'Simple' auto electrical question

Norm, all I can suggest is that the supply line you've tapped into, isn't. There should be a power wire. The other wire is actually an earth wire that goes to the door switch. When the int. light is set to turn on if a door is open, that wire going to the door switch will be live (the door switch makes the circuit by earthing). It's a bit like your car horn. There is power always to the horn and when you press the horn on the steering wheel all you are doing is completing the circuit by giving it an earth. Hope you don't lose too much sleep over this and, by the way, you've done a good job with the console. Rus.

There are two wires that go to the dome light. One wire is a constant 12V supply via a fuse in the dash fuse box (which can also be used for map lights), the other is the door operated light wire. The negative is provided by the mounting screws. The "door light" wire goes to negative when a door is opened.
Somehow, you have connected the "door light" wire permanently to ground/negative which turns on the light, this also "informs" the central locking device that a door is open hence no remote locking...

Make sure you haven't somehow driven a screw through the wires under the roof lining..
Regards,
Michael.

Thanks Rus and Michael, suspect you are right. I'll see if I can sort it out tomorrow.

Norm - please read response to your suspension question by owenia

VERY URGENT...

Pulled the console out and rewired based on your advice, Rus and Michael. Ran new earths back to my aluminium mounting brackets (which join to body) for both the dome and map lights.

Works a treat, including the central locking.

Would probably have worked it out eventually, but would have taken a lot longer and the neighbours would have heard a lot of swearing.

Thanks again for the help.

Norm C

G'day Russ Mary and Norm. Thanks for doing some fishing for Norm for me.

Glad you 'got mail' Norm. also emailed the exploroz crew. poor folks.

It is VERY disappointing to hear that your clutch is BUGGERed.

I am a former driving instructor with advanced driving training through the Office of Road Safety in Tasmania. I do not abuse clutches. Toyota have not advised exactly how to treat a clutch other than what i stated on my previous post regarding the technicians apparent approval of the way I drove the car in his presence. Simply put...it is important to say that it is obvious that you can burn out a clutch at 5000 kms...not just 11000 kms as yours is. Be wary of this fact when dealing with Toyota. My technician advisor suggested that Toyota may be using a smaller diameter plate and that as a matter of course, the plate may not be able to hack it...but you didn't didn't hear that over the internet.

One thing I should mention about towing...always IMAGINE that heavy duty clutches are supposed to do the towing that normal clutches supplied with medium sized utility 4by's are not supposed to do.

This is why you may not hear of too many probs with larger capacity engined vehicles with towing...although, the vast amount of chatter on the internet indicates that I may possibly have missed seeing the FACTS.

Nonetheless, ask Toyota and see if they are prepared to put their money where their mouth is and state what the Lux should be able to tow and what type of hill it should not be able to cope with...especially with something being towed that is at least half the weight of the Lux itself. I suppose the next logical question would be what the 'specs' are - in relation to suspension. Remember my NRMA acceptance statement.

Look, don't worry so much about the 4by business and their modifications as, it would seem as though they have agreed with Toyota what the 'specs' are and that most Lux' are able to deal cope with mods of the suspension type.

I will say this though. There is one qualification...the height of the front of suspension of mine lift appears to be in question. They stated that I should give the original fitter a go at fixing it. Before bringing it to them. I will do that.

At this point, I will simply state that someone who is well positioned and equipped to make that comment has helped me today to assess a possible outcome...at about 11:30 am in St Peters, Sydney. You could probably work out who that might be if you're as internet savvy as I suspect you are. I will protect this person as, they graciously gave me a free inspection and test drive around the block to assess the 'vibration'. It seems as though the engine feel was " LUMPY " . Now since Toyota have stated that the vibration DOES in fact exist, the gracious technician and Toyota agree.

Therein lies the prob that I now face. I will take the Lux back to ARB 'Gong on Monday and they have said to me over the blower that they will check it out.

HERE IS THE GOOD NEWS FOR ARB CUSTOMERS... if you purchase such suspension as OME from them, they will fight tooth and nail to protect the reputation of the publicly listed company of ARB and help in anyway they can. It almost seems to me that Toyota have therefore made a tactical marketing error by suggesting in their advertisements that the vehicle is appropriately IMMUNE to such FAILURES as slipping clutches etc. Ah well...that's my silly interpretation of their ads on TV anyway...there is however, a section in the Trade Practices Act (Section 71 I believe) that refers to the inferences/suggestions that some 'communications' may create...in spite of the cunning of the message broadcast. So, be very sure that the dealer of the suspension has WELL AND TRULLY confirmed the LEGALITY of the 'specs' they use when 'lifting' the Lux.

One more thing. The Toyota senior technician seemed to imply that I was the first to report such a phenomena. If I am therefore the first, the obvious inference is...I'm a nutter. I know EXACTLY what the three Lux's I've driven feel like and can emphatically state that the vibration WAS NOT there after the '4by mod business' modifications. It was DEFINITELY there after Toyota's mods and manifestly worse after they gave the truck back to me last frydee.

Norm, let the techy's do there thing and make sure you obtain the 'specs'

many regards,
dave

owenia, a native rainforest tree with a grain better than red cedar.

Norm... and more pics of your console ?.. how you made it ? materials ? size ? how did it 'screw' to inside of roof ?.. looking at putting one in the frontera... thanks..
mozza.