924Board.org

[ideola]

This issue is on the 1981 924 NA.

When I turn on the lights, the headlights pop up fine, and illuminate fine. However, I have no running lights, no tail lights, and no cabin/dash lights. Brake lights work, and all other electrical components seem to function fine. When I turn off the headlights, the lights go off, but they do not recess immediately. Usually, after some random period of time, they will drop back down.

I've done a cursory check of the fuses and relays, as well as the under-dash ground "crown". Everything appears to be in order there. I'm going to go back through and do a more thorough check, but in the meantime, if anyone has any suggestions on where to look first, I'm all ears.

Thanks in advance.
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

[Eturbo924]

The lights not going down is likely a relay on the head light motor issue.

When my Father owned my car back in 1983 he thought the car was posessed. The lights would do the same thing.

I do not recall if I have ever replaced the relay but I have had other 924s that did this and replacing the relay cured it. Also while you are there inspect the connection at the motor and all the wires running into the connector that plugs into the motor. These can loosen up and back out of the connector... they can also relax and loose and or cause a weak connection.

The running lights. All are off? Even the intrument lights? Did you inspect the headlight switch itself? This would be my first thought.

Did you actually pull all the fuses out and inspect the ends? This is not typical but I have actually seend fuse ends burnt out. So when the fuse is in place it actually looks ok... but is not making contact. Rare but can happen.

I would suspect the switch though. You can could use a jumper there and see if you can turn on these circuits.

Eric
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1982 924
1992 968
2003 C4S
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[Smoothie]

Yes, suspect the motor-mounted relay for the pop-up-down problem.

When I had the no running lights problem a few years ago, the problem was a burnt pin on the back of the fuse-relay panel - fix was to locate and scrape that pin clean. A flat jewelers file to clean the male pin, and a small needle file to clean the corresponding female pin, then an application of dielectric grease.
Of course this could also be a switch problem.
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"..it's made in Germany. You know the Germans always make good stuff."


'82 924T, US version, dark green metallic, 5 speed Audi 016G gearbox

[Rasta Monsta]

Sounds like the switch to me.
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Toofah King Bad

• WeiBe (1987 924S 2.5t) - 931 S3

[ideola]

Thanks guys, I'll start with the switch first. Pretty sure I have a spare or two lying around, so that should be the easiest thing to test out. Then I'll check the relay. Then tear into the fuse block. Stay tuned.
Cheers
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

[ideola]

It's not the switch. The one that's in there was new (I replaced it about two years ago with a new one). I had an old one laying around, and swapped it in, but no difference in behavior. I checked all of the grounds. They all look to be in excellent shape...no corrosion whatsoever. So unless anyone has any bright ideas (pun intended), looks like it's time to tear into the fuse block. Any pointers on which connectors I should be looking at???

{EDIT}
And just to confirm, I have interior dome lights, but no dash / console lights, as well as no tail lights or running lights. ALL of them will not come on at all.
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

[ideola]

Can anyone confirm what the top row of relays are? On the top row, from left to right:
I: The part number corresponds to AC relay
II: Fuel pump relay
III: The part number corresponds to AC relay
IV: blank
V: buzzer
VI: rear defog

What is confusing me is that relays I & III look completely different. When I plug in the part numbers from both, they both say part superseded to 944-615-113-01, which shows up as an AC relay. Doesn't seem right to me...

Still hunting...
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

[ideola]

Looks like it might have been the number III relay. I replaced it with a spare of the superseded part number, and it now seems to be working. So, contrary to the Haines manual, I'm assuming that relay III is a headlight relay that uses the same part number as the AC relay.
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

[Smoothie]

My problem was with pin D3. It caused an intermittant problem with both the exterior running lights and the dash lights. I used to reach under and wiggle the wires to get them to turn on, until I finally took the fuse-relay panel out for a look -


An '81 should have just a jumper where the older cars had a headlight relay. That jumper and un-used relay position are at the lower-leftmost position shown here -


I think you might have fixed your light problem only temporarily - by moving the fuse-relay panel. (Similar to the wire-wiggle I used to do.)
_________________
"..it's made in Germany. You know the Germans always make good stuff."


'82 924T, US version, dark green metallic, 5 speed Audi 016G gearbox

[Smoothie]

Here's my '82's relay setup -

_________________
"..it's made in Germany. You know the Germans always make good stuff."


'82 924T, US version, dark green metallic, 5 speed Audi 016G gearbox

[Smoothie]

If you do pull the fuse-relay panel, some tips to greatly simplify things -
1) before pulling (or as you pull them), mark the connectors "A" through "F" from right to left (while laying on your back, looking up at them).
2) label all of the G wires before pulling them. Each G post has a specific function, so those wires have to go back where they were.
3) the H's can go back on any H they fit, but you still need to know which ones are H's, so label them. (H's are all 12v+ straight from the battery, so disconnect the battery before dealing with them.)

Here you can see the G posts numbered 1-10 -

-And the H's are just to the right of them.
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"..it's made in Germany. You know the Germans always make good stuff."


'82 924T, US version, dark green metallic, 5 speed Audi 016G gearbox

[ideola]

As always, fantastic pix...
I am a bit concerned that I might have just accomplished a "wiggle fix". I removed the yellow, black and blue multi-pin connectors, and when I inspected them, all of the male & female connectors looked shiny silver...I didn't notice any that were burnt or corroded. I disconnected all of the H connectors, and they looked fine too. The ground "crowns" were both amazingly corrosion free (probably due to the dielectric treatment they got a few years back).

In any event, I'm out of time today, and it seems to be working for now...I just need the car to get my son thru the next two days while I replace the alt in the 924S ( for the second time in 6 weeks ...but that's another story). When I get the NA back, I'll probably inspect it again more carefully, and compare notes to your pix. Thanks a ton!
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

[ideola]

Well, my "wiggle fix" lasted for 4 years 5 months and 5 days. The same problem cropped back up last night (my son got a "fixit ticket" for no running lights). As Smoothie predicted, it was indeed the D3 burnt pin problem. The pin was so bad that I harvested parts from a mangled whole-car harness I had in the parts bin, and spliced in a whole new pin. I also replaced the entire fuse block. Problem solved.

I'm wondering if the higher output Sylvania dash lights have anything to do with the apparent accelerated pin-burning, as this single pin controls the running lights, tail lights, and all dash lighting. Something to monitor, for sure...
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erstwhile owner of just about every 924 variant ever made

[leadfoot]

yes, the gauge of wire and soldering is also at fault in some cases,
stu
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1981 ROW 924 Turbo -
carbon fiber GT mish mash
LS1 conversion in progress...