Earthing Problem
 

Interesting one this one. Got a 52 plate laguna as a workhorse. Last night went to switch the lights on when driving and all the dash lights really dimmed. Headlights still work fine though but all the dash has gone really dim.
Checked the fuses and all seem ok.

Is it likely to be an earthing problem?. The dash only dims when the lights are switched on, mileometer and clock etc are still fully lit until you flick the lights on.

Any help appreciated,

Yes i know french electronics are ****e so no need to remind me. Only bought it as it does 60mpg on the motorway all day.:D

there is a control for dimming the dash lights at night, check it's not turned down ;)

strange as it may seem i have checked that :)

Is there a dimmer for the dashboard lights? I think its somewhere below the driver's side heater vent, so easy to knock getting in and out.

Although being French, the dimmer has probably broke :D

Pull it out and unplug it, see what happen (dash light will either go to full brightness or turn off completely), if they turn off you maybe able to bridge the relevent wires (just make sure its not CAN bus before you go cutting/bridgeing wires).

will have a look, have checked the switch is turned up. will pull it out and have a look.

when you first switch the lights on they do go bright for a fraction of a second then go really dim.

There's your problem, right there.

doesn't mean it works though ;)

the dash illumination should dim when the lights are on though, so it could well be related to this, although it could well be a bad earth as you say


my wife has an 04 plate DCi estate, had it 2+ years now and it's been faultless

It seems a little odd that it is ok for s second then dims. More likely the resistor or whatever it is that controls the power to the lights IMHO.

However you can pull off the + side of the battery and then undo and clean up the main earth for the battery and any others visible with a wire brush and wd40 them beofre puting them back, do not forget to clean the bolts and the area of contact on the bodywork as well.

having said that it doesnt do that at all now, just goes dim. looks like i will have to take the connectors off and give them a clean. only annoying thing is i dont have the radio code :(

taken all the fuses out and cleaned them up and still does the same. will have a look at the earths tonight if the rain actually stops!.