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Electrical Gremlins-Headlights & Air Blower

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Old 02-16-20, 06:50 AM
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Electrical Gremlins-Headlights & Air Blower

Hi all so my 92 fd is playing me about a bit. Recently my pop ups stop working and I am having a nightmare figuring that out all lights work relay and fuses all good and I can’t find a earth fault 😱😱😱
then yesterday driving along the blowers just stopped working again fuses all good. Does anyone have experience with this why would the heaters just stop. If you switch the position on the other dial you can hear it clicking ect. And If you press the ac button the engine revs go up but no blowers!!
I should say it’s the touring x manual model with ac and climate control. Any help please thanks
Jamie
Old 02-17-20, 08:22 AM
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Sounds like you're about to get good at electrical troubleshooting .

Does it blow on any of the speeds at all?

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Old 02-17-20, 09:49 AM
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Hi Dale, thanks for reply. No it doesn’t blow at any speed. So annoying.
Old 02-17-20, 11:07 AM
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Jay8789,

I changed the title of your thread to better match the problems you are experiencing. In the future, please help the other members by briefly describing the problem in the subject line. Using "Please help" in the subject line would indicate that you have an emergency.

Getting on track with your actual problem, do you have the wiring diagram manual (WDM) for your FD? You could examine the electrical block diagrams of the headlight circuit and the air blower circuit to see if there are any components that are shared. For example, the Body CPU comes to mind.

Do some digging and let us know what systems you checked and what the results are.
Old 02-17-20, 12:56 PM
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Update good new

First of all very sorry for title of thread. And also the lack of information. I am still learning and will do better in future.
Ok the blowers are working 👍👍 turns out there is a cable in the foot well of passenger side that attaches via a black connection and my daughter must of kicked it off. However I was very surprised how the connection is loose and I checked my friends and his is also very loose. I am surprised it doesn’t just fall out.
this connection goes in to a plastic container sort of off white colour. I will try and up load some pictures just in case anyone else suffers the same issue.
Hope this helps
Jamie
Old 02-17-20, 12:57 PM
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Feedback.

Also thank you for the tips on electrical issues as well

thanks
Jamie
Old 02-17-20, 01:05 PM
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That's probably the connector to the fan motor itself. It could have been designed better, it is down there and possible to kick or dislodge it.

Glad you sorted it out!
Dale
Old 02-17-20, 01:37 PM
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Jamie,

No worries on the thread title. It makes responding to a thread considerably easy and enables members with the right knowledge to offer sound advice.

It's good to hear that you found the cause of the faulty air blower. I haven't really looked into that connector nor do I recall it being loose. As a semi-permanent fix, you could wrap the connector in electrical tape to prevent it from coming loose.

When you are diagnosing the headlights, do they come on but not pop up? You should be able to see them with the bonnet (hood) open and/or between the gaps of the front bumper and the headlight cover. Additionally, check the high beam function, flash-to-pass system, and the headlight retractor switch works.

The Body Electrical Troubleshooting Manual (BEM) has a troubleshooting matrix for the headlight system. This manual is available for the USDM cars but the test methods should still apply for the JDM cars (up until 1995). The major electrical differences between the two would be component locations. Refer to Section E of the BEM.

One word of advice: The troubleshooting matrix does not account for the Body CPU input. This is important because the Body CPU contains the anti-theft system, which guess what...pops up and turns on the headlights, among other things!

Give this a try: disconnect Connector J4-01 (20 pin connector) from the Body CPU and then turn on your headlights. Do they pop up? If they do, then the problem rests in the Body CPU. Remove then inspect CPU#2 for possible damage. Otherwise, if you still get the same indication (pop-ups still do not work) then continue to follow the BEM troubleshooting matrix.

Let us know what you find!
Old 02-17-20, 03:09 PM
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Great advise

Big thanks I will try exactly that!!👍
the lights do work and flash. Like you say you can see under the hood/bonnet. The pop up button on the dash doesn’t do anything either. It was weird for a few days they worked then didn’t, this went on for a week now they don’t work at all. I will try what you suggested. I have tested the relay and even changed it. But there is no retractor relay like in other rx7s. I dropped some pics in another post I’ll do the same here. The relay I tested was blue but the retractor relay is a black one there is a space but you can see it’s never been in use as it’s blanked.
I was thinking its the motors but both going at the same time? Seems odd.
Old 02-17-20, 03:27 PM
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Jamie,

Roger. flash-to-pass, headlights, and high beams work. Only the retractor function does not work. Following the BEM and my suggestion are your next logical steps.

Before we continue further, what do you mean - your car does not have a retractor relay? Then how did the headlights pop up and down? To be certain, are the relays properly labeled on the relay cover panel? How much electrical modifications were done to your car over the years? Could there be something to affect the headlight function? Was your lighting system bypassed or modified?

