Both running lights have failed simultaneously

[Moonpie]

Ever thought of baking your Aston in an Oven? Serves four I believe.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=15...

Another thread that may shed a little light.

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/aston-martin/4...

[mrpseudonym]

I’d look for other causes before rushing to replacement. The fact that they failed simultaneously ie *at exactly the same time* is highly unusual

Of course I wouldn’t insult you or your dealer to ask if you have checked other options.. like the fuse.. but gosh at the same time..???

[Bobajobbob]

Hard to tell if they failed at exactly the same time but must have both failed in the months since last MOT. I’m told by dealer that there isn’t a single fuse governing these lights as it would impact on main beams and rear lights as well.

[kev b]

Surprised there is no bulb failure warning in the dash, most cars have this feature don’t they?

[milu]

Are the front indicators not the same unit? Are these working?

[LTP]

I'm not trying to be clever or pedantic here, but UK Vantages from 2013 don't have running lights, they have side lamps. When the lights are off (on the switch or auto) the white LED's will not be lit - they only come on when the lights are switched on.

At the risk of teaching you to suck eggs, turn the sidelights on on the light switch and check to see if they are lit. Then try the indicators - on the side you're indicating to the LEDs will flash orange.

[Bobajobbob]

LTP said:

I'm not trying to be clever or pedantic here, but UK Vantages from 2013 don't have running lights, they have side lamps. When the lights are off (on the switch or auto) the white LED's will not be lit - they only come on when the lights are switched on.

At the risk of teaching you to suck eggs, turn the sidelights on on the light switch and check to see if they are lit. Then try the indicators - on the side you're indicating to the LEDs will flash orange.

This is why dealer tells me it is an MOT fail. The LEDS are apparently the side light. All other beams and indicators work fine. It is just the LED strips that do not come on when light switch is in side, full or auto position.

[ds666]

LTP said:

I'm not trying to be clever or pedantic here, but UK Vantages from 2013 don't have running lights, they have side lamps. When the lights are off (on the switch or auto) the white LED's will not be lit - they only come on when the lights are switched on.

At the risk of teaching you to suck eggs, turn the sidelights on on the light switch and check to see if they are lit. Then try the indicators - on the side you're indicating to the LEDs will flash orange.

What I said yesterday

[LTP]

Bobajobbob said:

This is why dealer tells me it is an MOT fail. The LEDS are apparently the side light. All other beams and indicators work fine. It is just the LED strips that do not come on when light switch is in side, full or auto position.

Ah, sorry. Thanks for clarifying that. I appreciate that the white LED strips are the sidelights and I also agree with you a simultaneous failure of both LED strips does seem a little odd; not impossible, but unlikely. I think my first step would be to check the power feed to the LEDs with a multimeter - it sounds easy but I suspect access to the lamp wiring may not be that simple. At least you'd establish that you've got power when the lights are switched on in case there's a failure somewhere else in the system

edited to add
Stupid question. I assume that the rear sidelights illuminate when you turn the sides on, even though the front white LEDs don't illuminate?

ds666 said:

What I said yesterday

Not exactly. You asked a question about whether they were DRLs; I answered it. In the UK on a 2013 V8V they're not DRLs

Edited by LTP on Sunday 10th January 18:40

[ds666]

ds666 said:

What I said yesterday

Not exactly. You asked a question about whether they were DRLs; I answered it. In the UK on a 2013 V8V they're not DRLs

Edited by LTP on Sunday 10th January 18:40

I knew the answers but didn’t want to sound patronising ...

[Bobajobbob]

Apologies for resurrecting this thread. I eventually paid full whack and replaced both units as getting them fixed mid covid seemed too much of a hassle. The most expensive light bulb replacements ever.

When this thread was new(wish) someone contacted me and enquired about taking the old light units off my hands but I have unfortunately lost their contact details.

