E46 saloon left rear fog light

[to3m]

My car said a rear light had gone, so I had a look and sure enough it had only one rear fog light (driver's side) and one rear number plate light. So I changed the number plate light first, as they're easier to get to... and the warning went away. Still no left hand fog light though!

The relevant light unit does have 2 bulbs in it, but only the lower one (which appears not to be the fog light) ever lights up, no matter what I do. I swapped the bulbs round and got the same result, so clearly both bulbs still work. The unit itself looked fine, with no burned-out connectors or anything (I've already had that problem on the main rear light cluster).

Is it supposed to be like this? Car is a facelift 330d saloon.

I always assumed there was one rear fog light for each side, but I don't think I've ever checked, and I'm getting conflicting reports from my googling...

[to3m]

I've noticed many cars have only one rear fog light, and I'd have thought no more of it had there been just a blank space in the light fitting. But there's a working bulb there! If it's just there as a spare... very odd. I suppose it must have been cheaper to manufacture that way! I wonder how much by?

If I get a moment I'll try taking the spare out and seeing if any lights come on.

Edited by to3m on Tuesday 16th December 00:07

[to3m]

While at my parents' over Xmas I had a look at their E46 touring, and it only has one fog light come on as well. (I didn't look inside the housing, so I don't know if they've got two bulbs.) So I'm assuming that's just how it's supposed to be.

4rephill said:

(The bulb holder itself will be there but the metal connectors built into the lamp for the bulb will not be there. It's how BMW have done it since the days of the E36).

The metal connectors appeared to be there. It's possible they are non-functional - erm, OK, they *are* non-functional - I guess I mean that it's possible they're supposed to be like that - but overall the fitting for the bulb that doesn't light up looked very much like the fitting for the bulb that did.