bulb failure charge problem

[7t5]

i seem to be getting very regular bulb failure warning and it comes from the drivers front indicator, tonight a warning flashed on the panel saying charge problem and the battery light came on for few seconds within a few operations of the indicator it rights itself? is this common problem?

[lildevil]

Hi

I know that this is very helpful however I have exactly the same problem with my front driver's indicator. I have given up replacing bulbs. Replace them and they go again, I hope that somebody can help both of us.

Regards
Tom

[Kandyman]

Don’t know if this is related but over the last week or so I have seen a few owners say here and on .org about part of the wiring loom getting chaffed on part of the front bumper on the inside of it on a welded seem on some thing.



Info below given by yp53

Check that the driver’s side headlight wiring loom is not chaffing against the longitudinal seam weld. It is worth putting a rubber strip on the seam (made from plastic tube with a slit in it) to prevent the wires being worn through. This happened to me and caused the sidelight and eventually level adjustment to fail on one side. I was pulling my hair out trying to understand what was happening, but all was revealed with the bumper off. When you reinstall the new headlight make sure the loom wiring isn't trapped underneath.

Let us know how you get on guys if you can see anything :)

[Keith]

Re the charge light this could be a "time of year thing"
Cold engine lights on demister on HRW on if the alternator belt is not correctly adjusted it will slip for a few minutes

check the tension

[yp53]

"Info below given by yp53

Check that the driver’s side headlight wiring loom is not chaffing against the longitudinal seam weld. It is worth putting a rubber strip on the seam (made from plastic tube with a slit in it) to prevent the wires being worn through. This happened to me and caused the sidelight and eventually level adjustment to fail on one side. I was pulling my hair out trying to understand what was happening, but all was revealed with the bumper off. When you reinstall the new headlight make sure the loom wiring isn't trapped underneath."

This is a problem specifically with the headlight wiring looms (particularly it seems the drivers side) - one worth remembering all the same.

The indicators are fed off the same loom as fog lights (if fitted) and air temp sensor and runs up on the nearside bumper/wing to connect somewhere around the battery fusebox. It may be that a break in the wiring that is causing the problem, or the connector has corroded, although I wouldn't expect the charging light to come on, rather a bulb or fuse to blow!

[GreyGhost]

Thanks for the very comprehensive post yp, It would appear that the if the loom is shorting to earth, it may cause a sharp discharge from the battery causing the battery light to come on for a few moments.
Possibly the bulb blowing is acting like a fuse in the circuit ? Electrical systems on modern cars tend to baffle me :)

[pondweed]

I had the identical problem to yp53. Interesting that the longtitudinal seam on the other (passenger) side IS already covered with something rubbery.

This potential design/maintenance fault should be in the list of 75 foibles... I've corrected the fault but now have wires in the loom that are partially black from occasional shorting. not nice for the longer term.

[mantianak]

I had the same problem on mine too. After changing the bulbs around in the car I discovered the drivers indicator bulb wasn't blown. Some of that electrical gunk (used to get it all the time on an old escort) had build up and simply bloking the connection. Took a stanley blade to scrape it all off and worked perfect.

On a slightly different note, my nearside dipped beam bulb has just blown... again!
The ceramic (or whatever they use these days) bulb holders seem to have an unhealthy bunt colour where as on the opposite side they do not. Last time it, a month or 2 ago, both side light and dipped both died.
They last about 2 months max. Wouldn't be so bad if they weren't so difficult to change.

They blow on the engine crank by the way.