Good Day All

Anyone out there know how to change the front indicator bulbs?.

I would like to change mine to the silver coated bulbs. As the back one seem to be hidden, it's not worth changing them.

Look forward to your tips - Many thanks

Steve

Good Day All

Anyone out there know how to change the front indicator bulbs?.

I would like to change mine to the silver coated bulbs. As the back one seem to be hidden, it's not worth changing them.

Look forward to your tips - Many thanks

Steve

 

Bumper off, headlights out, break off covers for bulbs, buy repair kit from your skoda dealer and use to fit new covers replace the ones you've had to break off.   In short, it's not worth bothering.

Oh Dear!!

Manus thanks for your quick reply.

It seems that Skoda are not making life easy for us car modders!

Steve

Bumper off, headlights out, break off covers for bulbs, buy repair kit from your skoda dealer and use to fit new covers replace the ones you've had to break off.   In short, it's not worth bothering.

 

Is it a similar process having to change the headlight bulbs as/when they go? Not had bi-xenons before, how long do they tend to last?

Xenons on my Fabia lasted almost 9 years before one went. I was happy with that

Xenons last forever, my old 2001 Audi was still on the originals after 13 years.

Bumper off, headlights out, break off covers for bulbs, buy repair kit from your skoda dealer and use to fit new covers replace the ones you've had to break off.   In short, it's not worth bothering.

 

Bit of a thread resurection, but are you serious?

 

From the MK2, where it couldn't have been much easier, they've basically made the indicators a dealer replacement/need a special kit part to replace?

Bit of a thread resurection, but are you serious?

 

 

Yep.  But in 17 years driving i've never had an indicator bulb blow so it's a none issue really.

Hi

Just to update you, as my old thread has been reserected.

This has now been done, led indicator, and led fog light bulbs - they cost the best part of £100, plus an hours labour to fit. Not cheep, but I am happy with the result.

Steve

£100?!? Wow.

I guess all that matters is that you're happy with what was done. Not sure I could part with £100 for subtle indicators and fog lights that are pretty much useless anyway. But hey ho.

I still can't believe it's that hard to change a fecking bulb!!

Although I cant say I have had many bulbs blow either, the yellow indicator ones fade to white and many after only a few years. Would have been an MOT failure twice had it not been so easy to change them on other machines.

 

Not their best design exercise

 

Ordered two fix kits the other day in anticipation, parts dept had no clue, workshop no wiser "never used one guv" , guess it proves they don't really go in the warranty period - after that not their problem.

 

Also proves why this particular dealer is closing!

Changing front indicator bulbs without removing anything is not impossible.

I have used this small bended & sharpened screwdriver to cut out he covers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5T4eFaMBog

Bulbs from Aliexpress: http://www.aliexpress.com/item/2pcs-Amber-Error-Free-PWY24W-PW24W-LED-Bulbs-For-Audi-A3-A4-A5-Q3-VW-MK7/32283343574.html

Result: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OucV_xwZrMQ

Just had a quick look at mine. It looks like they are non replaceable bulbs, as in the Mercedes Sprinter Van mirror repeater indicators. At work the mirrors on the vans were forever getting damaged I tried unsuccessfully to remove the bulbs from these. I thought they were similar to. W5W bulb but as I say, I was unable to remove them

Hi

Thanks, considering what I have so far spent on my vRS (and my Monte), this is pocket money!! Must start up a thread in the projects in Octavia (and Fabia) some time.

Steve

This is crazy and I'm fairly certain in convention of french rules that say you must have spare bulbs so you can change them at the roadside.

 

Bearing in mind the MKI wasn't hard and the MKII was so easy, how could they have got it so wrong on the MK3?

Looks like I'll be ordering up a few repair kits, just to future proof myself for the time when the MOT comes.

 

How hard is it to understand that bulbs do blow. Some have a short life, some just go early, others fade.

They are a consumable item.

 

Then this gets me wondering, if they're not replaceable by the end user then are they a non consumable part? As such are they covered by warranty...

You've got to admit, that could be an interesting argument.

Tyres aren't replacable by the end user, but are consumables. So I think you'd have a hard time arguing the indicators need specialist equipment and replacing and balancing a wheel doesn't.

Tyres aren't replacable by the end user, but are consumables. So I think you'd have a hard time arguing the indicators need specialist equipment and replacing and balancing a wheel doesn't.

 

The wheel can be taken off and removed and a spare put on at the roadside. The nuts are easily removed and they don't require a special kit from a dealer to fix it.

If a light bulb is sealed in the headlight unit, then it's not user maintainable.

 

Also tyres can be checked for wear and unless it's a puncture, you get plenty of warning. The puncture is dealt with by the spare.

If you have a spare bulb you can't do anything and it isn't like you get a warning saying the bulb will blow in 1000 miles.

 

It's incredibly dangerous to drive with a bulb out and I can only see this making matters worse regarding the one light or no lights drivers.

If you had a repair kit and the tools in your boot along with the spare bulb you could 'easily' change the indicator at the roadside too? Most cars (including the O3) don't come with a spare wheel as standard. And even if you have a spare wheel or argue the tyre sludge is a solution - it's still only a temporary fix to get you to a garage.

 

If your indicator bulb goes you still have another one, and possibly the wingmirror one depending on spec. Which should see you to the nearest garage that can change your bulb. With the advantage that you car is still drivable to that garage without requiring maintenance first.

 

I'm not seeing a huge differentiation between the two situations - except that everyone accepts that a tyre requires a garage to change and people are used to changing bulbs themselves.

 

Not saying it's not a stupid idea to seal off a bulb, it is. But plenty of consumable parts are generally accepted as not user-maintainable (even if they are) - battery, brake pads, filters etc. Just because they're difficult to get to doesn't make them any less consumable? And just because a bulb can go with no warning doesn't make it more consumable?

I do understand what you're saying, but an LED bulb isn't a consumable, so if the filament bulb isn't reliable enough to not need replacing, then they should not have sealed it in.

If they seal it in, then as far as I'd be concerned it's a warranty job.

 

Anyway, I think we can stop this out.

 

Out of interest what is in the repair kit and is it something you actually could do on a hard shoulder if stopped by a fine happy french gendarme

In the extremely unlikely situation of being stopped, you could probably cut out the disc of plastic with a small flat bradawl (eg http://www.screwfix.com/p/stanley-bradawl/20843 ) replace the bulb, tape up the hole with electrical tape and sort it all out later...

Edited 22 October, 201510 yr by webweasel

...It's incredibly dangerous to drive with a bulb out and I can only see this making matters worse regarding the one light or no lights drivers.

it's only the indicator that's not easy to get to, the main and dipped bulbs are a doddle.

Fair enough, but still dangerous, as a pedestrian or bike might not see you turning.

Of course at this point you could argue that you should be paying more attention, especially since the double speed flash will tell you your bulb is out.