996 Offside sidelights gone!
Discussion
Anyone have an experience with o/s side lights (front and rear) not working?????
Main beam and dip still work on front. Brake light still works as well. But no sidelights front or rear. I don't see any way it can be a fuse as the fuse that controls the rear side light, also controls the brake light - which still works. Tried a replacement bulb in back and that didn't work either. Filaments on original bulb are all okay. It's a March 2002 Carrera. Just wondered if anyone has had same issue. Basic electrics so obviously not covered under warranty.........
Main beam and dip still work on front. Brake light still works as well. But no sidelights front or rear. I don't see any way it can be a fuse as the fuse that controls the rear side light, also controls the brake light - which still works. Tried a replacement bulb in back and that didn't work either. Filaments on original bulb are all okay. It's a March 2002 Carrera. Just wondered if anyone has had same issue. Basic electrics so obviously not covered under warranty.........
clarkeyjnr said:
Thanks, Nervous.
I think it's going to mean a run to the local OPC for a diagnosis. Shame - I only picked the car up on Friday last week.... Other than this problem, it's just bliss....
I think it's going to mean a run to the local OPC for a diagnosis. Shame - I only picked the car up on Friday last week.... Other than this problem, it's just bliss....
dont do that. whereabouts in the midlands are you? i have chums in peterborogh and theyll happily take a look for you. youll feel better about the car if you sort it yourself
BliarOut / Nervous........You boys are tops! 
I'm away until Thursday but I'll be runnning through the fuses to check it out as soon as I'm back from Belgium! I guess a 2002 car won't be too different from a 1999/2000 car...even if it is, it gives me somewhere to start!
Muchos Gracias
I'm away until Thursday but I'll be runnning through the fuses to check it out as soon as I'm back from Belgium! I guess a 2002 car won't be too different from a 1999/2000 car...even if it is, it gives me somewhere to start!
Muchos Gracias
Nervous/BliarOut.......
I'm a little
.....
You were absolutely bang on. Top row, 3rd from left (7.5A) = FRIED. Replaced it and now front sidelight works a dream. Still nothing from rear o/s sidelight though. Also tried a new bulb but still nothing.
Do you know where the rear sidelight/brake light fuse is?
If it isn't a fuse, then I'm thinking it may be a wiring fault (OPC visit).....
I'm a little
..... You were absolutely bang on. Top row, 3rd from left (7.5A) = FRIED. Replaced it and now front sidelight works a dream. Still nothing from rear o/s sidelight though. Also tried a new bulb but still nothing.
Do you know where the rear sidelight/brake light fuse is?
If it isn't a fuse, then I'm thinking it may be a wiring fault (OPC visit).....
Step one, take bulb out and double check contacts are actually clean and free from corrosion.
Step two, test the bulb with a small battery (doesn't need to be 12V, a PP3 will do to make it glow)
Failing that.
The rear light cluster has a common earth (brown) so that's more than likely ok if all your other right rear lights work. There isn't a seperate fuse, both right markers run off the same one, S1 A3.
With the bulb still out measure the voltage at the contact with the marker light switched on. It should be near as damn it 12V. The red wire is the side marker light feed and the brown is earth. If you don't get 12V from the red with it switched on try connecting your multi-meter to a seperate earth.
If that doesn't work, there should be a six pin connector somewhere. Disconnect it. Position 5 has a grey/red wire going towards the front of the car. That's the feed to your rear marker light. Check that you get 12V across there and position 1 (brown).
My money is on a corroded connection somewhere that took the fuse out in the first place.
Step two, test the bulb with a small battery (doesn't need to be 12V, a PP3 will do to make it glow)
Failing that.
The rear light cluster has a common earth (brown) so that's more than likely ok if all your other right rear lights work. There isn't a seperate fuse, both right markers run off the same one, S1 A3.
With the bulb still out measure the voltage at the contact with the marker light switched on. It should be near as damn it 12V. The red wire is the side marker light feed and the brown is earth. If you don't get 12V from the red with it switched on try connecting your multi-meter to a seperate earth.
If that doesn't work, there should be a six pin connector somewhere. Disconnect it. Position 5 has a grey/red wire going towards the front of the car. That's the feed to your rear marker light. Check that you get 12V across there and position 1 (brown).
My money is on a corroded connection somewhere that took the fuse out in the first place.
BliarOut/Nervous.......
You boys are tops - and I'm patting myself on back too.
While I was fiddling with the bulb, I noticed that if I applied downward pressure when putting the bulb back in, it glowed. Checked versus N/S (which was working properly) to see which filament of the two was the sidelight - and then tried to work out why it stopped glowing when the bulb locked into place?????? When i took the bulb out again, I could see that the two metal 'W' shape spring contacts underneath. Only one of them looked more line a 'V' as half of it had snapped off (Bizarrely - not sure how this could happen???). Anyway, I used a pare of long nose pliars and a thin screwdriver and basically bent the spring upwards so that it provided a continuous contact. Hopefully it should last (works perfectly at moment) but if the contact loses it's 'spring' and regresses back to it's original position, then I'll order a new set of wires for back light.
You're right, feel much better having sorted it myself and stayed away from OPC (also spared me the cash extravagance of an OPC.....) I owe you both a beer!
Cheers,
Clarkey
You boys are tops - and I'm patting myself on back too.
While I was fiddling with the bulb, I noticed that if I applied downward pressure when putting the bulb back in, it glowed. Checked versus N/S (which was working properly) to see which filament of the two was the sidelight - and then tried to work out why it stopped glowing when the bulb locked into place?????? When i took the bulb out again, I could see that the two metal 'W' shape spring contacts underneath. Only one of them looked more line a 'V' as half of it had snapped off (Bizarrely - not sure how this could happen???). Anyway, I used a pare of long nose pliars and a thin screwdriver and basically bent the spring upwards so that it provided a continuous contact. Hopefully it should last (works perfectly at moment) but if the contact loses it's 'spring' and regresses back to it's original position, then I'll order a new set of wires for back light.
You're right, feel much better having sorted it myself and stayed away from OPC (also spared me the cash extravagance of an OPC.....) I owe you both a beer!
Cheers,
Clarkey
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