Cant Switch Lights Off

[aaronabbott]

having problems with my lights staying on again with the key out of the ignition.i cannot switch off my sidelights at all,ive had my footwell fuse board out to see if theres any water ingress behind and theres nothing and i cant find the fuses for the sidelights ive removed the light control relay to stop the lights coming on but as soon as you take the key out of the ignition the warning tone for the lights goes off and only stops with the keys in the ignition

help

[aztecbandit1]

does it only happen when it rains then Aaron?

[Gord]

Take a hammer to the little buggers, that will sort them :winky:

[aaronabbott]

just had rac out and managed to get the lights off eventually so now got to ring the garage in the morning to see if i can get it done under the extra warranty i took out and paid extra for,so hopefully they'll agree for it to go into lexus coventry to be fixed and i can get a is250 to cane about for a bit

[aaronabbott]

does it only happen when it rains then Aaron?

not really ive had it for a year without any probs until about 2 months ago when i had to keep taking the relay out when not using the car

[aaronabbott]

Take a hammer to the little buggers, that will sort them :winky:

i had it ready also a gallon of petrol and a match just in case :tsktsk: :tsktsk: :tsktsk:

[aztecbandit1]

does it only happen when it rains then Aaron?

not really ive had it for a year without any probs until about 2 months ago when i had to keep taking the relay out when not using the car

Bit of a strange one then matey and hope that the garage can get to the bottom of it, as i bet its starting to be a right pain in the ***** now?

[aaronabbott]

does it only happen when it rains then Aaron?

not really ive had it for a year without any probs until about 2 months ago when i had to keep taking the relay out when not using the car

Bit of a strange one then matey and hope that the garage can get to the bottom of it, as i bet its starting to be a right pain in the ***** now?

tell me about it,the rac bloke said hes never been to a call out for a lexus,we even had the fuse box out of both kick pannels to check for damp or signs of water ingress but nothing

[Andy-R]

Have you upgraded any of your bulbs (LED's Xenons etc)

[aaronabbott]

Have you upgraded any of your bulbs (LED's Xenons etc)

yeah but checked all of them by reverting back to standard problems still there,oh well payday tomorrow

[Andy-R]

Good luck matey hope it works out without being big bucks :)

[Geoffers]

Bet everyone jumps in and says its the relay sticking......

Check the ECU right up inside, roughly behind and just below the drivers side vent (behind the switches rear fog/headlamp washer switches). Bit of a pain to get to because you have to drop the knee guard.

This is the unit that controls the relay. 95% of the time it is damp inside. Ingress doesn't always lend itself to the same time as the rain.

Also behind the fusebox but you've already checked that for damp.

If you take the relay out, check if there's 12v going to the coil. Bet you there is.

[aaronabbott]

Bet everyone jumps in and says its the relay sticking......

Check the ECU right up inside, roughly behind and just below the drivers side vent (behind the switches rear fog/headlamp washer switches). Bit of a pain to get to because you have to drop the knee guard.

This is the unit that controls the relay. 95% of the time it is damp inside. Ingress doesn't always lend itself to the same time as the rain.

Also behind the fusebox but you've already checked that for damp.

If you take the relay out, check if there's 12v going to the coil. Bet you there is.

hi mate its deffo not the relay sticking cos i checked how you told me to check last time,

me and the rac bloke had the fuse board out by the throttle pedal and no damp behind there is that where you mean?

[Geoffers]

That is usually where you notice it and by drying the area the heat rises and dries the ECU above it I'm talking about.

It is higher and very far behind the dash. It is also VERY critical to the operation of the car though and wouldn't recommend a heat source directly onto it.

It is also right below the area that usually allows water in. (Just a pinhole is enough over time). Also, I've wondered for years if the cold air from the aircon along the pipework causes condensation at this point as it does get very cold right there. I may be wrong on that one though.

I'll see if I can draw where it is.

[Geoffers]

You can see what I mean about it being both near the corner of the screen that leaks and the vent pipe. If your aircon has been on cold for a while, feel up and under the dash at this point. Its VERY cold and wonder if there is a small amount of condensation there?

