need electrics checked

FirstTimer4Me

mikey72 wrote: »

Where is the noise coming from.
Usually it's a poor connection, or a relay, so if you can find the source of the noise, post back

ok when i use the arm to switch the side / main lights on that's when it makes a noise if i keep turning the arm (constantly switching the lights on / off) the noise eventually stops.

mikey72 wrote: »

If you know a local garage, ask them who a good auto electrician is that they use, otherwise it's yellow pages, but get a price before they start.

i tried a couple of garages but no one could suggest anyone i'll look in yellow pages

ta for your help

mikey72

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

If you have fears like that a diesel would be a better bet, although there would still be wiring fire issues.

Incidentally OP, I had a car destroyed to a wiring issue way back in 1987. Petrol car, dash caught fire. Oudles of time to get out of the car, no exposion, due as the Firebrig told me to the fuel tank being largely full.

Car gutted, interior gone, engine gearbox melted to road, all tyres and alloys gone, no glass but fuel tank intact.

I had time to walk 1/4mile up the motorway and the same back from the phone,plus a 20 min wait for the FB, no problem, chill;):T

So, ignore it, and at least you can walk home, or get it fixed and have years of trouble free motoring. hmmmmm, what do you choose.

mikey72

FirstTimer4Me wrote: »

ok when i use the arm to switch the side / main lights on that's when it makes a noise if i keep turning the arm (constantly switching the lights on / off) the noise eventually stops.

i tried a couple of garages but no one could suggest anyone i'll look in yellow pages

ta for your help

If the noise is coming from the arm, not behind the dash or somewhere else, it sounds like it needs a new switch on the steering column, not a big job, and could be done by the local garage, not needing the electrician.

cyclonebri1

mikey72 wrote: »

So, ignore it, and at least you can walk home, or get it fixed and have years of trouble free motoring. hmmmmm, what do you choose.

I was trying to reassure the OP that cars don't self ignite from wiring issues MIKEY, but you have to admit that under crash conditions, ie hot engine and exhaust, (and this is what causes explosions, not dodgy wiring), a diesel in fundamentally safer,

mikey72

cyclonebri1 wrote: »

I was trying to reassure the OP that cars don't self ignite from wiring issues MIKEY, but you have to admit that under crash conditions, ie hot engine and exhaust, (and this is what causes explosions, not dodgy wiring), a diesel in fundamentally safer,

Maybe a story about "a car destroyed to a wiring issue way back in 1987"
"Car gutted, interior gone, engine gearbox melted to road, all tyres and alloys gone,"
wasn't the best way to reassure them that the car won't catch fire, which is what they said in post #8.

harveybobbles

Pug 307's used to set fire to them selfs. I know a leasing company who lost 3 of these in their compound, along with the cars parked near them. now they park all their 307's in a seperate place.

Hoof_Hearted

Daughter had a Micra. Check the plastic plug behind the headlamps. This can short, get very hot and melt. It is was easily replaced (DIY). Could be the cause of the crackles. A comon fault, according to the parts bloke.

FirstTimer4Me

Hoof_Hearted wrote: »

Daughter had a Micra. Check the plastic plug behind the headlamps. This can short, get very hot and melt. It is was easily replaced (DIY). Could be the cause of the crackles. A comon fault, according to the parts bloke.

ta for the help i'm no good at repairs i'd much rather pay someone who knows what there doing it'll work out cheaper for me in the long run

goldspanners

check connections on the back of the radio and alternator,also check the headlight plugs, i had a nissan van which did enjoy melting the plastic plugs on the headlight bulbs, easy to repair. and no fire anywhere.

delambo

I am a qualified auto electrician and a firefighter. I have also owned 2 cars which have had wiring loom fires so I can speak with real conviction on this topic!!! I might add before I get comments about "cant be a good auto electrician if his loom catches fire" (or similar) - does a doctor never get sick? One fire was caused by a faulty light switch - it had no lead up to warn me it was faulty just one day went up, the other was caused by a wire which had had oil leaking on it before I owned it. Over time the insulation had broken down and after driving through a puddle it caused the wire to arc.

Firstly as has been mentioned previously electrical fires are slow developing, they do not suddenly burst into flames or explode, but they are quick to rip through the loom causing more damage and ultimately write the car off.

The first warning signs that you will be presented with will be a rancid burning smell - the smell of burning plastic. It will start faint and grow with time. Do not ignore it!! The easy way to limit the damage of an electrical fire is to disconnect the battery. If the wires have just started to melt then you have plenty of time to to do this, if there is visible smoke then you probably don't have the time - in which case get as far away as quickly as you can. In order to quickly disconnect the battery check to see what spanner size in needed at the first opportunity after buying a car. Buy a cheep spanner from a market or pound shop and tape it with good quality tape to the battery itself, that way it is where you need it when you need it.

Carry a fire extinguisher and keep it near the drivers seat. Only use it if you need to do so to save life. Remember your car and its contents are all replaceable - you are not!

As for the people that are trying to diagnose it for you, take it all with a pinch of salt. I know they are just trying to help but it is impossible to correctly diagnose any fault without at least seeing the car and its fault. If you follow any advise here and start changing stuff that might not need replacing it might cost more than paying a decent auto electrician a couple of hours to find the fault and replace just that part!

To find a good electrician go by recommendation - there are loads of bad electricians out there, I have gone in after plenty of them. Take a recommendation form a friend - not a stranger. Ask if they have a wiring diagram for your car, of they say they do not need one then avoid them like the plague - you can only fix simple faults without a wiring diagram.