Fault: Vehicle Lighting

[NESskod]

HI, I see this has been discussed before but last post was 2014 so though to ask if anyone has more experience on this

 

I have 2013 MkIII Octavia Estate 1.4TSi SE with approx 37k miles, I have owned since new all the bulbs are the originals, there are no Xenons or anything fancy.

 

In the last week shortly after turning on the ignition I have started getting the warning "Fault : Vehicle Lighting" on the dash display and the orange triangle shows up - see photo 1.

 

As I drive along occasionally the trip meter in the bottom right of the display will be replaced by a "bulb" symbol for a few seconds.  - see  photo 2.

 

• The lights on the car all appear to be working normally, illuminate and for lights in pairs seem the same brightness
• I have checked tried all exterior lights, the glove box, 2 x rear number plate boot,  2x interior front and 2x interior rear
• I don't have self leveling headlights, but I have tried the manual "up down" wheel below and to the right of  the steering wheel - both left and right front lights move up and down together and stop at the same point.
• The battery voltage just before starting (measured at cigar lighter socket) can vary between 11.9 - after sitting all night and 12.5 - shortly after stopping engine, this makes no difference to the warning appearing when turning on the ignition.
• As an experiment I disconnected one of the right hand headlamp bulbs - in this case I get a different error "Lighting Fault : Check R.H. Dipped"
  • In all cases the display on the "big display" - the one with the radio in the center -  just shows a picture of the car with the front left lights on orange, so I think it's a generic error picture.
• It passed the MOT last week at a local garage in this condition, the tester told me they only inspect the lights from outside and are not bothered about the orange trangle.

 

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

 

 

 

 

[Stuart-h]

It could be the contcts on the bulb or a bulb is starting to breakdown.

[gregoir]

The tail lights have multiple bulbs so it may be difficult to see a fault. Maybe easier when it's dark. I've found the system very useful in the past in a Mk2. Touch wood, I've not yet had bulb failures in my Mk3.

[skippy41]

could be the number plate or reversing bulb

 

[ChoonDoode]

1 hour ago, skippy41 said:

could be the number plate or reversing bulb

 

 

number plate lights aren't canbus attached I don't think.

 

@NESskod I'd 'borrow' a family member, a friend or a neighbour and systematically check all the external lights one by one. I'd wait til it gets a bit dark, as certainly on the VRS, the sidelight bulbs can't be seen properly. Only reason I'm saying get someone to help is it just makes the process that bit easier.

[skippy41]

1 hour ago, tunedude said:

 

number plate lights aren't canbus attached I don't think.

 

@NESskod I'd 'borrow' a family member, a friend or a neighbour and systematically check all the external lights one by one. I'd wait til it gets a bit dark, as certainly on the VRS, the sidelight bulbs can't be seen properly. Only reason I'm saying get someone to help is it just makes the process that bit easier.

They are I had one go shows the  bulb out  warning 

 

 

[NESskod]

1 hour ago, skippy41 said:

They are I had one go shows the  bulb out  warning 

 

 

Thanks all, have prepared a sheet with all the lights on it, have a clipboard ready  - I will await Mr NSSskod to come home this evening, just to come to @skippy41 comment above - when the number plate bulb failed did the display say "number plate" or just a generic lighting "Fault: Vehicle Lighting" message I am trying to understand  which bulbs give specific errors - like the front dipped - and which don't

 

 

[aki78]

In my experience the footwell lights and the door warning lights can cause this type of general warning. I came across this when I changed the bulbs to LEDs. The fault code is also visible with a scanner tool.

[NESskod]

So Update - With Mr S in the driving seat and in the dark I checked

FRONT

  Daylight Running L & R

  Sidelights L & R

  Dipped Beam L & R

  Main Bean L & R

  Lower Fog Lamps L & R

  Indicators L&R

 

SIDE

  Mirror Indicator L&R

 

REAR

   Sidelights - 2 per cluster L&R

   Brake Lights L & R

   Reversing L & R

   Fog Lamp - Right Only

   Indicators L & R

   Number Plate L & R

 

Inside

  Boot Lamps L & R

  Front Courtesy L & R

  Rear Courtesy L & R

  Glove Box

 

All work - the only things is I only have a single rear foglight on the right,  I opened the rear lights (great instuction video here) there are three wires go to the bulbholder, but when I checked there is only a single filament bulb so I think 1 foglight is by design.

