Failed headlight - Foglights are the new backup
Discussion
So many cars are driving around with a headlight out, but not to worry...just use the old front fog light backup system instead eigh.
But the other day I went past a car who's off-side headlight was out. The side light bulb on the near side was also out. They were using the front fog lights as backup, but the nearside bulb on those was out.
The clincher was that I happened to peer into the rear view mirror as they passed, only to see that the offside rear bulb wasn't working either.
So that's four different bulbs needed.
What's the smiley for of those FFS laughs?
But the other day I went past a car who's off-side headlight was out. The side light bulb on the near side was also out. They were using the front fog lights as backup, but the nearside bulb on those was out.
The clincher was that I happened to peer into the rear view mirror as they passed, only to see that the offside rear bulb wasn't working either.
So that's four different bulbs needed.
What's the smiley for of those FFS laughs?
Sensibleboy said:
I wonder what proportion of cars fail MOTs due to dodgy lights????
I was just looking this up, found this - 17% apparently!http://good-garage-guide.honestjohn.co.uk/mot-data...
Sensibleboy said:
I wonder what proportion of cars fail MOTs due to dodgy lights????
My father in law has done many, many MOTs and says that a very large proportion have failed bulbs, incorrectly fitted (upside down) bulbs or need the headlight aim adjusting -many more than actually fail.-crookedtail- said:
Not defending the numpties too much but often you need a small child, or an adult with baby hands to reach in and change the light, a joke really!
I've managed to change the bulbs on all of our cars and I have fairly large hands.What you really do need is to notice the bulb has failed, to care that it has failed and to bother changing it or having it changed.
Audi A6 - headlight bulbs are a nightmare to change, the recommend dealer only as you have to disconnect powwer steering pump etc.
I had both fail driving home in the dark on christmas day/evening. Fog lights and mainbeam until someone came the other way were the only alternative. AA reckoned on 4 hour wait, I was 20 mins from home...
I had both fail driving home in the dark on christmas day/evening. Fog lights and mainbeam until someone came the other way were the only alternative. AA reckoned on 4 hour wait, I was 20 mins from home...
I think the OP was giving the numpty undeserved credit - I would be amazed if they were using foglights as back-up!!
I see so many cars with headlights and front fogs on together, plenty with just one headlight, loads with only one tail-light or a brake light out, and a fair few with rear fogs on in bright sunlight - my conclusion is that they just don't have a f
ing clue!!
They seem to rely on the MOT as an occasional light audit.
I see so many cars with headlights and front fogs on together, plenty with just one headlight, loads with only one tail-light or a brake light out, and a fair few with rear fogs on in bright sunlight - my conclusion is that they just don't have a f
ing clue!!They seem to rely on the MOT as an occasional light audit.
Guilty, as charged...
I work about 30 miles from home, almost all free flowing motorway. Get in the car one night last november, and drive out of the company car park. I remember on the way out the gate that I was driving earlier, and made a concious decision to turn them off (subaru, they go off with the key).
"turn them on", and proceed to drive out of the industrial estate, I notice nothing wrong. I turn onto the main road, I drive onto the dual carriageway. I run out of street lights. fk.
I pull off at the first junction, and check fuses etc. Nope, bulbs blown. I go for the spare I carry in the glovebox (well prepared, me). It blows the first time I try to light it. fk. this.
15 miles to the nearest halfords, the only place open at this time that will stock bulbs. (apart from the petrol station I stopped at, which had every fking type but h1 the fking fks, or the large national car dealership across the road, because lateness. s.
foglights, sidelights and much bum twitching nerves later, I get 2 of halfords finest into the inaccessible pits that adorn the front of a blobeye impreza.
3 bulb changes in one night, a pain in the ass!
I work about 30 miles from home, almost all free flowing motorway. Get in the car one night last november, and drive out of the company car park. I remember on the way out the gate that I was driving earlier, and made a concious decision to turn them off (subaru, they go off with the key).
