2 Issues

[Michael9]

I've just got an 05 1.8t estate which passed the mot on Nov 4th with no advises...first issue/problem and main one..

When i turn the main lights (halogen) on after 3-5seconds the drivers side (UK right) goes out and the warning light in the dash ect, it does it every time they're turned off/on, side light are fine haven't tried high beam but will later...now surely that shouldn't have passed an mot like that !?

After some Googling and looking for the orange headlight relay i found out mine doesn't have it because of the year, it's got some kind of electronic fuse box (whatever that means) so i can't take this orange one out and solder the pins ect, seemingly the fusebox (engine one) needs replaced ad probably tech 2 programmed to work....is this right enough?

Other issue...there's an annoying knocking from the back which i found out was the sway bar/arb D bushes, i can deal with that but as i said should this car passed the mot especially with the headlight issue/problem only 4 weeks ago, yes i know things can happen even driving away from a test centre but things this like this!

Any help especially with the headlight problem is much appreciated : )

[Michael9]

Didn't think anybody would know

[Digger]

Didn't think anybody would know

Bit of a holiday here on my side of the pond so not as many people available to give you a hand today.

I can't really fault any inspector for passing a car with a worn rear sway bar bushing as things loose in the boot can and do make the same noise.

Headlight is something that is always important and I'm sure you would like to avoid the inconvenience and expense of Tech 2 programing if possible. Depending on how your car is programed, or thinks it is programed, the light switch doesn't let you switch anything on or off. It sends a request to the body control module, which sends a request to the front and rear electrical centers, where the programming determines which light should light and when. With all of this happening in the line the commonsense quick fix methods of yesterday aren't always enough to get the job done today.

I really do prefer a light switch that actually turns on the lights over the technology for the sake of technology that has become the norm of modern automotive and household appliance electronics. As to avoid unnecessarily ripping out your wiring and your hair, disconnect the battery for a couple of minutes and let the cars computers reset, if the problem doesn't fix itself, leave the light switch in the on position and use the key to turn the lights on to see if you get the same result. Or you can take the other route first and swap left and right bulbs to see if the problem changes sides, much more informative, takes more time and effort so I list this as the second step.

If this problem persists after you've eliminated the kind of problem that can be caused by a dirty light switch contact and done the most logical first step trouble shooting you can start looking for bad and dirty crimp connections from the light socket to the bottom side of the front electrical center. All this shouldn't take much more than 45 minutes to an hour and by the end if you haven't fixed the problem, or found the cause, the Tech 2 with program access is your next best step.

[Michael9]

Thanks for explaining that....I was told earlier that the light could be bridged from the other, that's ok but said would I still get the warning on the dash, he didn't know. He said it needs a fusebox (engine one) as it's electric plus there's no orange relay to check and solder and makes sense with what you say that the switch controls the power to the ecu to say what to turn on.

I can get a second hand one but not keen on second hand electricals especially things like a fusebox, god know what a new one is

[Digger]

Thanks for explaining that....I was told earlier that the light could be bridged from the other, that's ok but said would I still get the warning on the dash, he didn't know. He said it needs a fusebox (engine one) as it's electric plus there's no orange relay to check and solder and makes sense with what you say that the switch controls the power to the ecu to say what to turn on.

I can get a second hand one but not keen on second hand electricals especially things like a fusebox, god know what a new one is

You already have a used fuse box, might as well fix the one you have. From the top without really taking anything apart you can wiggle every relay and by the time you 've wiggled the relays while still in their sockets you will know which ones feel loose. Then pull the loose relays and use a sharp point pick or small bladed screwdriver to tighten up the pinch of the female spade connectors. Sometimes you need to check the crimp connections on the bottom side and that means removing the battery cables and unbolting the box from the mount. A gentle but firm pull on every wire will find every weak crimp connection, after that you fix the connection and push the connector back into its slot.

Shops are held responsible for their work, replacing this part with new is less risk and more profitable than repair. If you can't fix this yourself you can always have it replaced with new.

[Michael9]

That's already been done ie all the fuses ect out and back in, there's nothing lose and nothing flickered which surprised both of us that's when he said it's probably underneath and that it's a common fault with that model and that gm were mainly to blame. I guess all that's left and the cheapest thing just now is bridging but hope the warning light goes off if not it's a new box.

But as I said at the start.....I don't know how the hell it passed the mot like that as the lights need to be on for a few minutes so they can alignment ect that's why I'm sure it's a hooky one and very tempted to let vosa know.

I also thought there would have been more replies as it's seemingly quite common. I know it's easy to knock gm but you simply didn't get this kind of crap when Saab were Saab, well I didn't and I've had a few old 9000's years ago...says it's all in my opinion..

[Digger]

I have been to the bottom side of enough Ford, Chevy and Chrysler box's to suggest the possibility of repair without replacement as I find these same three easy to fix things happening. Mice, they can get into things where you can't figure out how they did, but while they're in there they do like to chew. Material failure at the crimp connection by expansion or corrosion. Manufacturing flaws of insufficient crimp and my very favorite the spade connector was inserted into the socket with the barb on the wrong side and these are the ones that test great and run you in circles. As I haven't needed to fix a Saab electrical center, I can't say for certain that what I've suggest is worth the effort, but from looking at the top of the box in my Saab, I doubt the bottom side is going to be significantly different from any other late model GM.

How this thing ever passed inspection is anybody's guess. People are people the world over and they run the gambit from competent consciences to just don't care. If you're not the one who brought the car in for inspection, your guess is as good as mine.

[Michael9]

I had the fusebox out today and there's no rust/corrosion anywhere and between me a techy mate checked for loose connections...none! so god knows why the bloody dip on the right goes out after 3-5 secs. I also very much doubt it's the switch as it's powering them ok ie side and high work fine.....I'm basically stumped and I guess the rest who've read this are too or I think they'd have said something be now.

I can honestly see me getting rid of it for same reason as the last owner..


A couple of years ago I had a 9-5 estate that was my first "non" Saab as I would call it after a few 9000's, the Saab feeling to me was gone!....and this one's starting to feel the same.

[Digger]

If you didn't find a loose female spade connection up top and didn't find a bad connection on the bottom side, the odds of a new front electrical center fixing this problem are darn slim.

Before I send you off to Tech 2 service of programmable modules, have to ask if you ever swapped left and right headlight bulbs. Have over the past few decades seen a couple of bulbs that worked light flasher bulbs from a Christmas tree light string. Dealing mostly with collector vintage vehicles have also seen this in older cars and found wire harnesses rubbed raw to the point of cutting ground wire down to a couple strands causing similar problem always same headlight.

Will be several hours before I can get to my tech documentation to research wire harness and I am curious about headlight bulbs from other odd possible causes.

[Michael9]

Sorry meant to say that's the first thing we did ie swap bulbs plus I've 2 new ones I put to try and was the same, he's stumped too as knows more about electrics than I'll ever know.