It could be either, but this is the ECU that controls the lighting relay anyway.

[aaronabbott]

found it and disconnected a plug and now the lights have gone off,but i cant see if i can get the whole unit off to check for damp

[andrewward2001]

Had this problem on my old IS200 SE - fixed under warranty - apparently it was a fault in the steering column stalk which replaced....

[aaronabbott]

Had this problem on my old IS200 SE - fixed under warranty - apparently it was a fault in the steering column stalk which replaced....

i hope it is the problem it goes in the dealers on tuesday morning

[aaronabbott]

came back from the dealers earlier and it is suspected that i have a leaky windscreen and that it has got a leek into my drivers side fuse board,they have said i would need in the worse case it would need--

a new wiring harness

fuse board

control unit

8 hrs fitting

remove and then refit windscreen

total 2485,and that the chances are it might come back again!!!!!

now unless i can try and dry it out with a hair dryer which doesnt look likely now being as ive been doing now for the past 2 hours,it looks like my love affair with the lexus is over and im going to have to get rid of it.

a very sad man :tsktsk: :crybaby: :sick: :sick:

[sparkystav]

Surely a day or so, taking all the dash out on the drivers side and plenty of time with a hair dryer will fix it yourself?

If the screen needs re fitting, tap it with a hammer so theres a crack and get it done under your insurance. most companies will replace it for £50 and it wont affect your no claims.

Stav

[aaronabbott]

Surely a day or so, taking all the dash out on the drivers side and plenty of time with a hair dryer will fix it yourself?

If the screen needs re fitting, tap it with a hammer so theres a crack and get it done under your insurance. most companies will replace it for £50 and it wont affect your no claims.

Stav

cheers stav but it all comes down to how much time i wanna spend on it with a hair dryer drying what i cant see ive been at it now for 3hrs and now ive give up on it,theres a auto electrician very close to me so might take it there in the morning but i think hes only going to say the same as lexus have.ive got no control over the lights what so ever the side lights are permanently on ive had to disconnect them completely to save by Battery from going flat

[sparkystav]

I that the only problem now? why not just disconnect them from the normal circuit and just wire a direct circuit in to a switch on the dash?

[aaronabbott]

I that the only problem now? why not just disconnect them from the normal circuit and just wire a direct circuit in to a switch on the dash?

well and the normal lights come on when the keys out of the ignition and wont work with the key in.

i would'nt have clue on how to wire in a new circuit anyway

[aztecbandit1]

Wont they go off at all now Aaron or are they still doing it every now and then?

i've got quite a bit of the proper windscreen glue/sealant here if you want to give it a go at sealing the screen again?

Have you taken the inside A piller covers off to see if any water is getting inside the car from that area? when i helped the RAC winscreen chap fit my new screen he showed me how to get to most of the winscreen sealant ,both A pillers and the bottom of the screen quite easy to do, its only the top of the screen where you need to remove the external seal strip to get to the sealant which i wouldnt try as they go brittle over the years and are a right sod to get back in?

Let me know mate and if you want to give it a go and i'll see if i can get down to you as it might be worth a try? :)

[aaronabbott]

Wont they go off at all now Aaron or are they still doing it every now and then?

i've got quite a bit of the proper windscreen glue/sealant here if you want to give it a go at sealing the screen again?

Have you taken the inside A piller covers off to see if any water is getting inside the car from that area? when i helped the RAC winscreen chap fit my new screen he showed me how to get to most of the winscreen sealant ,both A pillers and the bottom of the screen quite easy to do, its only the top of the screen where you need to remove the external seal strip to get to the sealant which i wouldnt try as they go brittle over the years and are a right sod to get back in?

Let me know mate and if you want to give it a go and i'll see if i can get down to you as it might be worth a try? :)

cheers mate,my side lights are permanently on ive got no control over them only by removing the plug from the control unit right behind the dash,but the normal lights only work when the keys out of the ignition and nothing happens with them when the ignitions on so ive had to remove the relay.

if you popped down i would be eternaly gratefull as its another eye looking at it and ill owe you a big favour :winky:

even lexus gb said that there warrenty would'nt cover the fuseboard