As it says above - are the left and right brake lights on a 2001 Fabia on separate circuits?

I ask as I have the passenger side light out. It used to work until I pinched the bulb temporarily to check the lights on my mums car but since I've put it back the tail light works but not the brake light. I've now tried 6 or 7 bulbs in the holder, some of which are brand new and un-broken and none are working properly. I know that the bulbs are offset/offset bulbs but have tried all varieties to no avail, can't find a separate fuse for it and all the other lights work.

I'm starting to think a wiring problem or brake switch problem but could do with a bit more info before I get stuck in.

Thanks

Can't be 100% certain for the estate, but in the hatch I'm pretty sure the lower red light is the tail-light (plus dual filament on offside for foglamp) and the upper red light is the brakelight ONLY - so should be a single filament / symmetrical bulb I think?

Is it an offset one as sometimes a 12 and 6 position pin will fit but will not illuminate both, try swapping the bulb from the other side and try the new bulbs in there. Halfords have the codes wrong in the flip chart they have for the Octavia so they may have for yours .

Many thanks guys - all now sorted!

Dipstick here was continually replacing the wrong bulb... :(

I was replacing the lower twin filament bulb as I had it in mind that that one was the stop/tail bulb! I've now replaced the top single filament bulb and were all hunky dory.

While I was in there I checked all the other lights as well and found that the tail/fog bulb on the right was the wrong type (offset only rather than offset/offset) so have sorted that as well.

I still need another offset/offset for the left fog/tail but that's no great shakes as the fog isn't wired up on that side anyway and I can call somewhere on the way home to get the right type!

I dunno - ten years of ownership, six bulbs and about six weeks of thinking about it and I still get it wrong

The wiring is there for the fog you just need vag-com to turn on, glad you got it sorted

Wiring to near-side rear fog-light on my 2005 Fabia was not there to illuminate it.

Tapped into wiring loom running along inside of near-side rear wing (after pulling boot carpet back) to give a feed to fog-light.

Placed low powered in-line fuse for safety.

The actual rear light clusters are identical each side, (interchangeable) even with a double element offset bulb, its the live feed thats not there.

Edited 27 October, 201015 yr by giandougl

Yup - pretty sure Bas did a pictorial once upon a time...

Thought they would be the same as Audi a2 <wife used to have one> and my Octy , just needed to be activated. It is crazy that in 1976 Rover SD1 had two fogs as standard and nearly 35 years later we don't, that's progress for you!

Edited 27 October, 201015 yr by bluvrs2

Not at all - the logic is that having them on the offside only helps stop them being confused for brakelights, so you keep your distance rather than coming up close and slowing down at the last moment...

I think enough has been said already about that debate, I will agree to disagree

Do twice as many miles on the continent as I do here anyway

Edited 27 October, 201015 yr by bluvrs2

Not at all - the logic is that having them on the offside only helps stop them being confused for brakelights, so you keep your distance rather than coming up close and slowing down at the last moment...

I agree...