Peugeot "three-way" headlight system

[ClareQuilty]

My new 30,000 baht Peugeot 405 is working out surprisingly well.. Seems to "get better" the more I drive it. However there are definitely a lot of strange little niggling issues. One being: no instrument panel illumination, and very low-aimed headlights. My mechanic says these are related and caused by the non-functioning of the unique 3 way headlight system. I have no idea what this system is.. Any advice or help? Photo coming in a moment.

[ClareQuilty]

Some photos of the 3-way headlight controls:

[Crossy]

Ah, looks like remote headlight adjustment for varying loads, the right hand adjuster is for the dash lights. Fix one, you probably fix the other.

Popped fuse perhaps?

You have tried setting the control to '1' haven't you

[Jessi]

Give the bloody thing a clean while your at it.

[kartman]

Bye the look of the door hinges the water level was above the height of the switches at some time

[DavisH]

Bye the look of the door hinges the water level was above the height of the switches at some time

Yeah if it went through the 2011 floods and not cleaned properly some of the electricals may be corroded and damaged by now. And it has 205K kms?...that's not very much for the condition is appears to be in.

[phil2]

The dash light adjuster is under the steering wheel on mine. The one on the right powers on the fog lamp, while the three way adjuster is missing on mine. A switch for shutting down the A/C was installed in its place. Was like that when I bought it.

[WarpSpeed]

I agree with some others here that have made good observations, I think your car is a flood victim, electrical issues are going to continue and get worse, and it also explains some of your previous issues as well, didn't you also say you had issues with locking doors and electric windows? The deeply penetrated rust on the door stop is a real red flag but so is all of that brownish looking debris in the jam, it's basically dried algae, this car has gone under deep and been there a while, amazing it even runs at all. have a look under the dash and see just how rusty the cross members or corroded the electrical connections may be? How does the interior smell? Is it musty if it's closed up in the heat?

[nanoth]

You need tips?

Go to About autos( american site)...

Read:What to do when your electical sytem shuts down...

I use too a Peugeot car and...no problem till now...

[ClareQuilty]

I don't see what you guys are seeing - regarding evidence of flood. It looks like every other old car I've seen. I also didn't see any algae and I can also report that I smelled nothing unusual about the car. It smells slightly like a 'smokers car', but that's hardly unusual and I rather like that smell.

So.. regarding the switches - I still have no idea how they work. Can anyone help me with that? Do they make the headlights switch between three levels of brightness or angle of projection? How are they related to the light which illuminates the speedometer/tachometer area?

My mechanic told me it couldn't be fixed or wasn't worth fixing (I can never tell which he's saying, but it comes to the same thing).

[jayceebee]

205K on the odometer, is that 1st or looking at the interior 2nd time round the clock?

Edited September 15, 2015 by jayceebee

[kartman]

I don't see what you guys are seeing - regarding evidence of flood. It looks like every other old car I've seen. I also didn't see any algae and I can also report that I smelled nothing unusual about the car. It smells slightly like a 'smokers car', but that's hardly unusual and I rather like that smell.

So.. regarding the switches - I still have no idea how they work. Can anyone help me with that? Do they make the headlights switch between three levels of brightness or angle of projection? How are they related to the light which illuminates the speedometer/tachometer area?

My mechanic told me it couldn't be fixed or wasn't worth fixing (I can never tell which he's saying, but it comes to the same thing).

With regards to headlamp height you will have to use the manual override option.

Edited September 15, 2015 by kartman

[Sviss Geez]

I don't see what you guys are seeing - regarding evidence of flood. It looks like every other old car I've seen. I also didn't see any algae and I can also report that I smelled nothing unusual about the car. It smells slightly like a 'smokers car', but that's hardly unusual and I rather like that smell.

So.. regarding the switches - I still have no idea how they work. Can anyone help me with that? Do they make the headlights switch between three levels of brightness or angle of projection? How are they related to the light which illuminates the speedometer/tachometer area?

My mechanic told me it couldn't be fixed or wasn't worth fixing (I can never tell which he's saying, but it comes to the same thing).

The answer to your question is that the adjuster on the facia adjusts the headlamp beam level, not brightness, and is intended to compensate for vehicle loads. If it still works then adjust the beam using that adjuster. If it doesn't work then get the headlamp alignment checked and adjusted by someone with access to optical beam-setting equipment.

Perhaps checking the bulbs illuminating the instruments and replacing any that are burned out will answer that part of your question. There is no connection between the mechanical headlamp beam adjustment system and the electrical bulb illumination of the instrument lights.

The posters who are alarming you regarding water damage from floods are remarkably insightful if they can diagnose that simply by looking at not particularly clear photos of a door jamb and check strap covered in 20 year old dirt. Even more remarkable as you don't seem to be having any electrical issues with the car aside from the instrument illumination.

