Car Broken Into, Cannot Turn Off Headlights.

[slimeskul]

I’m hoping General Discussion is the right are for this, as it covers a few different areas.

Someone broke into my sisters 1992 2.0l Frontera Sport. They damaged the O/S door locks & ripped off the ignition barrel. The car can now be started just by turning what’s left of the ignition assembly with a screwdriver.
I’m currently in the process of finding a (cheap) ignition assembly but what worries me is that the headlights are constantly on, even when the car is not running & is obviously draining the battery, which I have had to disconnect. I guess something must have been damaged when the thieving sods damaged the ignition assembly/barrel.

My question is, does anyone know what might be causing the lights to be constantly on? When I press the “headlight on” button, it doesn’t make a difference as the lights are on, but does turning it off does nothing. Brights work, they go on & off. I have a bad feeling it might have to be an electrical engineer job, but just hoping someone might have some “bright” ideas on an easy & inexpensive fix.

Also, the sunroof leaks, gonna try a bit of Vaseline on the seal is there anything else anyone may suggest or have a spare seal for sale? And possibly a driver side lock & ignition assembly with the appropriate keys for sale? Cheapest I can find is £80+……

Cheers,
slime

[Drift]

The main beam in the cowling near the barrel could be damged and shorting together keeping the main beam lit.
Im no expert in auto electrics but as faw as I am awere the main beam overides the light switch.

£80 seems a bit expensive ??????

[FUDDY MUCKER]

I got a full set of locks, which includes both doors, rear door and ignition barrel.

Give me a PM.

[Ruathar]

I would go with Drift and say it is more than likely to be the wiring in the stearing column that is damaged. Is fairly common in theft and attempted theft to need to rewire the column or at least do some repairs.

You may be lucky and it may just be damage to the barrel causing switching problems, try removing the ignition barrel completely and see if the headlights stay on?

[outergods]

i would guess the column switch is damaged. there is an override in the column switch for the lights so that they can be flashed when the head lights are off.

Follow the wire bundle down the column to a large block connector and disconnect it, if they go off, thats your problem. just make sure you follow the switch wires and not the ignition wires, they are separate.

The switch is easy to replace. Steering wheel off, column plastics off, 2 screws out and unplug it. refitting is the reverse.

Hope thta helps and hope it sorts it.

Matt

[slimeskul]

Ok, long delay in update, too long & boring to explain so please accept my apologies.

Right, I've taken off the steering wheel, removed the plastic cowling & the damage has been done to the ignition assembly & also to the circuit board for the headlight.

So I figured it be easier to replace the whole assembly.
Went down the breaker & can't find an identical one, plus it seems that the bolts to take it off are some special ones which I think I might have to drill off (But really hope I dont) see pic 1, blue square. The red square is the part the sods snapped off so the metal part needs to be replaces.

The 2nd pic has the circuit board that is broken which I figure has messed up the lights.

I hoping someone has the entire assembly which I can just resolder onto my sisters Frontera once having removed this broken one.

Also, the last picture is of the sunroof where is seems to leak. The car is parked at a bit of an angle so I think the water pools in the corner there in the gap. Is that gap supposed to be there? The local garage (Cardiff) wants to charge £300 for a "water test"........

Cheers,
David

[Trugga]

The blue square shows a security type "snap bolt" - the hex head will have snapped off when the bolt reached the correct tightness. You can see another bolt in the same picture that I guess has been replaced at some time.

It should be possible to undo the bolt by tapping it round with a hammer and chisel (carefully) and then replace it with a normal bolt (and spring washer)

Looks like you need a new ignitian switch assembly and switch stalk - scrap yard or a shout out in the FOG wanted section.

Lawrence

[Stonker]

Have Frontera's got parking lights? normally if you switch the lights off after the ignition, they stay on as parking lights. Well thay have in other cars anyway!
Could this be something to do with the ignition?

As for the sunroof, I have the same problem. I think I'll need a new seal from Vauxhall.

[Red Oktober]

as far as i know none of the frontera's have parking lights

[Stonker]

That eliminates that then!