G60 - Fuse #21 - keeps blowing, permanent live problem!

[Fozzi 0]

My G60 developed a problem on Sunday coming back from Brands Hatch, it was fine all day up until I arrived home but when I switched off the ignition the dashboard LCD display went blank and no interior lights came on when opening the door.

 

OK, so no problem, just change the blown fuse #21.... except that the "new" fuse (old design) blew as soon as I tried to house it.

 

Considering that the "new" fuse was somewhat old, I decided to purchase some more 15A fuses and immediately blew two more.

 

No interior light during summer months and no LCD display when the ignition off are only minor irritations during the long summer days, but the fact that the alarm can't be activated without going off every few minutes is somewhat annoying.

 

Fortunately the central locking is active and the immobiliser kicks in after 30 seconds, so not as bad as it might have been!!

 

The handbook describes this fuse as:

21 - Interior and luggage compartment lights, make-up mirror light, cigarette lighter, central locking, multi-function indicator.

 

Has anyone had experience of a similar problem before?

 

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Riley 0]

Id try moving the sun visor, inserting another fuse and see if it blows again.

 

The wiring to the sun visor has possibly worn through...

 

Neil.

[Supercharged 2]

dead short - take all the bulbs out first to inpect and then try another fuse.

[Fozzi 0]

cheers guys, I'll try those suggestions when I get back home at the weekend.

[coolrado 0]

also check that there isnt anything in the cigar lighter socket, I know of someone who spent nearly £300 trying to sort an electrical fault on a merc and it turned out to be a 2 pence piece that his 4 year old son had shoved in the cigar lighter socket :lol:

[A1 VR6 0]

I think that fuse is also for the sunroof - try it with the fuse blown and see if it works :)

[Fozzi 0]

also check that there isnt anything in the cigar lighter socket, I know of someone who spent nearly £300 trying to sort an electrical fault on a merc and it turned out to be a 2 pence piece that his 4 year old son had shoved in the cigar lighter socket :lol:

 

LOL...... I will check for alien bodies but no 4 year olds loose in the car! :D

[Roan 0]

Hoping someone with some basic auto electrics knowledge can help me out on this one too...

 

This #21 fuse has been blown since I got the car, so no interior lights work nor does the cigarette lighter or the MFA memory (all on fuse #21). Popping a new 15a fuse in blows immediately. Is it a case of taking one bulb/harness out individually and trying a fuse to isolate the circuit which is shorting out? I have a rudimentary knowledge of electrics and own a multimeter. :help:

 

Also, it's fairly urgent as I leave for a two week trip through Europe in a week and need the cigarette lighter for my iPhone (Sat Nav)!!!

[Supercharged 2]

I'd look at each component first to see if you spot anything... for instance check the boot light is not shorting on the chassis, same for the make up mirror and also have a good look at the wiring behind the lighter plug in case this has been tapped into for anything else. Then unplug all these things, get a load of fuses and keep testing to try and isolate the issue.

[Roan 0]

The weird thing is, the central locking works... maybe it's been spliced onto another circuit so it'll work. Also, the glovebox light works just fine... :help:

[Supercharged 2]

The glove box light is on fuse 16 but yeah, the central locking should be on 21 but maybe being fed from an aftermarket alarm?

[Roan 0]

No, original central locking & immobiliser AFAIK. Just disconnected the make-up bulb, glovebox bulb, interior light harnesses, ashtray lamp, cigarette lighter and the boot bulb and it's still shorting. :censored:

 

There's a full 12.5 volts coming out of that fuse location - is that what you can expect if there's short in those circuits?

 

I HATE electrics! :salute:

[VR6Pete 0]

I have the exact same problem! Did you ever resolve? Can you also confirm if the sunroof motor runs off this fuse also?

[Roan 0]

I finally traced the problem to a melted part of the instruent cluster loom just behind the clocks. I spent an hour seperating the wires, re-insulated them and everything is back to normal. I still don't know what caused it, possibly a short in the circuit when the dashboard was being put back together after replacing the heater matrix. All is well now and a year later there are no further problems!