Bongo lights going on spontaneously.

[staples]

Before I set about tracing out the wiring, I thought I would just ask if any one else came across this bongo fault.
Noticed one evening that the bongo head lights were on when I hadn't used it that day. Sure enough, the headlight switch was off. As it was not a convenient time to start repairs, I just pulled the lighting fuse, intending to sort it later in daylight. Half an hour later my wife noticed the head lights were on again. (Both times only the headlights, not rear or side).
So then I disconnected the batteries to prevent them going flat, and to investigate at a later date.
Just in case it might save me some time, has anyone else come across this? Or maybe have some experience of bongo wiring that might give them a clue. I obviously will need to start with the headlights relay, if I can find which one it is, and then try and find out what is feeding it independent of switch and fuse. If anyone can tell me where to find the relay, it would be a good start. I work as an electrical engineer, so am fairly clued up in a general way, just not had much bongo specific experience.

[g8dhe]

Some Bongo's have a 3rd party headlight dimming/control unit added in Japan, I'm wondering if you have one of these fitted which has never been removed ?
Otherwise see the Wiring Manuals for details;

The next page on shows the location of the relays and other components.

[mikeWalsall]

Maybe the headlight relays contacts are sticking or welded together as the lights have a permanent live ..ie: they are not fed from the ignition switch ,,

Relay is on the N/S flitch .. giving it a sharp tap may free the contacts temporally ..

[mikeonb4c]

Maybe the headlight relays contacts are sticking or welded together as the lights have a permanent live ..ie: they are not fed from the ignition switch ,,

Relay is on the N/S flitch .. giving it a sharp tap may free the contacts temporally ..

My thoughts also.

[Bob]

Either that or its possesed.

[mikeWalsall]

Strange that the Japanese do not have ignition on live feeds ..

I was walking back to my motor one day and was surprised to see the brake lights going on & off ..

Hurried along to get there .. to find it was one of my Staffies trying to get comfortable while laying on the brake pedal ..!!

[staples]

Re my previous post w.r.t. bongo headlights being on spontaneously. Turned out the insides of the relays were rusted seriously, so tracking was taking place from live feed to relay coils, particularly when weather conditions were humid, (the copper salts in evidence being hygroscopic), and that was enough to pull them on! This was definitely caused by the immediate proximity of the lighting relays to the cooling fluid filler. So years of filling antifreeze into the expansion tank, combined with perishing of the rubber waterproofing covers on the relays had caused this. Immediately cured with new relays and a waterproof plastic sheet secured at the top to deflect any spillages away from the relays. Just added this in case its helpful to anyone else.

[mikeonb4c]

Very useful info, and noted