Hi Folks,

This is my first post on the site so please be gentle! If possible i'd like to ask some advice over the next few weeks on several ailments with my Octavia VRS Mk1 (03 plate).

Without further a-do heres problem number one (your thoughts and advice gratefully appreciated!):

Several weeks ago I noticed my drivers side parking light was out - i was parked opposite a shop window and spotted it when starting the car up. Once I realised I hadn't left the indicator stalk up or down I decided to check all my lights.

To my horror:

1) Drivers side Parking light not working

2) Drives side tail Light not working

3) Reverse Lights (both sides) not working

4) Rear numberplate lights (drivers side only!) not working

Brakes, Indicators, dipped beam, main beam, instruments, door card lights, etc all fine.

The following morning I decided to investigate the problem and to my amazement found that the tail light and parking light were working fine (i can't honestly remember if the number plate light was working, but the reverse lights werent.)

I went out in the car that evening.. and guess what... failed tail and parking light on drivers side only ... again.

A few weeks have passed and the problem has grown worse such that now the tail and side(parking) light do not illuminate at all on drivers side.

I've checked fuses and bulbs, all appear to be ok. I've swapped bulbs from side to side to prove the problem is not bulb related too.

My initial thoughts are that I could have an earthing (corrosion) problem or similar.

I also wonder whether all the problems are directly related, or just unfortunate in timing.

I've consulted a haynes manual and looked at the wiring diagrams it seems that:

1) front parking light and tail light are linked per side - ie fuse F22 is linked to drivers side tail light and drivers side parking light and fuse f23 is linked to passenger side in similar manner. Therefore i guess if I have a short or bad earth somewhere along this routing, then one side may be affected as per my problem

2) reverse light problem could simply be gearbox sensor/switch - im going to treat this seperately - i beleive its a normally open circuit so i should be able to short the sensor wires and turn the reverse lights on - can anyone confirm this please? if so i can simply swap the sensor out

3) i'm yet to pop the rear numberplate light cover off and check the bulbs - this could also be unrelated to the other problems however frankly does seem very bizare that it occured at the same time. I will soon find out if its a bulb issue.

any thoughts greatly appreciated, and my apologies for typing a lot - i wanted to list what id found so far in the hope it may set alarm bells ringing for anyone who has either a) had a similar problem or recognises the symptoms as im a little stumped!

All the best,

BTVRS

I also forgot to mention that i've recently lost the use of my rear washer jet - having read about this in the forum before I immediately popped the boot door lining off to check the hose was still connected - and it is?! the hose is also connected properly at the washer bottle. I'm mentioning this because a) i dont know the route the washer pipework takes and I wonder if washer water is entering somewhere it shouldnt and causing the electrical problems! Suggestions for checking this out please? Once again thanks very much!

On my estate there is a junction point in the washer piper under where the CD changer is mounted - the pipe is all wrapped up in the same loom run that feeds the rear light cluster. I would imagine you must have a lot of water washing around in there to cause a problem, especially as there is a drainage point in the floor (iirc). Do you have a tow bar fitted?

Agreed; there's a common rear washer pipe failure point in the LH rear wheelarch. Are you suffering from condensation problems?

Actually i have noticed the rear window steam up a few times. With the poor weather over xmas and tendancy for the boot to let water in when opening the tailgate (which i always mop up!) i hadn't really given it much thought.

I'm relatively sure theres no surface water in the boot - but i've been very careful not to use the washer for fear of causing water damage.

Can anyone please clarify exactly where I need to be looking - my CD changer is by the taillights (as per normal i believe) but I thought the washer pipework would run down the boot pillar area and quite high?

Much appreciated!

I found the join below the speaker cabling above cd player under boot lining carpet - it's connected and doesnt look to have ever been popped off. No obvious water marking under carpet and nothing is damp.

I've noticed that the pump sounds louder when using the rear washer jet than the front - as if its not under load. I wonder if its somethign as simple as the nozzle/pipe blocked at pump end so not drawing any washer water up the pipe - hence motor spinning dry.

Is anyone overly familiar with the washer bottle setup on an Octy? Any thoughts welcome!

In the meantime ill consider taking the motor housing/bottle off and checking this end of the setup.

Still at a loss with lighting problem!

Be careful when you take the number plate light lens off to look at the bulb. When I had my Octy and tried to do this, the bulb holder disappeared inside the tailgate and the only way I could retrieve it was to remove the panel on the inside of the tailgate. That part was easy, but getting it back wasn't!

There've been several other mentions of this problem in other threads if you do a search.

Oh yeah, thanks for mentioning the "disappearing number plate light holder" trick. We should be able to remember to mention this one given how many of us have been caught out by it!

I lost my lights too due to the special disappearing numberplate light trick....!!

hehe thanks for the warning - i've not had a chance to take a look yet but will use caution. On the bright side; i've learned the knack of getting the boot lining panel back on (when i originally checked nozzle i had to take it off!) lets hope it doesnt come to that though!

Just a quick update for those who come across similar problems:

1) Number plate light was indeed a bulb gone

2) Reverse was (as suspected) gearbox sensor.

3) Side and Tail light - turned out to be the switch contacts failing... Remedied.

4) rear washer was a blockage at bottle end of hose.

All well