Hi all,

 

I bought a 2007 Skoda Fabia Ambiente last week...

 

Everything was fine with the car, until yesterday. For no apparent reason, the following lights are not switching on:

 

BOTH Front Headlights

BOTH Front Fog Lights

BOTH Front Indicators

 

Does anyone have any ideas what could cause such a major fault, as ALL other electrics of the car are working fine :(

 

Thanks!!

 

 

I presume that you've checked the fuseboxes.

 

A failure involving headlights and indicators seems to suggest the LH stalk. Similarly, one involving headlights and fogs indicates the rotary  headlight switch. And one involving all lights (including sidelight) on one corner suggests an earth failure.

I presume that you've checked the fuseboxes.

 

A failure involving headlights and indicators seems to suggest the LH stalk. Similarly, one involving headlights and fogs indicates the rotary  headlight switch. And one involving all lights (including sidelight) on one corner suggests an earth failure.

 

Thanks for the input, Ken.

 

The left-hand stalk is 100% working, as is the dashboard-mounted rotary switch.

 

This leads us to your final suspicion, which might be the "earth failure". What does this involve, and how might it be fixed?  :peek:

 

Thanks!

Thanks for the input, Ken.

 

The left-hand stalk is 100% working, as is the dashboard-mounted rotary switch.

 

This leads us to your final suspicion, which might be the "earth failure". What does this involve, and how might it be fixed?  :peek:

 

Thanks!

To eliminate the switches needs you to have proved that you have 12v on the output side of them.

 

However, earthing failures are normally broken wires or corroded earth points, which involves finding the relevant points on this model. Losing both sides simultaneously makes an earthing failure seem unlikely though since there are usually lighting earths at all 4 corners of a car.

To eliminate the switches needs you to have proved that you have 12v on the output side of them.

 

However, earthing failures are normally broken wires or corroded earth points, which involves finding the relevant points on this model. Losing both sides simultaneously makes an earthing failure seem unlikely though since there are usually lighting earths at all 4 corners of a car.

 

Ehm, the left-hand stalk works because when I indicate left or right, the rear indicators and the side indicators illuminate -- but the front indicators do not.

 

And the dashboard-mounted rotary light switch works because the speedometer and engine rev counter illuminate fully -- whilst the headlights do not.

 

Is there something I am missing here? 

I'm pretty sure Ken meant the main light switch, not the thumbwheel dimmer rotary thing for the dash lighting.

I'm pretty sure Ken meant the main light switch, not the thumbwheel dimmer rotary thing for the dash lighting.

 

I'm sorry, but I'm not familiar with that piece of equipment...

 

Would you be so kind and clarify it for me please?

 

Thanks.

The bit that you turn to switch the lights on  . One click clockwise for sidelights two for headlights, and pull out for foglights.

 

Just cos some functions of it may be working, doesn't mean it is fully OK.

 

I have to say, I'm not sure how it can affect indicators at just the front though.

 

Are both dipped beam and full beam headlights affected? Do the sidelights at the front work?

The bit that you turn to switch the lights on  . One click clockwise for sidelights two for headlights, and pull out for foglights.

 

Just cos some functions of it may be working, doesn't mean it is fully OK.

 

I have to say, I'm not sure how it can affect indicators at just the front though.

 

Are both dipped beam and full beam headlights affected? Do the sidelights at the front work?

Yeah, I think we were talking about the same thing  :p

 

To confirm:

ALL the lights at the front of the vehicle are OFF.

The 2 small red lights inside the vehicle (1 on each front door) are ON.

The 2 small amber indicator lights outside the vehicle (1 near each front door) are ON.

That looks most like an earthing fault then, although I repeat that it's unusual to have 2 earth points fail at the same time.

 

You say that the side repeaters (and presume rear) indicators are working. Is the flash rate faster than usual?

That looks most like an earthing fault then, although I repeat that it's unusual to have 2 earth points fail at the same time.

 

You say that the side repeaters (and presume rear) indicators are working. Is the flash rate faster than usual?

Now that you mention it, the indicators do seem to be a little odd...

