Curious Bulb Warning Light

[poobah]

Evening,

I have a slightly odd diagnostics challenge for you all.

Basically I had a bulb warning light on the dashboard a few weeks ago. One of the rear tail light bulbs was out so I replaced it. This didn't switch off the warning light. Based upon this I suspected a weak bulb or similar so I replaced all the rear bulbs; this also didn't help.

I had a friend (Wardy) switch off the light via VCDS and then noticed whilst driving that when I had main beam on and then indicated the warning light came back on. Again I suspected a dodgy bulb so replaced the main beam and front indicator lights. I had the warning light switched off again but was able to able to switch it on again by the combined use of the main beam and indicators.

So, here is the scan malfunctions. Can anyone provide any insight as to what might be the problem and what I might be able to try next as swapping out of various bulbs and switching the light off doesn't seem to have worked.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address 09: Cent. Elect. Labels: 3C0-937-049-23-H.lbl

Part No SW: 3C0 937 049 AE HW: 3C0 937 049 AE

Component: Bordnetz-SG H52 2002

Revision: 00H52000 Serial number: 00000004619749

Coding: A30C0B011004140000110D000000000000087F065C0000

Shop #: WSC 73430 790 12345

VCID: 6CDC73494F758D7E58B-8039

Subsystem 1 - Part No: 1Z2 955 119 C Labels: 1KX-955-119.CLB

Component: Wischer 091106 022 0601

Coding: 00055223

Shop #: WSC 73430

3 Faults Found:

01497 - Bulb for Blinkers; Front Right (M7)

012 - Electrical Fault in Circuit - Intermittent

Freeze Frame:

Fault Status: 00101100

Fault Priority: 2

Fault Frequency: 1

Reset counter: 160

Mileage: 102238 km

Time Indication: 0

Date: 2005.09.13

Time: 31:63:63

Freeze Frame:

OFF

Voltage: 12.20 V

OFF

ON

OFF

OFF

OFF

02498 - Left Low Beam Reflector Motor (V294)

012 - Electrical Fault in Circuit

Freeze Frame:

Fault Status: 01111100

Fault Priority: 3

Fault Frequency: 1

Reset counter: 129

Mileage: 102155 km

Time Indication: 0

Date: 2005.09.13

Time: 31:63:63

Freeze Frame:

ON

Voltage: 14.10 V

ON

ON

OFF

OFF

OFF

02499 - Right Low Beam Reflector Motor (V295)

012 - Electrical Fault in Circuit

Freeze Frame:

Fault Status: 01111100

Fault Priority: 3

Fault Frequency: 1

Reset counter: 129

Mileage: 102155 km

Time Indication: 0

Date: 2005.09.13

Time: 31:63:63

Freeze Frame:

ON

Voltage: 14.10 V

ON

ON

OFF

OFF

OFF

In addition, I'm not sure if it's related but also had the following faults show up:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Address 46: Central Conv. Labels: 1K0-959-433-MAX.clb

Part No SW: 1K0 959 433 BT HW: 1K0 959 433 BT

Component: KSG PQ35 G2 020 0203

Revision: 00020000 Serial number: 00000000000000

Coding: 98801A085283007F3F04050FC0081F96907C00

Shop #: WSC 73430 790 12345

VCID: 830EB8F5C2EBE206091-80D6

Subsystem 5 - Part No: 1Z0 951 171

Component: Innenraumueberw.008 4801

Coding: 00000000

Shop #: WSC 73430

Subsystem 6 - Part No: 1K0 951 605 C

Component: LIN BACKUP HORN H03 1301

Subsystem 7 - Component: NGS n.mounted

1 Fault Found:

01135 - Interior Monitoring Sensors

004 - No Signal/Communication - Intermittent

Freeze Frame:

Fault Status: 00100100

Fault Priority: 4

Fault Frequency: 1

Reset counter: 160

Time Indication: 0

Edited 11 November, 2013 by poobah

[poobah]

Have now added the full scan file as an attachment as the text seemed to get jumbled when posting.

[poobah]

Sorry, should've mentioned that the car is a 2007 Octavia vRS TFSi.

