Hello,

 

Unusual one here methinks.

 

I have a 2009 Fabia and the sidelight on the nearside does not come on when I turn on the sidelights, but after driving for a few minutes - sometimes over a bump or something in the road it magically comes on. I have taken the bulb out and changed it, but same behaviour. I have turned on the lights and tapped the whole light unit and then the light sidelight comes on. All the other lights in the unit work absolutely fine. I have took the rubber caps off the back and wriggled the wires and nothing makes the light come on, I have also pulled off and checked the main plug connector on the back of the light and that is all clean, no green corrosion or anything.

 

Is there an earthing point specific to the sidelight?

 

I have checked all 5 amp fuses and they are all good.

 

Thanks in advance to all who reply and can help!

2 hours ago, SJFISHER67 said:

Is there an earthing point specific to the sidelight?

Not that I know of. There are a feed wire, bulb holder and bulb specific to the LH sidelight though, and issues with any of them could also give your reported symptoms.

The earth point is common to all the bulbs in the headlight (Pin 6 of the 10 pin connector)

Have you canged the bulb? one of the biggest issues are the capless bulbs, the contacts into the holder get corroded and cause this issue, it might even be the holder itself the only way to make sure is remove the whole thing clean it up and smear some vaseline into the contacts and on the bulb contacts before refitting

PS -----they are a nightmare to get at and remove,  I landed up removing the battery and at  arms length to get mine out, so then replaced mine with led bulbs and also drilled 2 small holes into the holder and connected a zip tie and made like a loop so I could just hook it out next time but to be fair had the car 8 years and never had to change those bulbs again after cleaning and replacing with led ones

I had a sidelight that did this on my Mk1, was a dodgy connection inside the bulb itself I reckon. Check the connector is alright, and maybe just change the bulb.

I had the same problem. It came back on when I banged the headlight lens. It happened on both sides intermittently. The problem was the bulbs themselves. Change the bulb and it will sort it.