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MG TD TF 1500 - Strange operation of panel lights

TD panel lights. Used my TD last night and noted the panel lights were off with the headlamps on but if I switched to the side lights, the panel lights came on. The single fog lamp came on if the fog lamp switch (far right switch) was on and the main lighting switch was on side lamps. I've owned the car for 40+ years and am sure the panel lights worked when the headlamps were on. I thought the issue might have been caused by my changing to LED headlamp bulbs recently but when I went back to the incandescents in the headlamps, there was no change. Per WSM terminal "T" on main lighting switch feeds the side lights, tail lamps, panel light switch and via this switch the separate fog lamp switch. How can the side lights work with the headlamps but not the panel lights? I am mystified.
John Quilter (TD8986)

If they are truly wired into the T then there cannot be any difference between positions if you say your tail lights are on in both cases.

I would suspect a bad switch if your tail lamps don't come on with your headlamps or a bad ground on the dash lights if you do get the tail lamps but no dash lamps. BTW the ground is different for the dash panel and the speedo and tack so that is another thing to check.
Christopher Couper

Thanks, after much investigation I found the wire for the panel lamps (which also feeds the fog lamp switch) was connected to the wrong terminal on the main lighting switch. How it got this way I have no idea. There are multiple terminals on the main lighting switch fitted to my car and one is not live when the headlamps are on.
Nearly impossible to read the designations for the terminals with the switch in place.
John Quilter (TD8986)

Interestingly this exact scenario happened to someone else a few months back who posted the issue. For your amusement you could go back in the archives to commiserate.
Christopher Couper

This thread was discussed between 12/09/2021 and 14/09/2021

MG TD TF 1500 index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG TD TF 1500 BBS is active now.