Peugeot 406 Electrical Problems

[JohnM20]

Hi All

Has anyone else experienced the following electrical problems with a Peugeot and have they cured them ?

The first is electrical leakage which I have now found, (thanks to Alan back in March), to be caused by the radio. I have had to resort to taking out the fuse for the audio system. By doing this it stops the battery going flat in about 4 or 5 days. Any ideas how I can find exactly where the power is leaking from or how to cure the problem ?

The second is electric door mirrors that move around every time I switch on the ignition. They never end up in the correct programmed place and need to be repositioned every time. (The seat positioning which is interlinked with the mirrors isn't affected).

Any help with these problems will be greatly appreciated to correct what has otherwise been an exceptional towcar.

Thanks in anticiptaion.

John M

 

[rob_jax]

Hi John,

A French car with electrical gremlins? Surely not.

The radio causing the battery to go flat in 4 or 5 days implies a continuous current leak of around 1 amp or more - and that's at least 50 times the current needed to retain the station memories in the radio.

You're going to need a digital meter, with a 0 - 200 mA and a 0 - 10 Amp (or higher) current ranges - and insert the meter in wires as you trace the current flow. I don't envy you the task, you'll only be able to insert the meter at natural cable joints...

But - the radio could be faulty, or you could have another circuit also powered by the radio fuse - like a glove box lamp that is on all the time...

The mirrors moving around - I'm assuming this is an "Executive" model with memory seats and mirrors - and they are not resetting correctly.

Check all the body "earth" points, the battery voltage, and the connectors to all electronic modules (corrosion causing high electrical resistance) - but you could just have a fault in the computer unit...

Robert

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello John.

My daughter had a similar problem on her Peugeot 106, after the radio had been changed for a Sony model. All modern car radios with digital readouts need two power supplies. One permanent low power one to allow the radio to keep its channel memory, and a switched higher power one (Usually via the ignition auxiliary circuit) to provide the real power to produce sound.

On checking with a meter I found that the Peugeot wiring had the two power supplies switched round. This kept the high power circuit live and as you describe it flattened the battery after a couple of days standing.

Fortunately The wiring harness adaptor that came with the Sony radio had a bullet connector in each of the power lines, and so simply by swapping the bullets over the problem was solved. Un fortunately unless your wiring harness adaptor has the same facility it means cutting and rejoining wires, which must be done with caution, to ensure there is no possibility the wires can short out to the chassis of the vehicle.

If you are in any doubt it is best to refer the job to a car electrician.