Morris Minor Owners Club

hi we have just finished respraying a 1967 morris and are now currently re assembling it however today the front and rear side lights have decided to stop working so has the dash board light but the headlights and indicators work they worked fine yesterday the only thing is, i can say is that when i was refitting the steering wheel the nut dropped on to the horn part of the steering collum witched caused the horn to go off and some sparks could that be a reason, the fuses haven't blown they're fine, the car starts, also wipers work.
any help is really needed
cheers

Check for a wire pulled off the back of the lights switch - or a wire pulled out of the mass of connectors down at the steering column.

i don't think it is a pulled wire from the swich as it hasn't been touched however i will check to be sure these connetors do yiou mean the indicator stalk or are they further down

Check the in-line fuse rather than those in the fuse box. There should be a white plastic holder just below the main wiring harness close to the control box and fuse box on the bulkhead. The function of that fuses is to protect the sidelight circuit. Could easily have blown if you touched wires to earth with the switch on. If it keeps blowing then check your wiring for a short circuit.

simmitc wrote:Check the in-line fuse rather than those in the fuse box. There should be a white plastic holder just below the main wiring harness close to the control box and fuse box on the bulkhead. The function of that fuses is to protect the sidelight circuit. Could easily have blown if you touched wires to earth with the switch on. If it keeps blowing then check your wiring for a short circuit.

thanks for you reply but the only thing that is below the control box and fuse box it the fresh air pipe and the flasher relay

got sidelights to work just a wire had fallen off behind the switch however now have the problem of when you turn the headlights on the sidelights go out as stater in the first posting so back to square one really tell you hat these morrises keep you busy any ideas?

Hi gentman,

I had the same problem with the side lamps going out when you switch the headlights. In my case it was the switch, a new light switch repaired this right away. but do check obviously all earth connections as well.

There are several different connections on the switch - you have plugged the wire on the wrong connection. Try again ! There's nothing wrong with the switch -they are just used for many different applications and have several different functions built in. You can for example wire the front 'side' lights as you have done - going off when headlights come on, and still have the rear lights on in both positions. Risk with that is - if a headlight fails you now only have a light on one side of the car and can be mistaken for a motorcycle! So really - it's not worth it.

Check the wiring diagram page N44 BMC Minor workshop manual .
Feed. Brown / Blue Term. 4
Side / tail lights. Red / Green Term. 1
Headlights. Blue (thick) Term. 8

Not easy to see the numbers unless you take the switch out. If doing so - disconnect the battery first!