[joniemaximus]

Hello, i recently purchased a 60 plate 1.3 exclusiv Astra, and although i am reasonable pleased with the car i have a strange issue with the electrical parking brake. When i test drove the car it had this message but the dealer intended to service the car before i picked it up on Saturday, which they did. However i now have the Service vehicle soon message which they are going to sort this week but i have a stranger issue with the electrical parking brake fault it only comes on when i turn the lights on. As soon as i turn the dial the message comes up, then if i turn the lights off the message goes away. What could be causing this?

 

[AFKAM]

On the J certain systems are vulnerable to issues when the battery is low. Systems such as stop/start, EPB, etc. need the car to meet certain criteria like a minimum temperature, minimum battery charge in order to function correctly. My first guess would be to take a look at the battery/alternator as it seems that the action of switching the lights on is enough of a drain for the car to register that there is an issue. it might not be the solution but it is worth a look.

 

[joniemaximus]

Thanks i'll get the multimeter out, what kind of voltages should the battery have?

 

[redman]

Hello, i recently purchased a 60 plate 1.3 exclusiv Astra, and although i am reasonable pleased with the car i have a strange issue with the electrical parking brake. When i test drove the car it had this message but the dealer intended to service the car before i picked it up on Saturday, which they did. However i now have the Service vehicle soon message which they are going to sort this week but i have a stranger issue with the electrical parking brake fault it only comes on when i turn the lights on. As soon as i turn the dial the message comes up, then if i turn the lights off the message goes away. What could be causing this?

Hi
Are you putting the lights on with the engine running or not?, also have you tried to operate the hand brake with the lights on to hear if the hand brake is operating. As Molly said maybe insufficient power to operate hand brake

 

[joniemaximus]

I've only tried with the engine running, whilst I’m driving, when the parking brake has no reason to operate. With the daytime running lights on its ok but when I switch to side lights or main lights I get the error message about the parking brake. if I pull up and stop and try to apply the parking brake it doesn't appear to function, until I turn the lights of and the message disappears. Seems odd as I’d have thought the DRL were using more power than the sidelights.

 

[AFKAM]

No, DRL's are just the DRL units whereas sidelights are front, rear and dash lights

 

[Big Dave]

No, DRL's are just the DRL units whereas sidelights are front, rear and dash lights

Dash lights are on all the time (with ignition on) regardless whether exterior lights are on or off.

 

[joniemaximus]

OK, i'll check the voltage reading from the battery. Also i've noticed the leds in the interior light cluster (above the rear view mirror) flicker constantly i might have imagined it but i think the leds in the light switch were too.

 

[joniemaximus]

Checked the voltage and it 12.5V without anything on but rises to 15 with the engine running. I've driven the car for 5 30 -40 min drives since i got it but i'll stick a batter charger on when i get in.

 

[AFKAM]

Dash lights are on all the time (with ignition on) regardless whether exterior lights are on or off.

My mistake. I assumed the same as the previous generation and the Insignia in that the clocks are on but the rest of the dash and centre console are not.

 

[redman]

The "service vehicle soon" message will probably reveal the problem when an appropriate diagnostic tool is used to interagate the system.

 

[joniemaximus]

Hope so it's going in tomorrow. Just out of curiosity how long should the led lights stay on in the car I've just been out to check the charger and they're still on. I mean the ones on the steering wheel and center console. The locks and light switches. Battery is now reading 13.4v

 

[Big Dave]

My mistake. I assumed the same as the previous generation and the Insignia in that the clocks are on but the rest of the dash and centre console are not.

No, I think we misunderstood one another. It's only the speedo lights that are on all the time. The heating controls, etc only come on with the lights. But as they're LEDs, virtually no current will be drawn from the battery anyway.

 

[joniemaximus]

Should the led lights on the light switch, steering controls and the buttons under the clock (air bag, locks) stay on after i've locked the car i left the car for 2 hours last night locked and they were still on.

 

[AFKAM]

There is always a residual currency in the car. As a result some cars will light the LED's up. It was the same on the H. Some cars you would never see it, some it would be like Blackpool Illuminations. I wouldn't worry about it

 

[joniemaximus]

OK thanks for putting my mind at rest, although they were still on this morning. Now off to the garage to get the faults read and find out why i get the hand break warning when i turn the lights on even with a charged battery.

 

[joniemaximus]

The only codes I can read are U0128 lost communication with park brake control module. P0234 over boost condition. P003a turbo charger vane position not learned. P0672 cylinder 2 glow plug circuit

 

[redman]

The only codes I can read are U0128 lost communication with park brake control module. P0234 over boost condition. P003a turbo charger vane position not learned. P0672 cylinder 2 glow plug circuit

Did you note wording after each code ( present, not present or intermittent )

 

[joniemaximus]

They were:
U0128 - pending
P0234 - stored
P0672 - pending
P003a - pending

 

[Big Dave]

Should the led lights on the light switch, steering controls and the buttons under the clock (air bag, locks) stay on after i've locked the car i left the car for 2 hours last night locked and they were still on.

Doesn't happen with mine. All dash lights, steering wheel control lights, etc go out when the car is locked. However I can make the LEDs light up on the CD400 stereo by trying to open the boot with the car locked.