Headlights always on

[Guest]

Hi guys, I'm picking up an MG Montego 2.0EFI this weekend and need advise on a problem.
The headlights seem to have power all the time, as in headlights are always on. If you disconnect the stalk they go off which the previous owner has been doing. Been told the stalk has been changed and the problem is still present. Any ideas what it might be and how easy it is to fix?

Cheers, Rob

[F825 UBD]

Wouldn't be F817 RBK would it?

[Guest]

That's the one, do you know the car?

[F825 UBD]

Yes a friend of mine owned it - it was my wife's horse that did the scratches on the bonnet!

When he sold it, the headlights were not working (I suspected a relay fault), so the person you bought it from has done something to fix them on to get it through the mot.

[Russ]

Jesus, not another equine damaged montego!!!

[Guest]

So if it is the Relay any idea which one it is? i dont have a haynes and i'm completely new to these cars

[E_T_V]

Fusebox diagram will tell you which one. Could be as simple as a stuck relay.

[Jeff Turbo]

Jesus, not another equine damaged montego!!!

Same car as before Russ

[Simon]

I had that on my Maestro. Took the headlamp relay out, gave it a tap, put it back in and headlamps turned off as normal.

[Guest]

Still struggling with this problem.
I've tried swapping both the stalk and the relay with no luck so I can only assume it's a problem with the wiring somewhere.
I have no idea what I'm doing as far as wiring goes so need any help I can get.

[ayrshirelad32]

If you have tried the stalk and the relay and still no joy, then i suspect headlights must be getting a feed from somewhere. What you could do is try taking out the fuses one by one and looking to see if the headlights go out. That way if the lights are getting a live feed form somewhere you would narrow it down to the circuit you would need to look at. Only a suggestion. Dark art of wiring is usually above my head to!

[Guest]

I hadn't thought of pulling the fuses. I'll have a go next chance I get, but of a ball ache in the day time on your own though, having to keep going back and forth to check lol

I do have some sort of Rover alarm fitted that doesn't work, maybe that's cocked the headlight wiring up somewhere, I'm a bit dubious about unplugging it though in case it sets off the alarm and I can't turn it off haha

[ayrshirelad32]

In the daylight and if you are on your tod try parking facing a wall or such like and hopefully you will see if the lights are on when you pull a fuse. Alarm is a good starting point. When they get old they can go wrong and be more hassle than worth. I had one on my old Monti and it disabled the car! Car wouldnt start cause of the imobliser. Think we ended up by passing it in the end! Good luck keep us up to date plz.

[Guest]

Tried the fuses and the headlights do go off when the fuses are removed. I've ordered a brand new relay in case the one I tried was no good (it was an old one a local garage had in a drawer)
If that doesn't work I'll have to get an auto sparky out to look at it because I wouldn't know where to start when it comes to wiring.

[charliecosworth]

which relay are you changing, when i had problems with headlights it was this one, took me ages to find it top right hand of fuse box, i was lucky got few spares not sure if motor factors will stock this one.