Alfa 156 electrical fault

[kenny.hepburn]

My wifes 156 saloon(year 2000 model)has a defective rear light. The right break/side light wont work. I've checked both the bulb and the relevent fuse and they are both fine. The wiring seems OK although i don't have the equipment to test the circuit. Does any one have a sensible suggestion as to where the problem may be and how to fix it.

[OperationAlfa]

i believe this is not uncommon.. try alfaowner.com

[rctonka]

I have just bought a 156 and mine has the same problem, looking through various posts on alfa owner as strange as it seems the rev counter is probably at fault, the lighting circuit runs through the rev counter and there is a common problem of one of the three chips burning out check the other side light bulbs, is one glowing faintly?

[Avocet]

My wife's did that. It took me ages to find out why, but the metal plate that retains the bulbs is held to the plastic body of the bulb housing with several plastic pegs that are then melted over to "rivet" the plastic to the steel plate. On hers, they hadn't been melted far enough and weren't pushing the bottom of the bulb properly into contact with the contacts at the bottom of the housing.