"turn them on", and proceed to drive out of the industrial estate, I notice nothing wrong. I turn onto the main road, I drive onto the dual carriageway. I run out of street lights. f
k.I pull off at the first junction, and check fuses etc. Nope, bulbs blown. I go for the spare I carry in the glovebox (well prepared, me). It blows the first time I try to light it. f
k. this.15 miles to the nearest halfords, the only place open at this time that will stock bulbs. (apart from the petrol station I stopped at, which had every f
king type but h1 the fking fks, or the large national car dealership across the road, because lateness. s.foglights, sidelights and much bum twitching nerves later, I get 2 of halfords finest into the inaccessible pits that adorn the front of a blobeye impreza.
3 bulb changes in one night, a pain in the ass!
ohtari said:
Guilty, as charged...
I work about 30 miles from home, almost all free flowing motorway. Get in the car one night last november, and drive out of the company car park. I remember on the way out the gate that I was driving earlier, and made a concious decision to turn them off (subaru, they go off with the key).
"turn them on", and proceed to drive out of the industrial estate, I notice nothing wrong. I turn onto the main road, I drive onto the dual carriageway. I run out of street lights. fk.
I pull off at the first junction, and check fuses etc. Nope, bulbs blown. I go for the spare I carry in the glovebox (well prepared, me). It blows the first time I try to light it. fk. this.
15 miles to the nearest halfords, the only place open at this time that will stock bulbs. (apart from the petrol station I stopped at, which had every fking type but h1 the fking fks, or the large national car dealership across the road, because lateness. s.
foglights, sidelights and much bum twitching nerves later, I get 2 of halfords finest into the inaccessible pits that adorn the front of a blobeye impreza.
3 bulb changes in one night, a pain in the ass!
Had the headlights go twice in my Impreza and both times the nearside has gone with the offside then blowing within 5 minutes! Agree that it's not easy to change as one side has the battery right behind and the other the ABS unit with the air intake over it!I work about 30 miles from home, almost all free flowing motorway. Get in the car one night last november, and drive out of the company car park. I remember on the way out the gate that I was driving earlier, and made a concious decision to turn them off (subaru, they go off with the key).
"turn them on", and proceed to drive out of the industrial estate, I notice nothing wrong. I turn onto the main road, I drive onto the dual carriageway. I run out of street lights. f
k.I pull off at the first junction, and check fuses etc. Nope, bulbs blown. I go for the spare I carry in the glovebox (well prepared, me). It blows the first time I try to light it. f
k. this.15 miles to the nearest halfords, the only place open at this time that will stock bulbs. (apart from the petrol station I stopped at, which had every f
king type but h1 the fking fks, or the large national car dealership across the road, because lateness. s.foglights, sidelights and much bum twitching nerves later, I get 2 of halfords finest into the inaccessible pits that adorn the front of a blobeye impreza.
3 bulb changes in one night, a pain in the ass!
One replacement actually exploded within 10 minutes, leaving tiny fragments of glass on the headlight which I still can't get out...
I didn't believe it at first, but on an e39 i had when one of the tail light bulbs went it showed up on the dash it had went, when i went round the back of the car it had turned on the fog light on that side of the car only automatically to compensate, i never touched the fog light switch and the fog light indicator on the dash never came on, it went back out when i changed the bulb, the crafty bd. When one of the front sidelight bulbs went the indicator came on dim as a backup automatically. Now if only it was clever enough to patch up its own coolant leaks maybe the mrs wouldn't have overheated it.
d. When one of the front sidelight bulbs went the indicator came on dim as a backup automatically. Now if only it was clever enough to patch up its own coolant leaks maybe the mrs wouldn't have overheated it.OldGermanHeaps said:
I didn't believe it at first, but on an e39 i had when one of the tail light bulbs went it showed up on the dash it had went, when i went round the back of the car it had turned on the fog light on that side of the car only automatically to compensate, i never touched the fog light switch and the fog light indicator on the dash never came on, it went back out when i changed the bulb, the crafty bd.
You sure? My MG ZT has a variant of the BMW diesel engine from the E39, and shares a lot of the same electronics, and if a rear light fails it illuminates the brake light on reduced intensity. Definitely not the fog light.d.LittleEnus said:
Dave^ said:
I'd happily vote for whoever insisted on 6-monthly MOTs... an extra £30 a year is a small price to pay to get these numpties to illuminate...
I wouldn't. What an idiotic suggestion.If you drive a lorry by law you have to check lights tyres etc daily!!!!
But its OK to drive a car Every day and only check it once a year????
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