[kenneth]

i must be honest. i do not know what the diy dashboard test is.

n the dashboard lights i have had the skid control on for i cannot remember how long. but then the current problematic functions did not have a problem.

what i have found:
i suspect a loose connection somewhere. sometimes when i drive the radio works or the lcd screen is on. i also had a relay clicking under the cubbyhole. a blue box labbeled antenna relay.
(i am not sure how to copy the foto into the forum message.)

i just do not know where to start tracing wires or which one. maybe at the back of the relay box would be the best, ne?

[kenneth]

please, how does the diy dashboard test work?

i have had intermitten operation but most of the time it is not working.

i often hear the antenna relay under the cubbyhole clicking.

probably a loose connection. probably need to trace it from unit to unit. time. time is always the hassle.

[kenneth]

and the starter broke. motor coil and solenoid.
where would you go for a starter?
the first starter i got was delivered and raai raai, it had an offset
and could not fit into the space available. waiting for the next one now.

coincidence? in any way related to accesory problem? i don't know.
time to look for the problem is the problem.

[kenneth]

so i put the new starter in and it started like a dream.
until the battery was flat...
so then it was the alternator that was faulty.
got the vehicle back on friday. so far so good.

but is everything related, or am i just getting my turn?
why all of this in quick succesion? did it start by the original problem of losing accesories?

i do not know. not a pleasant place to be. if it is related to the original problem then the new starter and alternator will pack up again.

[Roelf_le_Roux]

Kenneth,

If I may recap your predicament the way I see it:
1) initially the lcd display warned of abnormal voltage
2) this was followed by various (and unrelated) electric components failing.
3) eventually the starter motor failed as well, which had to be replaced out of necessity.
4) a flat battery made you repair/replace the alternator.
5) you don't specify, but I assume your long list of failed accessories are still dead.

Was the voltage of the failed alternator checked?
Is it possible that voltage spikes and drops could have ruined your electric accessories?
Have you checked for damage to the electric harness by mice or any other outside element?

[kenneth]

hi Roelf
thanks for the response.

on points 1-5, that is about correct.
on point 2. i cannot say definite, but it seems that all the accessories that failed are on the same circuit. fed from a specific fuse. the fuse is fine. so you are right it is unrelated stuff like cabin lights, sunroof and radio, but a common point is the circuit.

on point 4 it was the flat battery that caught my attention and tested the alternator in the process.
the alternator did not supply voltage. the battery was on 11.5V and after starting stayed there. (rev to excite did not change it. do alternators still need revs to excite?)
no dashboard light to indicate charging problem.

point 5. that is correct.

the battery: i have a very good charger that can recondition and bulk charge and trickle charge and charge rate and all kinds of stuff. i charged the battery with that. i did not do a load test myself, but the business that did the alternator for me did.



and since teusday the new alternator is also not charging. it could be earlier, but that is when i noticed the cranking to be sluggish.

Was the voltage of the failed alternator checked? yes.
Is it possible that voltage spikes and drops could have ruined your electric accessories? good Q, i do not know.
Have you checked for damage to the electric harness by mice or any other outside element? no i have not.

[kenneth]

Is it possible that voltage spikes and drops could have ruined your electric accessories? good Q, i do not know.

maybe not. the accessory problem has been since end october. starter and alternator failed in december. that seems like a long interval for the alternator to have caused the accessory problem before it becoming u/s.

[Roelf_le_Roux]

Have you actually swapped out the "problem" fuse with a different one. I have seen fuses that appear fine, but then aren't.

I strongly recommend you check the harness for damage. If the fuse really is fine and if a new alternator doesn't get charge to the battery, then it seems more likely that you are faced with damage to the harness.

That was exactly my symptoms a decade ago on a 2003 DiD. Vermin got into the wiring while it was at a panel beater. Car was still under warranty, but when Mitsubishi replaced the alternator they found the damaged wires.

Good luck, these gremlins can be a real headache to solve.

[kenneth]

hi
no i have not. but shall do so.

ok. harness inspection it is then.

thanks for everyones input.

Cats, how does the diy dashboard test work?

[kenneth]

i have been charging the pajero every second to third day since december. still cannot find the fault. i have removed the cubby, and side panel on passenger side, the side panel on the drivers side to get to the connections and wiring. removed plugs and sprayed contact cleaner. checked that the wires are secure and nothing is burnt/damaged.
i loosened the engine fuse box. opened and traced the loom/harness from the fuse box to the connections by the cubby.wiring is not damaged.
i opened and traced the loom/harness from the alternator to the engine fuse box. nothing damaged there.
then i noticed that the some of the dashboard lights are on all the time. very weak, in the day you cannot see it. if i understand correctly it is a bad earth. (some ideas would be welcome wrt this.) i removed the main earth from the battery to the body to the engine and used mortar cleaner where the brackets are crimped to make sure it is clean inside the connection.
also removed and cleaned the negative by the driver fuse box.
could not get the screw loose for the earth by the passenger earth, so sprayed it with loads of contact cleaner and checked that the wires are secure.

then the auto gear box started losing gears. thanks to https://www.pajeroclub.co.za/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2115 for the info. i replaced the oil filter and oil but it did not change anything.
took it to gearbox klinique in boksburg south. replaced some solenoids
and now gears are operating again.
got it back yesterday and now the hunt for the electrical problem begins again.
somewhere before it went in for the gearbox the dashboard lights that were so weak were quite bright.