Dashboard Lights Up Like a Christmas Tree. Why?

[Muttley60000]

Hi People

Anyone help with this mystery. I have an intermitent fault on my instrument panel and I'm talking about it happening for a few days then months go by then it starts again for a few days then months go by etc.

When I switch off, sometimes before I take the key out, sometimes when I take the key out and sometimes when I've locked the doors and walked away from the car, the warning lights and background illumination lights on the instrument panel start flashing away and a double warning beep coming from the "lights on" warning bleeper. The warning lights on the dash don't light up together. They tend to alternate at random.

The only way I've found to stop it is to pull out the 5amp fuse no. 16, I think. But this cuts the memory for the clock and trip mileage and if lights are on with the key out of the ignition, there is no instrument panel illumination lights. After a few days, I'll put the fuse back in and everything will be fine for months maybe even a year.

I took it to a dealer who looked at it, shrugged his shoulders and came up with "Never seen that before. May need a new instrument panel". I'm not made of money so can't really afford an expensive bill for an instrument panel.

Before forking out the reddies, any one ever come across this on their Leon or any other Seat? Could it be a relay fault or water ingress causing a short circuit? I did start to notice it happens around bad weather. Can't say for certain, though. Where would I look to check?

Thanks for any help!!

[towcestervag]

you need to get a diag test done on the instrument cluster

[leon92]

I've got this problem as well and thought it was due to damp/condensation.
The car is currently at local garage (not Seat dealer) and he is stumped. Car is 6 yrs old and I don't want to pay for a new panel, will suggest to mechanic that he runs a dignostic test (is this standard non dealer equipment?).

If the problem doesn't affect the car's driveability/safety then I may just leave it as an intermittent problem. Would the car fail MOT with this problem?

Will continue to google ...

Thanks

[Muttley60000]

Hi Leon92

I've got rid of the car now but lo and behold two days before I did the dash was lighting up like a Christmas Tree and I pulled the door to shut it and it stopped. After a bit of pulling on the door and some fiddling, narrowed it down to cable between the car body and the door. Never got around to taking it apart but guessed that it might have some water/damp in the conduit causing a short. Might suggest you try this. Sorry for such a long delay.