Hi all,

I noticed the other day after going to drive in the dark for the first time in a while that my instrument panel isn't lighting up any more, nor are most of my lamps coming on when I turn the dial to the dipped setting (the front right one is working but not the other front one nor the rear lights, also full beams working fine etc).

I suspect this could be related to me trying my hand at being an electronics whizz and following a guide to install a piggy back fuse for my new dash cam to try to hard wire it. However, I've since disconnected that, trying to put it all back how it was, and I'm still stuck with no lights on the dash nor that dipped headlight or two rear ones.

I tried taking the fuse out of the working front right headlamp (it stopped working - no surprise) and put this in the one labelled the left headlamp, but it still doesn't come on, so I'm thinking the fuses aren't blown and the problem lies elsewhere.

Another thing that might be useful to diagnose the problem - the dashcam was piggybacking into an always on fuse. The cable it came with apparently has some kind of smart device that knows when the battery is at a certain level, whereupon it cuts it off, so I wasn't troubled by this. I did leave the car without using it for a good number of days, and all the other main electrics seem fine, but just noting it in case it stimulates any thinking for anyone (it's this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/iiwey-Hardwire-Dashboard-Navigator-Detector-Black-4M/dp/B07Q29JZZY/ref=pd_lpo_1?pd_rd_i=B07Q29JZZY&psc=1).

Any help would be much appreciated. Car is an mk2 2006 ford focus. I'll take it to a garage as I probably should have done in the first place but thought I'd ask here in case anyone has any ideas!

Have you checked all the plugs on the fuse box under the glove box. Sometimes unplugging and plugging back in cures these problems. Have a look at connector pins for green corrosion. It’s quite common to find some corrosion. 

1 hour ago, philj said:

I suspect this could be related to me trying my hand at being an electronics whizz and following a guide to install a piggy back fuse for my new dash cam

Hello Phil, and yes I kind of suspect it is related to you fitting the piggy back fuse but very probably not because you did anything wrong. The fusebox on your car is also part of the BCM (Body Control Module) its kind of located on the back of the fusebox.

The BCM controls all of your lights, and many other things like wipers and screenwash pumps. Unfortunalely the BCM and/or the connectors are prone to getting wet or at the very least damp. This causes the pins in the connectors to corrode and make poor contact. The BCM itself is also know to suffer form corrosion problems.

I think what may have happened is that while working on the fusebox you have disturbed the connectors and now you have some broken or high resistance contacts.

For safety I would disconnect the negative lead of your battery, and then start checking the multi-connectors on the BCM/fusebox. Look out for signs of greenish corrosion on the pins and any signs of water.

Thanks for the input isetta and unofix. I'm not confident of my electronics skills to go poking around and I couldn't see any corrosion, so I took it to a garage who told me a bulb had gone and also the switch for my day lights - hence why both dipped lights and the instrument panel weren't coming on. Not sure how that would have happened. Got it sorted and managed to drive it back on a long straight road only to find out when going to indicate at the end that the indicators are now out of action (inc. full beam - so thinking the stick with those on are now dead).

Do keep us updated with the progress. My money is still on the BCM

20 hours ago, unofix said:

Do keep us updated with the progress. My money is still on the BCM

Yep, unfortunately sounds like BCM is going down.

Disconnect battery and remove and reconnect each plug on the BCM checking for a green fur like corrosion on pins on each plug.

If there is green fur, you will need to source a decent 2nd hand BCM and re-program to car