Additionally, do a visual inspection on the connectors inside the engine bay or anything that could be exposed to high humidity. Look for corrosion on/in-between the terminals of each connector you remove. If there is anything other than shiny copper/brass/silver contacts then that may be a problem to address. Clean with electrical contact cleaner.
Old 02-17-20, 03:52 PM
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Retractor relay

Yes I am asking the same questions completely
miffed on that. I would say the car was completely stock when I bought her. With nothing to suggest any by passes. Check out attached pics.
your correct on the next logical steps and your advise is invaluable so thanks for that.
I may have to employ the services of a real auto electrician as I want it done correct.
check out pics
and thanks
Jamie


Old 02-17-20, 11:27 PM
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On Rhd cars the retractor relay is in the foot well of the driver side Remove the panel by the gaz pedal on the right side by the door , and you’ll find it hanging there.

It says : Retra Relay on it
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Old 02-18-20, 06:47 AM
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Awesome!!! thanks

Your sir are a legend!!!
thanks so much I will try that when I am back Friday.

jamie
Old 02-18-20, 07:50 AM
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@7krayziboi,

Thank you for sharing that pearl of wisdom! I wonder why it was placed there instead of the relay panel.
Old 02-19-20, 12:54 PM
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Another culprit of the pop ups not working is the grease inside the retractor motors. I had one that wouldn't pop up or down, but lit up fine, relay was fine, CPU 2 was fine. Opened up the motor (round part of the assembly) and cleaned up the grease that was everywhere. Put it back together and TADA worked perfectly. The contacts just get covered sometimes.

Interesting note about the RHD retra relay!
Old 02-19-20, 12:58 PM
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Wouldn't that affect only one of the 2 units?
Old 02-19-20, 01:37 PM
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Originally Posted by Gen2n3
Wouldn't that affect only one of the 2 units?
Yeah, but both of his may be all greasy. Figure it's worth a check if CPU 2 isn't the culprit.
Old 02-19-20, 02:05 PM
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I like where your head is, b3delta. That could be a possibility but to have both headlights suddenly stop moving up and down would indicate an electrical control problem.

Since we now know where the headlight relay is located on a JDM car, I suspect that should be the 1st thing to check. Naturally, the troubleshooting matrix in the BEM will be a big help to find the fault.

I'm curious to hear about Jay8789's initial findings.
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Old 02-19-20, 03:52 PM
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I am on it Friday

Friday I’ll test the relay on mine next to foot well. Love the post people putting up, loads of knowledge kicking around thanks all.
will keep you posted over weekend
thanks all
Jamie
Old 02-20-20, 10:12 PM
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Originally Posted by Jay8789
Your sir are a legend!!!
thanks so much I will try that when I am back Friday.

jamie
dude that’s too much props , just tryin to help,
im not sure myself if its for both headlight

Originally Posted by Gen2n3
@7krayziboi,

Thank you for sharing that pearl of wisdom! I wonder why it was placed there instead of the relay panel.
I have been looking for the electrical wiring diagram for 92~95 RHD cars, “8Bit ECU” but I haven’t been lucky so far on internet.

i was thinking on picking one up at Mazda Japan if I was lucky on vacation.


Originally Posted by Gen2n3
Wouldn't that affect only one of the 2 units?
Well I wonder myself about that , I have a Rhd friend with headlight problem too, he hasn’t fixed it yet.

the true saviour will be the one posting the 92~93 RHD headlight wiring diagram

But it makes me think , the later model (96-02) Rx7 wiring diagram are available in other English countries, I wonder if it could tell roughly where the wires for the headlights are going...
instead of hunting..
Old 02-24-20, 01:28 PM
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Getting back on topic, @Jay8789, were you able to find the problem to your pop-up headlights?
Old 02-24-20, 01:49 PM
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Update

Ok so I found said relay and yes it was in the footwell next to Excelerator pedal.
i have become quite the auto electrician with my new volt meter and a ton of YouTube vids on how to!
I tested the relay and it’s shot! So I’ve bought a second hand one of eBay should be here this week. I’ll test it first then install and will feedback.
I will say it was dead easy to get to and easy to get out. And I also notice the last owner done some hacking at the wiring. 🧐🧐🧐🧐 not sure why.
ill keep you posted this week.
cheers all
Jamie
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Old 02-24-20, 01:52 PM
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Jamie,

Well done, sir! Let us know how the new relay solves your problem.
Old 02-27-20, 02:10 PM
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Another update!!

Ok so fitted the new/second hand relay today!
.......................**** no joy! Nothing still the same gutted hoped this would work. I love my pop ups and I am not changing but need to find the problem. It can’t be the motors as they failed at exactly the same time. Chances of them failing like that are slim.
Any other help would be amazing. Oh by the way the relay is different to a normal relay it’s a control box with a relay in it! So really hard to bench test.
keep the ideas coming please.

on a positive note I just fitted a full BRAND new set of TEIN coilovers today. 😱😱😱😱

thanks all
Jamie
Old 02-27-20, 02:16 PM
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Jamie,

Congrats on the new coil overs!

Have you followed the BEM troubleshooting matrix? Could you post some photos of the old relay and the new one?

How did you test the old relay and did you test the new one (before installation)?


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