Vitara Light Problem

[mudbugga]

My Vitara has just developed an issue with the lights.
They have turned on by themselves and the battery has gone flat.

Vehicle has been parked up all day and not been used. Only just noticed lights were on when I went to put the bins out. They've turned on all by themselves since between when I came home and now.
Switch is off, lights are on and won't turn off.
I've had to pull the fuses out to get the lights to go out.

Does anyone know where either the relay is or what the problem could be?
Faulty switch?

Haven't had any issues with the lights before.
No extra lights been fitted. Everything is standard.

[kbushnz]

Hmmm had the same problem on my little Mazda 121 today....
Lights randomly come on....High Beam
Found a problem in the switch in the stork....The weight of stork was allowing the contacts to mate.....Cleaned and a little preload added to the contacts and now its as good as gold....

Have no idea what the Vitara runs....

[mudbugga]

Tried swapping relays around. Still no good.
Pulled out the switch and its all a sealed unit so can't get to any contacts etc.
Suspect it's the switch that's faulty.

[kernels]

Tried swapping relays around. Still no good.
Pulled out the switch and its all a sealed unit so can't get to any contacts etc.
Suspect it's the switch that's faulty.

Yup, that would be my assesment, if you pull out the relay and the lights turn off, then it could either be the relay or something turning the relay on. If you try another relay and problem persists then it must be something turning the relay on. First thing to check would be the switch. If you have a multimeter, check for continuity.

[churchill]

There's no relays in a vitara lighting system, the switch at the indicator takes all the current. Sometimes the switch gets a lot of resistance over it so a relay gets put in place.

The switch can be pulled apart and fixed, I've done mine. A replacement unit for my v6 was about $150 hence my willingness to try to fix the existing one.

Kernels lives and breaths electricity.... I would follow his suggestions and check the switch out first.

[Apm83]

The light switches on these commonly pack up.
With replace with toggle switch or gingerly open it up for repair.

[kernels]

There's no relays in a vitara lighting system, the switch at the indicator takes all the current. Sometimes the switch gets a lot of resistance over it so a relay gets put in place.

The switch can be pulled apart and fixed, I've done mine. A replacement unit for my v6 was about $150 hence my willingness to try to fix the existing one.

Kernels lives and breaths electricity.... I would follow his suggestions and check the switch out first.

If there is no relay in the lighting system then it has got to be the switch. I'd go with the advice above and try to take apart the existing one first before forking out for a new one. You will probably find some carbon build-up inside that is causing it to "leak" or alternatively it could be a mechanical failure causing it to conduct.

[churchill]

You will probably find some carbon build-up inside that is causing it to "leak" or alternatively it could be a mechanical failure causing it to conduct.

I found the carbon build up in mine that I filed off.

I suspect yours is a mechanical failure.

[mudbugga]

Yeah there is a relay in the lighting system.

Issue is in the switch. Common problem, I have since found out.
Worst switches are the ones with a red Hazard button apparently.

Now I just have to find a unit that is OK.

[churchill]

Yeah there is a relay in the lighting system.

Issue is in the switch. Common problem, I have since found out.
Worst switches are the ones with a red Hazard button apparently.

Now I just have to find a unit that is OK.

Really? Where is the relay located and do you have any pics of it?

[mudbugga]

Located up under the dash. Not that easy to get to. Skin will come off unless you have tiny hands.
Sorry no pics of the position. Luckily there is 4 or 5 the same in the area that are all the same.
Black plastic body, 4 pin plugs,
Made it easy to swap relays around.

Here's a pic of the wiring diagram (out of the factory w/shop manual) and of the relay.

[churchill]

Well you learn something new every day!

It looks like the relay switches the circuit on and the indcator stalk switches the full current to high and low beam. Thats handy to know, thanks.