What to do if your car relay is not working?
Open the hood and/or fuse compartment so that your assistant can access the relay. Turn the key to the “Accessories” position and instruct your friend to touch the relay while you operate the switch for the accessory that isn’t working.
How does a relay work in a car?
Whenever you operate a switch to an accessory in your car that carries a lot of current–such as the lights, wipers or horn–you run a small amount of current through a relay which, in turn, closes contacts to operate the accessory. If one of your accessories doesn’t come on and you suspect the relay is bad, you can perform a few simple tests.
When do you need to use a relay?
Automotive relays are generally used to switch a high current circuit using a low current circuit. The necessary for when an inline switch doesn’t have the ability to handle the current required to switch a high-current electrical system. Using a relay gives you the advantage of having multiple circuits on a single switch.
What happens when the ignition relay goes bad?
It’s possible when a relay goes bad that it may be a simple matter of it coming loose or being dirty. If the relays in your vehicle start to go bad, you may notice some of these symptoms. If you have a problem with an ignition relay in your car then you’re going to be suffering sudden stalling.
How do you test a car relay with no power?
If there is no power, the electrical system must be tested starting with the fuse then the relay. If power is present use the test light connected to battery power to check the ground circuit. if these tests check out, the accessory is bad and needs to be replaced.
Why do you need a relay in your car?
The relays in your vehicle are of the utmost importance in ensuring that all the electrical components in your vehicle are working properly. Because there are so many of them, the hardest part is often just tracking down which one actually controls the part of the vehicle that you’re interested in checking out.
What should I do if my relay has failed?
Turn the ignition to the “ON” position and jump terminals 87 and 30 the relay is now jumped and the accessory should activate, if so the relay has failed. If no power is observed at either 87 or 30, the fusible link or maxi fuse has shorted.
What happens when ignition relay is cut off?
If you have a problem with an ignition relay in your car then you’re going to be suffering sudden stalling. This happens because the spark is cut off and you are no longer able to maintain combustion because the relay can’t keep the electrical current flowing to your spark plugs any longer.