sidelight issue with Xenons

[Stuart_J]

On a couple of occasions over the last few days the warning light saying bulb out has come on & one sidelight is out, next time you start the car its fine & will be for a day or so & then it will be out with the warning light on.

Im guessing its a bulb on the way out, unusual to work & not work I know but I guess possible but before I book it into the stealers for a bulb change as you cant change a side bulb on a xenon equiped car "NICE ONE SKODA !!!!" has anyone had similar problems & it was something else

Edited 18 October, 2011 by Stuart_J

[silver1011]

Sounds like a dodgy bulb or loose connection.

Are you sure you can't replace the side light / indicator bulb manually on xenon equipped Octavia's?

I understand that they recommend the xenon headlight bulbs are a dealer only replacement but I thought that the side light and indicator set up is identical to the non-xenon halogen units?

[Stuart_J]

Sounds like a dodgy bulb or loose connection.

Are you sure you can't replace the side light / indicator bulb manually on xenon equipped Octavia's?

I understand that they recommend the xenon headlight bulbs are a dealer only replacement but I thought that the side light and indicator set up is identical to the non-xenon halogen units?

Manual said sidelights by dealer. We had similar issues on the Mk 1 Superb with Xenons & that was a dealer job. I would be interested to know from others if its a relativly easy job to do

Edited 18 October, 2011 by Stuart_J

[silver1011]

Strange, both my Scout and vRS have factory fit xenon's, no mention of the side lights being a dealer only change.

The headlight does need to be removed to make access to the bulb holders easier but this is simply a case of undoing a plastic nut and pulling on a lever, the headlight then slides out on guides.

[Stuart_J]

Strange, both my Scout and vRS have factory fit xenon's, no mention of the side lights being a dealer only change.

Our Scout is facelift if it makes any difference, page 262 of the manual has a note re Xenon lights which says head, dip & parking by specialist dealer or words to that effect. Im not sure I want to pull the light out with all the self levelling bits & cornering gismos on the light, mucking something up which a numpty with 2 left hands could easily do might proove costly. Thanks for posting the "how to do though"

[silver1011]

Ah fair enough, the wrap around FL headlights may well be a completely different set-up as I believe they are adaptive / more complex than the pre-FL version!

Probably best to check with the dealer then...

[ChrisRs]

On the FL (With Xenons)Just pull out the headlight unit as described.

Disconnect the power cable and replace the sidelight bulb

[Stuart_J]

On the FL (With Xenons)Just pull out the headlight unit as described.

Disconnect the power cable and replace the sidelight bulb

Thanks

[Stuart_J]

Sidelight finally packed up completely so I popped into the dealers & they freefit bulbs if you buy the bulb from them

If anyone else has sidelights gone in Xenon units it might be worth approaching your Skoda dealer rather than struggling as they may offer the same

[Wardy]

Xenon headlamp issue and the dealer note may well be an H&S issue, as it involves un-plugging the ballast.

But as said, the removal process is exactly the same, once you've disconnected the connection for the ballast.

[Stoofa]

A slightly unrelated question

My Octy has sidelight bulbs, but because I've got DRL's they don't come on.

However Skoda, in their infinite wisdom have put blue bulbs in and to be honest they ruin the look of the otherwise totally clear front cluster.

So silly question, that I could probably find out elsewhere....what are the bulb size for Octy side-lights?

Ta

[Stuart_J]

A slightly unrelated question

My Octy has sidelight bulbs, but because I've got DRL's they don't come on.

However Skoda, in their infinite wisdom have put blue bulbs in and to be honest they ruin the look of the otherwise totally clear front cluster.

So silly question, that I could probably find out elsewhere....what are the bulb size for Octy side-lights?

Ta

I assume they are still on as parking lights

[Stoofa]

I assume they are still on as parking lights

I guess that is possible - I've never had to use parking lights, so I doon't know what happens at the front if I "leave the indicator" on when I park up - might have a look later.

Anyway, still want to swap the bulbs over to clear ones - they are going to be "501's" aren't they?

[silver1011]

The side light bulbs are redundant on the FL vRS, side light and parking light functions both use the LED DRL's but dimmed.

I'm sure you could just remove the blue sidelight bulbs, not much point in replacing them with clears if they'll never work.

[Stoofa]

The side light bulbs are redundant on the FL vRS, side light and parking light functions both use the LED DRL's but dimmed.

I'm sure you could just remove the blue sidelight bulbs, not much point in replacing them with clears if they'll never work.

I'm assuming however that the fact Skoda fit some at the factory that they are wired into the Canbus system (even though they aren't being used) and will flag as a bulb fault with them removed?

[Wardy]

That's quite likely, yes.

Not worth them doing a re-design on the headlamp I guess.

[silver1011]

I read (on here) that the sidelight bulbs aren't wired up on the vRS, so perhaps the headlight is the same but the loom is unique?

If that's the case then removing the bulbs shouldn't have any adverse effect.

[Wardy]

Only one way to find out