Bump steering & French electrics (+ bonus Dyane content)

[Milford Cubicle]

My Peugeot 405's steering has been a bit 'off' recently, it changes direction over bumps and feels less positive turning right than it does turning left.

Is this likely to be caused by worn track rod ends?

 

LOLCAR

 

It's been very wet and cold recently, the fuse blew for the n/s head and sidelights and the connection needed some WD-40 love. They're working fine now, but the o/s tail light refuses to co-operate. I changed the bulb, cleaned all the connections, what now?

[Pillock]

Did 'all the connection' include the earth?

[Rusty Pelican]

Get a meter out and check that some electricery is actually getting there

[Milford Cubicle]

It is, because the brake light is combined in the same bulb and that works fine.

[Richard]

I think your bump steer is caused by whatever bent bit is causing the positive camber on your front wheel, probably the strut but it might be a bent mounting somewhere.

[dollywobbler]

Hmmm, Dyane.Rear lights might be a problem with the circuit board. Only takes a bit of corrosion and they're knackered.

[Milford Cubicle]

I think your bump steer is caused by whatever bent bit is causing the positive camber on your front wheel, probably the strut but it might be a bent mounting somewhere.

Yeah I'm trying to ignore that possibility. I'm not very good at fault diagnosis, I'll put it into a garage when I can.

[Pillock]

It is, because the brake light is combined in the same bulb and that works fine.

Doesn't mean that the electricity is getting down the wire from the fusebox to the tail lamp though, it's a shared bulb (so yeah, the earth is OK) but the wire could be broken, and the brakelight still work.I've seen some cars share fuses in a bizarre fashion - o/s rear tail light shared with front fogs, n/s rear tail light shared with electric windows or whatever. They're not guaranteed to be on the same fuse anyway. Does anything else not work?

[Rocket88]

fuses, in a Dyane!!!!????????

[ChinaTom]

Any clunks when moving off, or reversing / steering at the same time? I have had similar symptoms on my E39, but the "clunk" gave it away. Antiroll bar links needed replacing.

[Milford Cubicle]

Yes, I know the ARB bush on the o/s is pretty ragged. Poor car needs a lot of TLC really...

[Richard]

It's the car behind the Dyane by the way.

[CIH]

I think your bump steer is caused by whatever bent bit is causing the positive camber on your front wheel, probably the strut but it might be a bent mounting somewhere.

Yeah I'm trying to ignore that possibility. I'm not very good at fault diagnosis, I'll put it into a garage when I can.

Camber doesn't cause bump steer. My bluey pulls when passing over those twin speedhumbs (on in each lane) but only on one specific road.I think my track rod end balljoints are seized as I had it on the ramp and they were really tight.Could be the same for you. Could the TREs causing your problerms too, Watanabe, BTW.

[Guest]

I think your bump steer is caused by whatever bent bit is causing the positive camber on your front wheel, probably the strut but it might be a bent mounting somewhere.

Yeah I'm trying to ignore that possibility. I'm not very good at fault diagnosis, I'll put it into a garage when I can.

Camber doesn't cause bump steer. My bluey pulls when passing over those twin speedhumbs (on in each lane) but only on one specific road.I think my track rod end balljoints are seized as I had it on the ramp and they were really tight.Could be the same for you. Could the TREs causing your problerms too, Watanabe, BTW.

My TRE on the nearside is defo worn. The OS went at 48K also.The problems before hand were caused by a MASSIVE bleb on the rear tyre and the wheels being hilariously out of balance.Notice how I haven't been complaining about it recently?I hate to say it, but the Citroen garage actually sorted it out and didn't rinse me.

[Station]

WD40 won't cure those electrical woes as it's claimed. Get a file and give all the connections a quick scrapin'. It's nearly always earthing, or perished wiring or unchecked fuses!

[r.welfare]

My 405's taillights have been a bit funny recently - the fog and reversing lights have been intermittent, but they're in the tailgate itself rather than outside. I've given the earths a good cleanup, but I noticed that one of the connectors looked pretty corroded or burnt. Some emery paper and electrical contact cleaner seems to have sorted it for now.

[Richard]

Does the 405 have prongs for the tailgate wiring or wires beside the hinges?