[Wardy]

Only other thing that springs to mind is to check the coding of module 09, Central Electrics and make sure everything is as it should be.

We can do a comparison against my coding, see if we can spot anything.

[James@RRG_Skoda_Rochdale]

Interior monitoring sensor can normally be rectified by turning the sensitivity down.

They always flag up during a scan.

With the light faults id check the earths in the engine bay for corrosion, same goes for the inside of the lights. Not suffering from condensation within the headlights are you?

[skomaz]

If you find out what the issue is let us know - I've still got random bulb out warnings (but nop detail in maxidot) on my 2007 4x4.  They started prior to fitting a HID kit (but post coding) when braking and fl;ashing main beam at the same time with a trailer board on.  Having cleared them they come back with a combination of main beam and / or braking...

 

One day I'll check the earth point by the left headlight and then cancel them again...

[poobah]

So, the mystery is solved. I'd recently fitted a HID kit and amended the coding so Wardy suggested we go back to the original pre-HID coding to see if that solved the issue. It did. 

 

So once we'd worked out it was a coding issue we turned 'xenons with shutters' on and switched off cold diagnostics for the dipped beam as we had done prior to the HID fitment. This brought the error back.

 

Based upon that we switched off 'xenons with shutters' and left cold diagnostics off for dipped beam. the error didn't come back. 

 

So in conclusion it seems that switching on 'xenons with shutters' caused this issue. I'm still not sure why but at least we've found the cause. Wardy tells me that it's the cold diagnostics 'switch off' which is the important bit for HID fitment so I'll get the HID kit re-fitted now.

[Wardy]

Glad we got to the source of the problem

 

Just emailed you with a note of the changes, so you have a record.

[mmafreak]

Hi I have the same exact 012 error code and description although not caused by the same combination of lights. My right indicator stays on permanently even when the car is off.  

 

I had installed a HID kit from London color and the roads happened to be flooded. I suspect water got into the headlamp housing as I saw condensation. That was when the right side turn indicator remained a solid color and refused to blink. I am back to running stock halogens and have removed the right side indicator bulb for now (driving around with the on dash light on). 

 

Tried unchecking 'xenons with shutters' but it made no difference. 

 

When I scanned with VCDS , I had almost 20 errors across different modules. Saved log, cleared errors and the second time around the Central Electronics 09 threw up an error. It is the same, "01497 - Bulb for Blinkers; Front Right (M7) 012 - Electrical Fault in Circuit - Intermittent"

 

Looked up error code in Ross Tech Wikis and they had 3 possible causes- faulty bulb, fuse or wiring. I checked the bulb and fuse the day of. So that leaves me with wiring. 

 

Am I right in assuming it is the BCM that needs replacement? Or, can it be repaired?

 

Full log attached. Log-BULB-TMBBEG1Z2CA152683-18237.txt 

 

Edited 29 November, 2013 by mmafreak

[sparky2]

With all those errors it could be your can bus with either a trapped wire or a faulty unit, has anything happened to the car lately ?

[mmafreak]

The roads were flooded recently with water level covering the brake rotors. 

 

I spoke to the dealers and the manager agreed it could boil down to wiring or BCM.  They have a machine tied to their online system that will scan and point out exactly which wire and pin is faulty. The server pushes the wiring diagram of that specific car to the computer at the dealers by matching the VIN number against the database in Germany. Pretty cool if you ask me. Beats following every wire and troubleshoot by hand. 

 

Going to take the car in on Tuesday. Will let you guys know what happens. 

Edited 30 November, 2013 by mmafreak

[xpower]

This happened to mine as well (r/h indicator on solid), turned out to be the BCM at fault and it was replaced under warranty

[mmafreak]

xpower, 

 

Do you know what caused the problem for you? 

 

My Skoda tech believes it was a faulty ballast/igniter that may have shorted the BCM (I have a non-canbus kit from London color). I on the other hand believe it is from water getting in the headlight housing (there was a ton of condensation inside, it took 3 days to evaporate)

 

Reading another thread, member Alberg, mentioned his mates had the same r/h indicator solid light problem from using non-canbus kits. But there are many others who have used the london color kits without BCM problems.. :S

 

Slightly off topic, but I want to install the HID kit again after getting the BCM  replaced. How would I know if it was the ballast that shorted the module?

