My wife called me at work this morning to tell me that the battery in our 99 Diamante was dead. She borrowed some cables from the neighbor and jumped the car. All appeared fine. I got off work and met her for lunch. When we were leaving, I noticed that the parking lights were on as I walked up to the car. I called her to get her attention to tell her that the lights were on, and when I looked back down, the lights turned off as I watched. The car was off at the time. She confirmed that she too saw it. I got in, and approximately every second, I could hear a very distinct click, like the click of a turn signal relay. The signal indicators weren't flashing on the dashboard, but I reached over and pushed the hazard light button, just to see. The emergency flashers started immediately, the indicators on the dash flashed, and I could hear the flasher clicking like normal, but I could still hear the original "click" at it's original pace, along with the faster pace of the flasher relay. I turned the hazards off and started the car. The clicking continued. As I drov home, it would click, and the clock and radio face would dim. It would click again, and they would get brighter, as if I was turning the lights on and off. I turned just the parking lights on, the first position on the switch. The clicking continued at the same pace. I turned the headlights on and the clicking changed it's pace. Now, it would click twice really fast, pause a second or two, and then click twice again really fast. The dashboard lights stayed dim, but for the brief moment between the two really fast clicks. When I got home, I jumped put of the car with the plan of pulling the fuses and replacing them until it stopped clicking, thinking I would replace the fuse when I need to drive the car, but at least the battery wouldn't die. The lights were on when I got to the back of the car, and then they shut off and stayed off. The clicking went away too. It would figure. I got in the car, and turned the light switch on and off. There was no clicking, but the clock and the radio dimmed like I expected. I disconnected the battery to prevent it from being drained. So after all this typing, I'll finally get to my questions. Could one of you go out and turn your lights on and off and listen for a relay to click? I don't remember if it is normal or not. Second, any of you have any idea at all what might be causing this? I would like to fix it if I can. Third, there is like six different fuses in the fuse box with a picture of a light above it. Which one is for the parking lights? Thanks, John

 

hmm, two places to start looking... first is the "auto lights sensor" this maybe faulty (or just getting covered with something that has slipped down the dashboard)

second would be a faulty relay (shorting intermittantly) there are several of these trelays under the passengers side of the dash and glovebox (may also be on drivers side under dash. I highly recommend downloading the workshop manual online (approx USD $20.00)

this will prove excellent value, even if its only used to fix this issue

snoops

 

Snoops, thanks for the reply. I wasn't even aware that the car had automatic lights, or a light sensor. I will look into that. I think you are on to something in regards to the relay, there is the distinct click of an intermittant relay, like a turn signal relay, behind the dash somewhere on the driver's side. A member on another forum suggested looking into the alarm system. Are you aware of a way to permantly disable it? I will look into the manual, but in reality, I think we're going to trade this thing in. It's been nothing but problem after problem since the week we got it. I really don't want a car payment, but with all the problems it's given us, coupled with the fact that we've only owned it since September, the chance of selling it for what I have into it is slim to none.

 

unfortunately mine never came with factory alarms, so i cant help there... your indicator stalk should have an 'auto' setting for headlights, this then links in the sensor somewhere around the top middle of the dashboard which is why i suggesting checking your dash for something covering the sensor, a semi-transparent covering will dim the light enough to fool the car into thinking it is dusk and having the park lights turn on. there are 8-10 relays under the dash, running everything from heater/ac to lights and without specific model numbers i cant really tell which one it might be... you could try the old method of placing a screwdriver against each relay, and placing the handle end against your ear... then you can tell exactly which relay is 'clicking'... then replace that relay, but if the issue is elsewhere then replacing a relay is just cost... mine developed an issue with the airbag, in that the light wouldnt turn off... after spending $300 it turned out the issue was corrosion around the bulb in the instrument cluster...frustrating lol. (assuming my manual covers your year) all i can say is, once these vehicles are running properly they are excellent cars... mine gets better fuel economy than a lot of the so-called economic 'shopping trolley's' which in itself is excellent as the 'd' weighs in at nearly 2000kg's.

 

Well, I looked in the owners manual for something on automatic lights and can't find anything. I don't see anything on the stalk for automatic lights either. I also spoke with the previous owner who says he knows nothing about there being automatic lights. The clicking and flashing lights happened again today. I couldn't pull over in traffic to try to hunt the relay down. I did notice that when I applied the brakes, the rate of the clicking sped up. When I lifted off the brakes it slowed back down once and stopped the next time. When I got home, I did a little investigating. The clicking had stopped by then, so I couldn't find which relay was clicking. The last time it happened, I thought it might be the hazzards flashing so I turned them on. The hazzard flasher had a different speed. I could tell it wasn't the same relay clicking. I determined today which relay is the turn signal relay, it's the same one as the hazzard flasher. There are two, maybe three, other relays in the same spot just behind the dash where the fuse panel is. Any idea what they might be?

 

its cool, the auto headlights was an if/maybe anyway... the indicator stalk is clearly marked "Auto" as the next 'click' rotating from off->park->Dipped (Low beam) or (on). if your (vehicle) is not equipped, so much the better... we have fixed the first potential issue...

1st. A question... when the car is mot moving, ignition turned on...can you create the problem by bouncing the car?

assuming after some lengthy testing... including 'bouncing' that no park light activations can be "created" without being behind the wheel, jump in and start tapping with 2 fingers on the stalk... see if that creates an activation (maybe dirt in the stalk... corrosion/oxidation due A/C conditions)

run through any kind of other static testing you can... physically check bulbs and waterproof seals and the main headlight relays (under bonnet fuzebox)

as for the other relays, unfortunately my manual does not have a positioning schematic, but I did discover one relay is for the Heater blower/Air con/ and Climate control (Due the fact mine stopped working in summer, and trial and error discovered a relay I didnt need in my project "D"...and it started working again) the other... posibly wiper-motor controls... maybe a fog/driving light relay? dunno, wait till you have to pull them out

Snoops

 

So, I haven't tried bouncing the car, but the problem did show up yesterday. While the clicking was going on, I tried locking and unlocking the doors, among other things. When I locked the doors, it seemed to restart the clicking for a lack of better words. It would click at a steady pattern then the pattern would sort of jump and restart at the same pace but on different timing. Like if it was music, they'd say the it went from the downbeat to the upbeat. I can't describe it better. I did reach under the dashboard and upon hitting the relay closest to me and closest to the ground, it immediately let out a louder click and stopped. Not absolutely sure if it's related or a coincidence.

 

the doors affecting the clicking is prob just due to voltage drop across the battery by engaging the door central locking mechanisims. the hitting of the relay sounds like a better tree to try barking up

for the cost of a relay, i think probably worth it

the wiring diagrams show no link between any other relay or computer (and the D has 7 computers) and the indicator relay

Snoops

 

Just so I know that we're on the same page, when I turn the indicators or the hazzards on, the relay FURTHEST from me, closest to the ground is activated. I can feel it working with my hand. The relay that I hit when I last heard the clicking was the one directly in front of the indicator relay. Closest to floorboard and CLOSEST to me.