Hi

 

My car (Fabia from 2015) just told me there was an issue with rear drive bulbs (the white ones).

 

I checked and both bulbs were out (both were on in the other side).

 

I bought two bulbs - 21W ba15s bulbs - but only the upper one fits. The other bulb has to leading parts in the bottom of the bulb - so this wont fit.

 

Am I wrong that both bulbs are for rear drive? If I am - what is the other one for, why does it light when I drive backwards - and which bulb should I go buy to replace it?

 

I'm puzzled as they are both out when driving backward, and I cannot imagine why Skoda would put two different type of bulbs for rear drive light :)

Top photo,  top bulb is twin filament with two connections on the bottom and offset pins on the side :-

Thin wire above = 5 W = side/parking light.

Thick wire below = 21 W = brake/reversing/fog/indicator/front DLR bulb. 380 type bulb. Depends on the car.

 

Top photo, bottom bulb single filament with one connection on the bottom and pins opposite each other :-

Thick wire = 21 W = brake/reversing/fog/indicator bulb. 382 type bulb.

And on the Fabia both side and brake light bulb but with only one filament

 

In the Fabia the rear indicator bulb is coloured orange. See bottom photo.

The bulb at the same height as the indicator bulb is your reversing light bulb.

 

You can jam the wrong bulb in to the wrong fitting and/or the wrong way round for the 380 type bulb.

This can make the wrong bulbs light up? 

 

The top bulb in the top photo fits in the vacant hole in the bottom photo, but only fits one way round.

 

Thanks AG Falco

Edited 22 December, 20187 yr by AGFalco
Learnt something myself.

That was a bit technical for a tech noob as me.

 

But I changed the top right bulb on the right side and re-inserted the old bulb on the right side below. Now they both work.

 

But what is the bulb below the reversing light bulb for? It actually lights too when reversing...

 

 

In the bottom photo there are four bulb positions.

If the holder is the correct way up ( top is top ) then it is as follows:-

 

Top bulb 382 single filament is both side light and brake light. ( somehow glows at lower power for side.)

 

Middle 382W orange bulb single filament indicator light.

Middle 382 clear bulb single filament reversing light.

 

Bottom 380 bulb twin filament, two bottom connections, small filament for side/parking light, larger filament for rear fog light.

 

If you fit/jam a 382 bulb in here then both filaments will light up.

Only one fog light bulb might work, if so it will be your offside/drivers side that will work.

 

Thanks AG Falco

You should also have four side/parking light bulbs per side on the rear.

As well as the two bigger bulbs top and bottom there are two smaller 501 bulbs 5W

attached to the two cables as just seen in your bottom photo.

 

Thanks AG Falco

Hm - even with the old two filament bulb it did glow when reversing - I find that quite strange (it does that too in the other side (the bottom bulb in picture 1).

 

I do have four other smaller bulbs on the rear as I remember - however I believe they are 3W, as I've recently changed two of them.

 

Nonetheless - everything works again.... for now.

Electricity flows, if there is a break/fault it sometimes flows elsewhere and can light up another bulb.

Some manufactures do this intentionally.

The other two small side light bulbs i think are 501 5W bulbs.

 

All working now, good work.

 

Thanks AG Falco

rear drive bulbs, overview