[xpower]

TBH the cause was never found but I highly doubt it would be caused by the HID kit.

Mine happened when I indicated right and then it never went off, my lights weren't even on then.

The ballast won't have shorted the module, at worst the interference from the AC pulses can cause problems on non shielded ballasts and cables but that is normally of cheap ballasts and cables, not the ones from London colour (unless they have changed supplier)

You are the 4th person with the identical r/h front indicator fault staying on so it is most likely a module failed fault rather than anything you have done.

Just make sure they are coded correctly, byte 14 bit 4 from a 0 to a 1 (on UK spec anyway)

And don't buy Canbus kits, stick with non Canbus

[mmafreak]

I saw Paddypaws post in the other HID thread, and he has a VRS, like you. Not sure if the byte 14 is applicable to my CAN as it is just an Elegance. I coded and got it working without any errors before. 

 

Do you think I can use the same HID kit I removed or should I buy another one? 

 

The dealers have put in a new order for the BCM. 

[xpower]

It's hard to judge, all I can say is I have the same HID kit in now as I did when the BCM failed and I've had no further problems 6 months (ish) on

[mmafreak]

Hello gents, 

 

I got a new BCM replaced under warranty. All back to normal now. 

 

Thanks for your help.

[skomaz]

Just an update as bought a scanner the other day - my problem with the bulb warning appears to be an intermittent fault with the right rear light unit affectig the reversing light and brake light -  so I'm suspecting an earth fault or similar and not a BCM or HID issue.

[skomaz]

Hi Guys,

 

Me again on this...

 

I’m still getting an error code for the headlights every time I used main beam.  Having checked a few times now it always seems to be intermittent connection to the reflector motors for dipped beam – as it comes back as:

 

02499 - Right Dipped Beam Reflector Motor (V295)
012 - Electrical Fault in Circuit - Intermittent

 

02498 Left Dipped beam reflector Motor (v295)

012 - Electrical Fault in Circuit - Intermittent

 

 

I've checked all the bulbs again (replaced the dipped beams and sidelights at the weekend with both LEDS, HID's and standard bulbs originally taken from the car) and the earthing strap behind the nearside headlight (which I think covers the headlights) and the error comes back regardless of combination of bulbs whenever I use the main beams.  Car was coded by Wardy for the HID's and was checked and again various combinatins tried a couple of months back and no change to behaviour.

 

I'm now starting to think this could be a BCM issue?

 

I can live with it but with the dark nights drawing in I'd like to get it fixed otherwise I'll be cancelling error codes every weekend.

 

Any thoughts as to whether it would be worthwhile pulling the connections to the BCM and remaking them - or any other suggestions of what to check? - stalk fault maybe? fuses?

[andyvee]

If you have been coded for Xenons with shutters then it will cause the codes - as you don't have Xenons with shutters, you have a separate main beam bulb rather than a single Xenon bulb and a motor that moves a shutter to give main beam.

[skomaz]

OK will try and check again but was sure it was coded as xenon's WITHOUT shutters...

Got to be worth another look though

[skomaz]

Right - my car was in for service today so we had another look with vcds. Cold diagnostic was off but xenon's with shutters wasvticked. Untucked that and all seemed OK but then dipped started flashing when mains were used. So took another look and in a different byte found xenons without shutters (bixenons) so ticked that and tried again. Seems fine now.

Is this correct?????

[andyvee]

Right - my car was in for service today so we had another look with vcds. Cold diagnostic was off but xenon's with shutters wasvticked. Untucked that and all seemed OK but then dipped started flashing when mains were used. So took another look and in a different byte found xenons without shutters (bixenons) so ticked that and tried again. Seems fine now.

Is this correct?????

Yes, you have xenons without shutters

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

[skomaz]

Yes, you have xenons without shutters

Sent from my HTC One_M8 using Tapatalk

 

Many thanks - that has been bugging me for ages!  Initial problems were with a 55w kit but since that fried the issue has been ongoing with a 35w kit as well so hopefully all now resolved once and for all and it's comforting to have it confirmed

 

Cheers