SteveFab

Hello folks, My partner has a 2022 Fabia with LED headlights. These incorporate LED daytime running lights. In the last couple of months, the nearside DRL has been failing. The first indication of a problem was a dashboard warning saying it needed checking - though when we looked, it appeared to be working fine. In the following days and weeks this progressed, so that the error would pop up with increasing frequency and more often, the light itself would be out when checked. Today, the dashboard warning is almost always present, and the light is almost always off. I notice though that sometimes the light still flickers - I think more commonly after start-up though it's hard to be sure as clearly, once driving it's hard to see your DRL! I'll also mention something I feel 99.99% certain is unrelated, but just in case - the first time the error popped up, I'd just replaced the cabin air filter. I can't think of any possible reason why that could be connected, but... just for completeness! I've been told that the only solution to a failed DRL is to replace the entire headlight unit at a cost well north of £500 - not money my partner has lying around spare. I find it hugely frustrating - in fact outrageous - that manufacturers are allowed to build cars in such a way that something as previously simple as a failed bulb now necessitates vast repair costs and an absurd level of waste - the rest of the headlight is completely fine, but has to go to landfill because one minor component has failed. Economically and environmentally, it's pretty disgraceful. I wondered if this is an issue anyone else has experienced, and whether there is any other course of action available to fix, short of binning it and taking out a second mortgage to buy a headlight! Any and all thoughts and guidance would be much appreciated. As an aside, other than this issue it's a great car and my missus loves it. She drives a lot for work and it's done 62k miles in the four years we've had it; she's planning to keep it for at least a couple more, but this costly glitch is kinda tedious - especially as there's clearly another DRL on the other side which we're now viewing with trepidation! Thanks again, and best wishes to all. Steve