Hi Folks, is a bulb warning light an MOT failure? I have standard bulbs everywhere, all of them lighting ok. I've replaced a couple of bulbs I thought looked ever so slightly discoloured but no joy. Connecting an OBD scanner shows no faults but weirdly when I go in to the Electronic Central Electric section the dashboard light goes and then comes back on when I leave that category. MOT in December and struggling to find out what the lighting fault is.
Bulb Warning Light
- Thread starter Nimravus
- Start date
karl7900
RMS Regular
What car is it? My 2009 Vectra would dim the brake lamp element to make up for a blown tail lamp. Would also show a blow lamp warning light. To find the blown lamp, you had to check every lamp physically
- Thread Starter
- #3
It's a 2013 Octavia. (mk3) I had both rear light clusters out this afternoon checking every bulb & replaced one which looked a bit discoloured. What I noticed though is that the bulb I replaced would occasionally dim ever so slightly, so I'm wondering if it's something else maybe affecting bulbs. I'm happy to keep probing and checking everything but with an MOT not too far away I need to get it resolved sooner rather than later if it would cause a failure.
karl7900
RMS Regular
Possibly a bad earth some where. Has it had crash damage repaired or a tow bar fitted? No signs of water ingress anywhere?
- Thread Starter
- #5
No tow bar fitted & I've had it for almost 8 years with no crash damage. I've seen folks online with a similar issue in VAG cars but I haven't really seen a solution as to why it happens.
Jason
RMS Regular
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- Ballymoney
Had a similar issue on the first mk7 golf when it came out, it was software update
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- #7
Hi Jason, when you say it was a software update, is that something a Skoda dealer will have to do.
Thanks for all the replies by the way folk, much appreciated.
NI_Volvo_Nut
RMS Regular
Wont fail MOT for that but if you know someone woth VCDS it will tell you exactly where the problem is. Upper brake light brings it on if more that 2 or 3 of the leds are out
- Thread Starter
- #9
Nice to hear it won't fail the MOT due to it being lit, that'll give me a bit of breathing space while I get to the bottom of it. Top brake LED's all seem lit as well. Unfortunately I don't know anyone with VCDS, it's a bit of a frustrating issue.
My Passat was doing this and after 2.5 years changing bulbs etc it turned out to be the tow bar electrics. Multiple rear lights started failing and I found a rats nest of melted wires cut and twist covered in heat shrink. John Wayne must have fitted the tow bar took me a couple of hours hours with a soldering iron to put right. It might be worth pulling the carpet back and checking the tail light loom isn’t butchered.
Jason
RMS Regular
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- 23,388
- Location
- Ballymoney
Car showed up as having bulb out but didnt tell you which one, ended up going to VW for software update problem solved.
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- #14
Brilliant to know it's not an MOT failure as frustrating as it is. Thank you.
NI_Volvo_Nut
RMS Regular
I have a cracked version in Ballynahinch if that's any use, happy to scan it for you.
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- #16
Thanks so much for the offer, unfortunately the problem I have at the minute though is I'm on-call for work a bit and on the other side of Belfast up in Newtownabbey so travel in the evenings is a bit awkward in case I get called in. I could give you a shout when I'm no longer on-call to see if it suited you. Out of interest, would VCDS pick up faults that an OBD scanner wouldn't find? As I mentioned earlier, when I go in to the section 09 Electronic Central Electrics on my scanner the light actually goes off, seems really weird.
NI_Volvo_Nut
RMS Regular
Its dealer level, I find it very accurate. But yeah, weekends or evenings, drop me a pm
StephenMcC
RMS Regular
I've a genuine copy of VCDS here if you get stuck, not far from the Belfast side of the Hightown Road
- Thread Starter
- #19
That would actually be really handy for me, I'm just on the other side of the Hightown in Glengormley, I'm not too far from you at all. Can I just say you's are a super helpful bunch on these forums, yourself and NI Volvo Nut as well as the other advice folks have mentioned. I could maybe send you a wee message once my on-call rota ends, I could pop over as it would be considerably handier than Ballynahinch as much as I appreciate NI Volvo Nuts offer. Thanks very much Stephen.
StephenMcC
RMS Regular
Yes mate, just fire me a PM whenever suits you and we'll sort something out