This may be useful to you, http://www.esttools.ee/peugeot/405.pdf

Edited September 16, 2015 by Sviss Geez

[ClareQuilty]

The answer to your question is that the adjuster on the facia adjusts the headlamp beam level, not brightness, and is intended to compensate for vehicle loads. If it still works then adjust the beam using that adjuster. If it doesn't work then get the headlamp alignment checked and adjusted by someone with access to optical beam-setting equipment.

Perhaps checking the bulbs illuminating the instruments and replacing any that are burned out will answer that part of your question. There is no connection between the mechanical headlamp beam adjustment system and the electrical bulb illumination of the instrument lights.

The posters who are alarming you regarding water damage from floods are remarkably insightful if they can diagnose that simply by looking at not particularly clear photos of a door jamb and check strap covered in 20 year old dirt. Even more remarkable as you don't seem to be having any electrical issues with the car aside from the instrument illumination.

This may be useful to you, http://www.esttools.ee/peugeot/405.pdf

Many thanks for your informative reply, and I'm printing out the manual right now for my mechanic (he does understand English).

I returned to visit the mechanic, where he elucidated that it was in fact a burned out bulb in the instrument panel, and no connection to the 3-way light deal. He said he didn't think it was worth tearing in to the Peugeot dashboard just for the one bulb, and I'm inclined to agree. The speedometer doesn't work anyway, so the only info I could view in the instrument panel would be the tachometer, and I can roughly gauge that by the sound of the engine, or the gas gauge, which one needs to see less often and which can be viewed by Nokia-light. He also adjusted the headlights as high as possible manually - they still seem a little lower than on a normal car, but adequate for night driving last night on a hour-long journey beyond the street-lamp zone, so I'm happy.

Thanks also about the flood comment. Inspired by the flood-suspicioners on here, I took the trouble to carefully go over the car today, sniffing and examining the nooks and crannies, and I certainly never smelled anything niffy. My old recently sold Toyota, which had an ongoing slight floor-board leak, had a far more tidal smell. This Peugeot just smells like someone smoked in it for years. I also read up on flooded cars, and they're described has having a LOT of problems, whereas this car seems to have more the typical very minor problems of an old, little used, and neglected French car far from home in a hostile land (which rather reminds me of my own decrepit self).

[JAS21]

That's some progress then ...

[Ace of Pop]

Dont You go buying anything Trouble Free Clare. After reading the "My Trucks Better than Yours stuff", my Coffee has cooled just enough to enjoy your Posts.

[BSJ]

I don't see what you guys are seeing - regarding evidence of flood. It looks like every other old car I've seen. I also didn't see any algae and I can also report that I smelled nothing unusual about the car. It smells slightly like a 'smokers car', but that's hardly unusual and I rather like that smell.

So.. regarding the switches - I still have no idea how they work. Can anyone help me with that? Do they make the headlights switch between three levels of brightness or angle of projection? How are they related to the light which illuminates the speedometer/tachometer area?

My mechanic told me it couldn't be fixed or wasn't worth fixing (I can never tell which he's saying, but it comes to the same thing).

" It looks like every other old car I've seen." That cos the only cars you look at are old bangers.....and they were all in the same flood!

[ClareQuilty]

" It looks like every other old car I've seen." That cos the only cars you look at are old bangers.....and they were all in the same flood!

Well, if you can find cars that look better than this for 30,000 baht, I'd be interested to see them. That's my price range for this car search, and I'm reasonably happy with the result.

[giddyup]

" It looks like every other old car I've seen." That cos the only cars you look at are old bangers.....and they were all in the same flood!

Well, if you can find cars that look better than this for 30,000 baht, I'd be interested to see them. That's my price range for this car search, and I'm reasonably happy with the result.

Anywhere else in the world you'd have to pay to have it taken away.

[Lancashirelad]

Re the 3 controls grouped together in that little binacle, working from the left;

1. Headlamp position adjuster. Used to compensate when you have a load in the back to stop the lights blinding oncoming drivers/those you are following. In normal use it should be set on 0. If you turn on the ignition and headlights, then scroll it up and down you should be able to see the headlamp aim moving. You might also be able to check its operation by looking into the lights in daylight with them switched off, get someone to move the control (ign. on) and you should see the reflector moving. (though on some cars it may be necessary to have the lights switched on). When setting the aim manually, the adjuster should be on 0.

2. I've never owned a 405 though did once sort out some faulty lights on one and fit a clutch cable. I'm guessing this is the dimmer control for the instrument illumination. There will not be only bulb in the instruments, probably somewhere between 4 and 6. Unlikely, though not impossible all bulbs would have failed. (they do tend to get black over time as being enclosed they tend to run hot)

3. Front fog lamps (if fitted). This will probably only operate once either side lights or dipped beam headlights are on and should illuminate when in the on position.

I'd suggest removing the switch panel and check to see if its connected.

Edited September 20, 2015 by Lancashirelad