Dash warning lights stay on after key is removed and stay on.

[BDG]

Hi
After a week of standing my 2018 California started fine but loads of warning lights. When switching off and removing the key the warning lights stayed on ( together with front side lights) even when the door was locked. Had to disconnect the battery. Recharged the battery and same again.
Any advice or experience welcome
Thanks Brian.

 

[Deaky]

Faulty barrel switch

 

[Dav-Tec]

Faulty barrel switch

Agree definitely start there

 

[BDG]

Thanks. Will try changing the barrel switch. Do I need to take the steering wheel off? If so any tricks to doing that?

 

[BDG]

Steering wheel off and ignition switch out thanks to good info on this forum.
Are the generic switches on eBay any good? Or best to stick to genuine parts?

 

[Dav-Tec]

We only ever fit genuine kit

 

[bucko1963]

Have you got two keys for your ignition? If you have try both,one of my keys causes this problem when the ignition barrel stays stuck inward !

 

[BDG]

So new barrel switch fitted. Really hoped that this would fix things but unfortunately not. When I start the car the dash goes blank all needles back to zero. No working headlights , taillights or indicators. Switch off and remove the key and the dash comes alive fuel gauge indicates fuel level and warning lights on.
If I disconnect the leisure battery under the passenger seat the dash and lights work when the engine is running but remain on when the key is removed. Tried spare keys but no difference.
Not sure what to do next. If I don’t disconnect the starter battery it just discharges until flat.
Any ideas welcome.

 

[roadtripper]

The leisure battery is interesting, it rather suggests that something around your second battery is putting a very high load on the electrics with the engine running and dragging the voltage down.

I'm wondering if whatever is doing that has also flash welded some of the other relays so the ignition is permanently live.

Might be worth trying to find an auto electrician that knows VWs.

 

[roadtripper]

If you have the stock second battery charging arrangement it might be worth taking out the charge relay under the passenger seat and see if that helps, hopefully if it does it's easier than disconnecting the battery itself.

Have you had any recent electrical work or other issues?

 

[BDG]

If you have the stock second battery charging arrangement it might be worth taking out the charge relay under the passenger seat and see if that helps, hopefully if it does it's easier than disconnecting the battery itself.

Have you had any recent electrical work or other issues?

Thanks for the reply. It is a standard California. Never had any work done to it and no accessories fitted.
Both batteries accept a charge and show good voltage. Do you have a relay position schematic or do you know where I can find it?

 

[roadtripper]

If yours is a T6 you should find a relay under the passenger seat marked 100 like in this post:

Help! No more electricity from the alternator? Or something else?

Hi! I'm stuck with my clients, fault on the car. I have a Caravelle T6 from 2016 July. I was driving last night when the red light came (battery logo on the dashboard). I used my bluetooth OBD to check : 12,2v when engine running, to 11,7 then I stopped the engine. I checked the voltage...

www.t6forum.com

Just to be clear this isn't a solution, it's a test to see if your dash stops going blank if you leave your leisure battery connected but prevent it from connecting to the starter battery.

 

[mmi]

It is a standard California.

Check this too - in California there are some differencies.

How to fit a DC-DC / battery-to-battery charger kit

This guide takes you step by step through fitting DC-DC charging kit for leisure batteries on factory California. Why fit this kit: VW are still installing their standard split charge relay on vehicles fitted with leisure batteries, however, the latest Bluemotion technology has a few...

www.t6forum.com

 

[BDG]

So going through everything again this morning I noticed that when the dash goes blank on start up if I open a door or lock and unlock the central locking on the drivers door switch, even popping the bonnet brings the dash alive again.
Is there a component or relay in the central locking that can fail or could it be the small dash info screen causing the problem ??
Any advice or direction welcome.