Issue with electrical

NATSMC7

MEMBER
2014 SUZUKI SX4
1.6L
MANUAL
25,000 MILES

My key fob is not unlocking the car, however the central locking is still working. The car starts and runs as normal but any time I turn the engine off and back on the clock is resetting to midnight and the range is not displaying. The lights on the inside are not working either.

My passenger visor is broke and does not stay up. My partner was trying to repair it (he is as clueless with cars as I am) and kind of just yanked it. Not sure if this has resulted in loose wires as the light that automatically comes on in the visor no longer works and this all happened on the same day.

I would also like to add that my brake light is slightly cracked and I am worried it could be something to do with water getting into some electricals. Although my brake light still works so unsure if this is related to my current problem.

Does it sound like the issue with the wires in the visor could be causing the issues with the key fob unlocking the car and the display of the clock and range?

Please note the key fob will lock the car once I have turned the engine off and gotten out the car, however I can not get back in using the fob.

Any help/suggestions are greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Natalie

3 Replies

CARADIODOC

MECHANIC
33,727 POSTS

You listed all kinds of dandy clues and observations. Without double-checking the wiring diagram, this is almost surely all caused by the visor, its wire shorting to the mounting bracket, and blowing the fuse for the interior lights.

The radio needs a constant twelve volt supply all the time to maintain the station presets and clock memory when the ignition switch is off. That memory circuit is always tied in with some other circuit that is always live. That can be the brake lights, the horn, on some cars, the cigarette lighter, but by far most commonly, the interior lights.

To add to the confusion, the engineers today do not know how to design a simple, reliable interior light system without adding an unnecessary computer. The body computer is going to have multiple fuses protecting it, and those run multiple functions, including the interior lights. That is why some lock-related functions work and others do not. Remove the short at the visor, then replace the blown fuse. Be aware there will be at a minimum, one fuse box under the hood, and one inside the vehicle. The fuse for the interior lights is most likely going to be in the inside fuse box.