Moderator edit: no advertising please

[Jon39]

Bobajobbob said:

Apologies for resurrecting this thread. I eventually paid full whack and replaced both units ......

I think we know now why AML never sorted the water problem. Wonder how little they pay for these parts.

Are you going to have them repaired Bob, when that is more convenient for you? The FAQ repairer might not be too far from you. Presume the four headlights work and just the LED parts are faulty. Do failed indicators and sidelights give a dashboard warning, thus revealing which of those two items (or both) stopped working?

If you have a pair of repaired lights, AML won't catch you twice! Then if you change your car without having needed them, a sale will be easy and lucrative. Having your own spares available, should also guarantee that new pair will never fail.

[steveatesh]

Bobajobbob said:

Apologies for resurrecting this thread. I eventually paid full whack and replaced both units as getting them fixed mid covid seemed too much of a hassle. The most expensive light bulb replacements ever.

When this thread was new(wish) someone contacted me and enquired about taking the old light units off my hands but I have unfortunately lost their contact details.

Moderator edit: no advertising please

I feel your pain, as I said when you first posted I have had three replaced, although I only had to pay for one. People frequently advise about the expense of a clutch replacement with these cars but for me the bigger issue is the LED lights.

How a repair that used to cost £5 tops and now costing in excess of £1500 is seen as progress is beyond me. I have read elsewhere that it is not just Aston this effects, many other manufacturers have similar issues apparently, although prices are a few hundred pound cheaper.

[EVR]

Well, I guess it was time I joined this club.

Came back from Genova today, I had heavy rain basically all the time, once in the garage I noticed my right side headlight LED strip wasn't working properly: there seem to be a very faint light, some flicker, then it goes off. Main/high beams are fine, so are turn lights.

I hope it can resolve itself by drying out. Do you think the rain has been the cause? There was no condensation.

Otherwise, after some researches, my options are:

1. Get a new unit from the dealer: very expensive and there is a risk the temperature colour will not match the other headlight.

2. Ask the dealer to remove the headlight then send it to McGurk to have it repaired: any idea on the cost/timeline on this?

3. Same as above but send it to http://www.ieruk.com/ : anyone used them before? Are they good/comfortable in stripping an Aston headlight or do they want just the PCB? Price?

Thanks. Of course I join all the others voices in saying that something that used to be just a simple lightbulb change has needlessly become an incredible and expensive ordeal.

[Jon39]

Pictures of the Vantage concept (which was a roadworthy car) showed not LED lights within the headlight unit, but a tiny lamp with presumably conventional bulbs.

AML must have thought, we won't get rich selling £1 replacement bulbs, so that has to be changed.

[MichaelV8V]

Ok, can I summarise this long thread, and clarify options for anyone following.

The lights are sidelights and indicators, and are essential in the UK. These cars don't have DRLs.

They get condensation from new, but it comes and goes. The factory fix is to put bags of silica gel in them, it works really well, but they need taking out and drying one per year, 10 minute job.

After years of condensation, the LEDs will fail. At that point your options are:

Spend
£2700 on a new headlight (price from astonmartinbits)
£680 on a secondhand headlight, and risk it going within months (price from astonmartinbits)
£500? to get McGurks to strip down the light and send it to IER (I think that is who they use)
Strip down the light and send it to IER yourself for repair, cost me £300 when I had it done three years ago. Its still working perfectly.

[EVR]

Now that I sorted out my problem with two new headlights, I have one perfectly fine left xenon headlight LHD for sale, super nice price. Message me for pictures & details.

[yourtheguy]

The problem with the sidelights not working is the little cirrcit board that controls the indicator and side light.
I had a sidelight go so i took it apart, see 6speed forum for method of getting the headlight apart.
It turned out the micochip on the board had gone, my freind who checked it out said the the chip could be replaced but he could not program it, bought a second hand unit, problem solved.

[Greathey]

There are other solutions

Google McGurk Aston Martin headlight repair

There were ads in ebay claiming to repair these