TR Electrical System Does Not Shut Off

Hi all:

Still sorting through the electrical issues on my 87 TR. It has a very odd electrical problem I can't seem to solve. With power connected at the battery, the "battery" light on the dash is lit, and never turns off regardless of whether the key is in it or not. If I move the key to the power on setting, everything becomes functional, however, if I turn the key back to off and remove the key, everything remains on. For example, I will turn the column switch to the parking light mode, with the key on, then turn the key off and remove it, and they will remain on with the dash lights remaining on. The only way to kill the power is to disconnect the battery (at least so I have found thus far). Disconnecting the ignition switch does not affect it, and power will remain until I disconnect the battery.

This is a rebuilt fusebox and all new relays and fuses courtesy of GT. This was an issue BEFORE I had the fusebox rebuilt, so I do not think that is the culprit. Column switch and ignition switch are brand new as well. I also unplugged all the relays and connectors in the fusebox and power remains on until I disconnect the battery.

Anyone have any ideas what might be causing this?

Todd

 

I'll check on the windows. However, re the lights issue, If I turn them on, and then move the switch to off without the key in at all, they will not turn off. Essentially they stay on once power is connected and I've turned the switch on, but they will not turn off without disconnecting the battery. Very odd.

 

here's all the relays in place.

 

Updated with jpeg.

 

No, they don't. The only thing that comes on is the battery light and the slow down buzzer (sometimes). Disconnecting the column stalk completely has no effect either.

 

I need to be more accurate. I pulled the connectors to all of the relays behind the fusebox but did not remove the d/e connector or each individual white connector. I will do that next with the d/e connector to be last unless one of the other ones will shut it off.

Prior to sending the box out for rebuilding, I took some photos. Here they are. There's a modification to the AC relay since it may have caused a burned connector (see photo). Two other connectors were burned (one brown wire, one brown with black stripe) and someone had replaced them with incorrect female connectors. I replaced the female connectors with the proper connectors and purchased a new set of white connectors.

Someone also badly bodged up the ignition switch as well, but the connector on the car side does not appear to have been modified. That doesn't seem to have any effect thought since I disconnected that and that does not kill the power either.



The only modified
Will report back with photos tomorrow.
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I went back and began pulling the white connectors. The only one that disconnected the alternator/battery light was the far right single white connector. Disconnecting the d/e did NOT disconnect the light. I cannot visibly see any changes to the wiring around the fusebox or behind the dashboard, but given the modifications to the switch maybe there is something that I am missing. Where else should I be looking?
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Thanks again for all your help Steve! I will check this and report back. I did find that the ground to one of the fuel pumps was hanging on by 2 copper strands, so that may have been one issue that burned the connector.

 

Steve - both blue wires in the W connector, i.e., the solid blue, and the blue/black at the bottom and second from the bottom are showing 2.2V relative to ground while the ignition is off as is the column switch. The red wires are showing 12.4v. There are a few other wires showing 2.4V as well. The yellow wire in connector Y (second from right), is showing 2.23V. The light blue and black wires in connector Y are showing 1.78V. Connector B, third wire from the top (black) showing 8.74 V. Turning the ignition on, relay S is also buzzing loudly. Photos attached. I am going to pull the dashboard to see if there are wiring issues behind it that I am not able to see. I have to recover it anyway. Left hand window motor showing .44V on at the fuse as well.
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More tear down this evening. I am still taking the dash out, but I found a double mouse house in the little cubbies behind the sears that house the motorized seat belt motors. And of course they dined on the fine Italian wires.



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I already have new carpeting, so all of it is getting trashed, but I suspect there may be more wiring issues behind the dash once I get it out. I'm not really understanding what they did here trying to fix this:

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I also found a radar detector speaker and connector in the roof console, so I removed that as well just in case that was causing issues. It was tapped into one of the power wires for the fog lights and damaged the wire, so that will need to be repaired.

Below is the ignition switch wiring from the old ignition switch. I don't understand what they were trying to accomplish here. The wiring on the car side connectors looks standard and matches the colors on the new switch. Again, I haven't pulled the dash out fully to see everything hiding behind there.

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There is definitely an issue with the wiring on the column switch. Disconnecting it resolves the 2V draw on all of the wires that were drawing 2V, maybe its a ground issue? Also, I was incorrect about the black cable in connector b showing 8V, it was the wire under it - green and black tiger striped wire is the one showing 8v. Shows 0V without the column switch disconnected.

With the ignition switch in off, should any of the wires show 12v other than the red wires in w?

Thanks again for walking me through this, it is really appreciated!

 

Thanks everyone for the feedback. I have pulled the entire dash and have not noticed any other wiring issues with respect to the column switch or the ignition switch, although there is some additional wiring issues with the passive seat belt system.

The column switch issue seems to be with the thicker blue/black wire. Although it they initially worked when I installed the new column switch, the main beams have stopped working, however, switching the high beams on will illuminate all four headlights. The fog light flash/headlight flash (pulling back on the stalk) does not seem to be working either now, although the fog lights do turn on with the switch.

If I keep the blue black wire disconnected, the parking lights turn off when you turn them off on the column switch. With the blue black wire disconnected, the green/black striped wires that were showing 8v do not show voltage. With the blue black wire connected, I get a buzzing noise from Relay S "relay for key controlled services."
Blue/black wire-
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It appears someone cut the ground wires on the connectors going into the passive seat belt module on the driver's side part no. 61555000. Thanks again for everyone's help with this.

 

It turns out the issue with the battery light is likely the alternator/regulator. It is reading high at 15.5v at idle and 16.8v when the car is at 2500 rpm. The battery light is no longer lit while the car is off though so I guess that is progress.

On the other hand, new electrical issues have popped up. The brake lights are now constantly and researching the brake light switch issue it seems like the brake lights will not work if the switch is broke, rather than being on constantly. I'll also note that the horn button does not activate the horn now, but the "brake !" warning light comes on for two seconds when I push it.