Dear fellow enthusiasts,

I'm facing an electrical issue with my 323BF that I can't explain. Almost simultaneously, the Illuminated Entry System, Lights Reminder Warning, digital clock (though it remains illuminated), and aftermarket radio have all failed. These systems are on separate circuits with their own fuses and relays, and no recent repairs have been done that could have affected the wiring. I've visually inspected the wiring for the ignition switch, radio, and fuses/relays for each circuit, but found nothing out of place. Does anyone have insights into a common issue that could affect these circuits?

Many thanks!

 

I would start by checking all of the grounding (earth) points on the electrical wiring harnesses. If you have any rusty sheet metal, or rusty frame bits under the vehicle, check any grounds around those areas first. Let us know if you find anything.

 

Thanks. Your suggestion makes a lot of sense. I suppose there is no easy way to identify the location of potentially suspicious earth points? I have the electrical diagrams for the car.

 

Yes it's real easy if your have a multimeter and know how to use it. Turn on the bad circuit then with the meter on volts (or millivolts) put the probes on the battery negative and the suspect earth connection points. Any more than 0.2 volts it needs cleaning. You can do the same on the positive side but allow up to 0.5 volts due to the number of electrical connections involved. If the voltage drop is high the connection point may get warm to touch. In a high current circuit it can get hot enough to give you a nasty burn so do it with caution.