"X" Relief relay

[Roger Blassberg 0]

My specialist says that the X relief relay may be sticking. I have never heard of this.

 

It apparently has something to do with cutting out certain electrical equipment during engine cranking. There are some odd gremlins, the most odd of which is that the ABS warning light stays on very occasionally immediately after start-up, accompanied by failure of the wipers, heater blower and maybe other things. This situation is cleared by switching on the headlights!!

 

Where is this mysterious X relief relay and is it responsible for the problems I am experiencing? MOT coming up, and the last thing I want is for the ABS light to disgrace itself in public or for the wipers to fail.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[Henny 0]

The X relay is what ACTUALLY powers all of the non engine ignition circuits, not the switch... the switch turns the relay on and does indeed turn it off during cranking to ensure the starter and engine get maximum power from the battery... 8)

 

I'm not sure which relay it is, but it's on the main fusebox relay panel... put your hand on each relay in turn (with everything switched off) and turn the ignition on to see if it clicks or not... The X relay will click as you turn on and off the ignition... it'll have some pretty major thick pins on it once you do find it... 8)

 

I've not heard of one failing on a Corrado before and I'd say this sounds much more like an ignition switch fault as these can play havok with your electrics if it goes faulty... :

 

Ignition switches are cheap (£20) and can be fitted in around 30 mins...|

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Thanks Henny. Yes, it sounds as though the switch may be sticking internally in the "disconnect during cranking" mode after returning the barrel to position 2. I'm mystified by the way that turning on the headlights gets it all back, though. Maybe the additional current kicks it back into action. As I said in my original message, this is an intermittent fault.

 

There is a further twist; equally intermittently, the blower, wipers etc stay on AFTER switching off the ignition if, and only if, the headlights are switched on, but only until the Laserline immobiliser cuts everything 10 secs after switching off. So the switch is behaving as though it is sticking in position 2 in those circumstances

 

Come to think of it, this problem has only surfaced since I did one of Kev's headlight loom conversions, so the current going through the light switch is significantly reduced; perhaps this is upsetting something. I have deduced, from other people's problems documented here, that light switches are a bit temperamental too.

 

OK, I'm going to change the ignition switch and take it from there.

 

Am I right to think that the switch itself is not integral with the column lock, but is attached to the back of it and is accessed by splitting the column cowling? Would the steering wheel and the stalks need to come off to get at it?

[Henny 0]

sounds like you could do with a good guide on how to change a switch... ;)

 

Ooh, look... HERE'S one I prepared earlier... ;) :lol: 8)

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Thanks, yet again.

 

It sounds as though it's too simple - don't tell the car thieves. My local supplier charges under £10 for the switch, by the way

 

One potential complication is that I have electric Recaros, so taking the seat out may well be more difficult. I think I might be able to manage by running both front seats fully back and reclining them, and lying across them both with my head in the footwell, followed by one course of treatment at the chiropractor for my back and another at the proctologist to retrieve the gearstick !! If you never hear from me again, you'll know that I wasn't able to get back out ....

Have a good weekend,

Best wishes

 

RB

[dinkus 10]

I think I might be able to manage by running both front seats fully back and reclining them, and lying across them both with my head in the footwell, followed by one course of treatment at the chiropractor for my back and another at the proctologist to retrieve the gearstick !! If you never hear from me again, you'll know that I wasn't able to get back out ....

 

:lol: fantastic!

[Henny 0]

yeah, you can do it without removing the seats... I was taking mine out anyway when I did my switch, so I wrote it up exactly as I did it... If you read on in that thread a little further, there's someone's comment about doing it without removing the seat... 8)

[dinkus 10]

If you read on in that thread a little further, there's someone's comment about doing it without removing the seat... 8)

 

I thought stevemac's suggestion was for replacing the ingnition lock barrel tho?

[Henny 0]

If you read on in that thread a little further, there's someone's comment about doing it without removing the seat... 8)

 

I thought stevemac's suggestion was for replacing the ingnition lock barrel tho?

 

Yeah, Steve's was, but there's another comment in there too... :)

 

*edit* Page 2, comment by Whitee about being 6'3 and still managing to do it without taking the seat out... 8)

[Kevin Bacon 5]

It sounds as though it's too simple - don't tell the car thieves.

 

And you think they don't already know that???? They've been doing it for years and the C is no different from any other car in terms of hotwiring.

 

There is no need to remove the seat at all. Just sit on the door sill and look at the under side of the column from the left hand side and you'll soon see what needs doing.

 

Oh and this relay thing is also known as an load induction relay. It does as Henny says and prevents electrical overloads when you crank the engine over at night with the headlights, stereo and fans on etc whilst cranking the windows down.

 

It is quite a common one on the VR. Around £13 to replace from VW and I can't remember the relay number, sorry.

 

K

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Well, I survived the contortionists' class, but was unable to get at the little screw that holds the ignition switch onto the back of the lock because it seems to be obscured by the lock barrel. All I managed to do was to break the cowling where the self tapping screws go through to clamp the bottom half to the top. Super glue to the rescue!! Why ffs do VW use such cheap plastic for these parts?? :mad: Anyway, it's all back together for the time being, with a precautionary cable tie around it, and I have ordered a new upper cowling - less than a tenner from you-know-where. I also ordered new shear bolts for the lock barrel clamps, so I'll take the lot off once they arrive and do it whilst remaining upright. By the way, the new ignition switch from my supplier is made by Febi Bilstein, and I must say it looks fairly cheap and cheerful. Any feedback on the quality/track record of this would be welcomed.

 

Kev, thanks for your advice on the relay; I'll delve into Bentley and find the right one. Something has definitely gone awol, because all those circuits that are supposed to be supressed during cranking, well, they aren't !! I must remember not to sound the horn and have the seat servos going next time I turn her over.

 

Best wishes

RB

[Roger Blassberg 0]

Final chapter; Kev, the part number is 191 937 503. It goes into position 4 on the relay board, and, if an OE part, has number 18 in large figures printed onto the cover. It is just a fairly bog-standard 4-pin relay, rated at 40A, with a parallel resistor across the solenoid. Manufactured by Hella, catalogue number 4RA003510-58.

 

I have just replaced it, and everything is back to normal. (Excuse the pedantry, but it's called a load REDUCTION relay). Just the steering wheel cowling to do.

 

Best wishes

 

RB

[Henny 0]

Glad you got it sorted Roger... 8)

 

Problems like this can be a real arse to diagnose over a forum, but everyone's experience helps the next person to overcome their problem that little quicker... 8)