strange one ? (1 Viewer)

[Figaro]

Over the past 6-9 months, sometimes when I turn off the engine and remove the ignition key, the side lights will come on on their own. Light switch in off position and stalk untouched.
This used to catch me out and I'd only notice when outside the vehicle but I always look now for the green indicator light on dash. Putting key back in ignition turns them off
Not a big problem but just concerned it may be a sign of something failing.
It's a 2003 Hymer on ducato 2.8 jtg and in all other respects runs fine.

 

[andy63]

Hi. Have you left them on ,to see if they turn off after a certain time has lapsed,,say 5 or 10 min... It takes time for things to shut down on a modern vehicle.... and I'm not trying to imply what's happening is right but it may be a glitch say of activation of parking lights which is activating when it shouldn't. ..
Such things usually mean a trip to the dealers or sometimes,, say after a battery disconnect they just go away...
Ta andy.

 

[Figaro]

Hi Andy, no I've never left them on but I will next time it happens. I'd guess 15 minutes should be long enough for everything to shut down ?
I wonder if it's worth disconnecting the battery for half an hour then reconnect.
Like I said it's never been a big problem, just an annoying mystery.

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[Tootles]

My old Hymer has a separate button that brings on the sidelights when the ignition is off, should I so desire it...........Has yours?? Ignition off, green light comes on the dash.

 

[DP+JAY]

Does yours have the little button(part of the ignition switch) which you can press as you turn the ignition off maybe?

 

[andy63]

Hi Andy, no I've never left them on but I will next time it happens. I'd guess 15 minutes should be long enough for everything to shut down ?
I wonder if it's worth disconnecting the battery for half an hour then reconnect.
Like I said it's never been a big problem, just an annoying mystery.

Well I know it takes my transit around 7 min. .. If I sit quietly I can hear the relay click..
I can get away with disconnecting my batteries and everything fires up ok after a reconnection but it's not always the case ...but you have to find out sometime so I bit the bullet and got lucky lol.
Maybe check with dealer to see if they think it would cause a problem..
Good luck.
Andy

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[Figaro]

@Tootles & @dp Jay I've no idea but ill have a look later. Not aware of that button !

 

[Al-Di]

the button is to release the key,

 

[Minxy]

... perhaps it's haunted .....

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[RandallC]

Think the button allows the key to turn into the park position so that things like the parking lights work and maybe the radio, when the key is removed.

This arrangement was on an old punto and occasionally caught us out ending up with a flat battery.

Such an arrangement would tie up with the explanation as the key may not have always been put in the park position.

Who knows!

 

[Badknee]

Angela's Picasso takes ages to shut down, there's fans, whines and clicking going on for about five minutes. I thought the radiator cooling fans were running but it's not them, there's another somewhere. No lights though.

 

[DP+JAY]

On some models pressing the button when removing the key was the only way to put the side/parking lights on without the ignition on.
Used to catch MoT testers out when it was first introduced.

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[DP+JAY]

@Tootles & @dp Jay I've no idea but ill have a look later. Not aware of that button !

Have you resolved your problem?

 

[Figaro]

No I haven`t but I have a photo of the ignition. I don`t think there is a button to press

 

[RandallC]

The button is the black bit and the switch clearly shows a park position which is only accessed by pressing the switch and turning the key an extra click.

If fingers kept well away from the black bit you will find the key only turns to the stop position.

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[movan]

Figaro, sorry if this sounds stupid but do you have a panel which shows whether the battery is using a small amount of power? If it is then I know the short period of time the side lights are on may not seem to be a problem but even when they go off, if there is a problem they could be using power.

I had a small fault where something appeared to go off, not going into it now as there was a huge thread on it, and my battery was flat as a pancake when I went to collect it after a few weeks and I didn't know why as it was a good battery.

 

[mustaphapint]

I couldn't work out how to put the parking lights on mine (Fiat 2.8) until I read this. The button shown above allows the key to turn one extra click anti-clockwise and puts the parking lights on.

 

[DP+JAY]

No I haven`t but I have a photo of the ignition. I don`t think there is a button to press

Yes you clearly have "the button"! Just a slightly different button.
The darker coloured section @ the 5.30 position.

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[Figaro]

Ok, so what does it do, could it cause the side lights to come on ?
I can have a look in the manual tomorrow but maybe you know ?
TIA
Chris