 

On the outside, the amber lights are flashing as normal, at about 1 on/off cycle per second...

 

But on the dash-cam itself, the illuminated little arrows "flash" or "sound" at a rate of about 3 on/off cycles per second... much faster than it should be.

 

I have a feeling that it might have been "modified" in some way 

Sorry about my confusion earlier.

 

That faster flashing of the dash indicator arrows and sound just means that one or more of the indicators isn't operating, so that's consistent with your fault. 

 

I had a quick look at a wiring diagram earlier, and there does seem to be a single earth connection for all of the lights at the front of the car* (except I couldn't find whether the front fogs also share it). It's a 6mm² wire that goes to a stud on the nearside suspension turret. See if that's corroded, loose ,broken in the crimp entry or something.

 

Here's a snapshot of the diagram. It doesn't include the foglight earth, but that may go to the same point.  There may well be a few candidate earth studs/wires in that location, so you might need to inspect and clean a few.

 

*A questionable design decision TBH. Single fault takes out all lights that show you what's ahead of you!

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/185029-fabia-headlight-failure/?p=2216325

 

I checked the wiring diagrams in the Haynes manual. All the failing components earth to E4. ^^^ That one.

 

J.

I'm surprised by that, because it means not only a single point failure mode, but also the RH lights using about 6 feet more wire than they need!!

 

But yes everything is pointing to that earth as your failure.

Sorry about my confusion earlier.

 

That faster flashing of the dash indicator arrows and sound just means that one or more of the indicators isn't operating, so that's consistent with your fault. 

 

I had a quick look at a wiring diagram earlier, and there does seem to be a single earth connection for all of the lights at the front of the car* (except I couldn't find whether the front fogs also share it). It's a 6mm² wire that goes to a stud on the nearside suspension turret. See if that's corroded, loose ,broken in the crimp entry or something.

 

Here's a snapshot of the diagram. It doesn't include the foglight earth, but that may go to the same point.  There may well be a few candidate earth studs/wires in that location, so you might need to inspect and clean a few.

 

*A questionable design decision TBH. Single fault takes out all lights that show you what's ahead of you!

 

Thank you so much; I appreciate your time and effort  :clap:

 

I'll be visiting a car garage this afternoon, and I'll make sure to remind the mechanic about what you just taught me!

 

I'll keep you posted if there's any news  :sun:

 

Thanks!!

I think... I found the earthing point in question. It's quite hidden.

 

Look at the shape of the nut and surround around the battery earthing point on the front of the strut tower.

 

The lighting earth point is a similar shaped nut and surround, lower down, 90 degrees around the tower, underneath the air box. Occluded by airbox and various looms and wires running off to the ECU and front of the car.

 

Of course, if it's fallen off..... Then maybe there's just be 4 x 1.5mm sq brown wires floating in proximity to each other.

Hmm, I'm not as sure about this now.

 

There are two earth studs that match the position described in the wiring document (photos to come, uploading slowly...), but I also noticed that the right foglight does earth locally, just behind the right light cluster - I can follow the wire all the way with my eyes. Not so easy to see where the left one goes. So one fault doesn't explain all your missing lights. Are you trying the front foglights with ignition on? They don't work without that or engine running.

 

What would be a useful experiment is to try flashing your lights, by pulling the indicator stalk towards you. That works on our 05 Ambiente without even key in the ignition switch, so that might show whether you've got the main earth connection or not, irrespective of anything to do with the actual light switch.

 

 

Another thing that might be rather relevant - this is a Mk1 Fabia, not a Mk2, yeah? The wiring might well be different.  Google (image) the shapes of the two if you're not sure how to tell. 2007 was the changeover year.

 

The two candidates on the left:

 

 

The right foglight earh:

 

Ah, didn't check the foglights diagram.... They seem to have "individual" earths. The indicators and headlights etc all earth through the same point according to Haynes.

 

Your first piccie is the area I was looking at. I got distracted fixing an airbox grommet though so forgot to have a good look with it in bits.

 

J.

It's a lot easier to see on the 1.2/12valve!

With the engine cover combined with airbox, there's nothing in the way of photographing that area.