 

I don't think I have footwell and door warning lights like @aki78 but any other suggestions where there might be a bulb welcome?

 

My guess is one bulb is about to fail soon and has a higher than normal resistance but I don't have time to stand outside and remove / check every bulb.  so I will just carry on and see what happens, there's a spare set of bulbs in the car if it happens while away

 

[SuperbTWM]

One thing that's worth trying is moving the lamps in their holders or re-installing them, that might get rid of your high resistance joint.

 

 

[skippy41]

There is also the possibility, that when you first put the lights on , that one does not work straight away, so shows a bulb out, yet it could have come on a few seconds later, I had this once , finally found the bulb , but the car had to be cold , to get around the problem until i found it, was to turn the ignition off take the key out and restart the car

 

[bgd1106]

Hello! 

Something new?

I have the same problem for about one year. I've been with my car to the dealership  and they didn't find nothing...

What it is strange, when i am connect with BCM, the error disappear til i am with VCDS, after that the error appears again after a few seconds...

All bulbs are ok, recently i had an bulb out, and give me error Check front Side Light...

I see something on 3rd light break, the led from left and right from the edge , but i don't know how should be. I've attached a picture..I don't know if are some missing leds...

Thank you so much,

Bogdan

[BATVANVRS]

@NESskod I just had a very similar issue as per another thread, Do you have OBD11 or VCDS? Or anyone near to you so you can see if there is any fault codes relating to this fault! Do you have Auto lights? Does the fault stay if you move the light switch from Auto to dipped beam? 

[bgd1106]

What do you suggest? I don't have fault relating to problem.. Doesn't matter if the button it is auto or off, the fault it is there. 

[bgd1106]

How have you fixed? 

[pncarrerars]

I had the same problem on a 2014 Octavia. The BCM needed a software updaye to fix it, there was nothing wrong with the bulbs!

Edited 30 January, 2020 by pncarrerars

[bgd1106]

I've been at dealer and they said that there no update for my BCM

[NESskod]

11 hours ago, BATVANVRS said:

@NESskod I just had a very similar issue as per another thread, Do you have OBD11 or VCDS? Or anyone near to you so you can see if there is any fault codes relating to this fault! Do you have Auto lights? Does the fault stay if you move the light switch from Auto to dipped beam? 

 

no auto auto lights, I tried VCDS - there are no error codes (if you remove a bulb you do get an error code on VCDS)  in the end we sold the Octavia with the warning on the screen - the buyer, like us, inspected every single light on the vehicle inside and out and could find no fault. 

 

So that brings me to other  news - much as Family NEscod wanted another Octavia, we could not find one at the price we liked (and the problems with the 1.5 Petrol engine concerned us) so It's Bye Skoda and Hello Mk4 Ford Focus

 

Farewell all it's been fun on here and thanks to everyone who has helped me.

 

[bgd1106]

That's my fault.. 

 

[bgd1106]

no errors..

 

[aki78]

Guys, check this video: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=fault+vehicle+lighting (Ignore the reversing light fault.)

Nothing's wrong with my car, but when I try this halfway switch position my car also throws the same fault!

So I guess it's a light switch or wiring problem.

The switch is very easy to replace (push in, rotate clockwise, pull out) so it's probably worth a try.

[bgd1106]

On 30/01/2020 at 15:20, pncarrerars said:

I had the same problem on a 2014 Octavia. The BCM needed a software updaye to fix it, there was nothing wrong with the bulbs!

Can you tell me your number of your BCM? 

[pncarrerars]

15 hours ago, bgd1106 said:

Can you tell me your number of your BCM? 

According to OBD11:-

BCM MQBAB H

5Q0937084AA

H14

Software number 5Q0937084AA

Software version 0112