volvo V40 which is what they've given me as a courtesy car! Lovely car.

[aldred309uk]

My V40 is the old original shape, not the new ones. My V40 is on 198,000 miles. I could be wrong about the beeper for the lights so don't take it as the cure. Hopefully it's just a clogged filter and not a fan resistor or anything bad like that. Maybe the switches on the dash need replacing? I don't fully know but trying to give ideas as to where I would look before someone more knowledgeable turns up and shows me why I'm stupid. For a while I was running 2, 1.1 desire saxos. Just swap parts between cars to trouble shoot the issues!

Maybe instead of a multi meter you could get a bulb, and 2 wires and see if it lights up the bulb?

[EmB]

Ah, 'my' V40 was very new and I was terrified of stacking it! They're £22k new!

Thanks - I gave the relay a bash and it seemed to be working Which is how I fixed my rear demister in my old car Expert. I really appreciate your ideas and they don't sound stupid at all. Haha at your two cars - I wondered about stripping out my old Saxo but as I was donating it to charity it seemed a bit mean.

There is apparently a multimeter 'somewhere' in the house too so it should be easy enough to try. But the car is currently up in the air having its bits probed by some overpaid mechanics, so it will be for another day.

[aldred309uk]

One of my current goals is to get as many people as I can driving Volvo's since I got my V40. I've always liked them though and I'm only 31. My girlfriend loves our Volvo and is now Volvo for life. I have got a friend who has bought a 2005 Volvo V70 D5. His girlfriend needed a new car and he convinced her to buy a newish V40 like the one you drove for only 7k. His dad who was Ford for life and hated the idea of Volvo's now has a Volvo S80. Another good friend of mine now owns a 2011 Volvo XC70 with the D5 engine.

Volvo's are good, you should consider one as your next car lol.

If bashing that relay fixed it I would consider trying to source a replacement from maybe a scrap yard, it will probably fail again soon.

[EmB]

£7K???? I love my Saxo but I'd be tempted at that price! I promise I will consider a Volvo one day when my kids have left home and I have some spare change

[aldred309uk]

A good few years ago me and my other half had a saxo each. My parents didnt need theirs anymore so I took it and taught the girlfriend to drive in the saxo. She passed and we ended up getting her a saxo due to how cheap they are to maintain and most jobs I can do on it myself.

The saxo I got from my parents died a few years later due to rust underneath the back. The car was on 137,000 miles for a 1.1 desire and there was no problem with the engine at all but it was going to fail its MoT on rust and it was on the edge of the financial abyss. We bought the girlfriends on 26k about 6 years ago and it's now on 71k. Got our 2001 Volvo V40 on 124k miles about 4 years ago for £825. Had to put some money and effort into getting it up to standard but it's now on 198k miles. Had our issues with it like any car but it isn't too expensive either. Same mpg as the saxo as it's a 1.9d.

We were looking to replace the saxo with a saxo due to cost until we realised we could get a V40 for a similar cost. Great car though!