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Fixing non working brake light, well that was an odd one.
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Chris French
Jan 15, 2015, 3:12:18 PM1/15/15
to
The high level brake light on our 2009 Ford Galaxy wasn't working,
replaced bulb, still not working. Didn't seem to be power to the light
unit. Thought I'd leave it to the garage to faff about with.
Few weeks later it goes in for it's MOT, they investigate, no power,
check for broken wire where it goes from tailgate to car body - ok.
Looking at having to track the cables through the wiring loom, but
first, as it's Canbus they hook their computer to the car, tell the
cars computer they have replaced the bulb, and then the brake light
starts working. Very odd (and none of us have enough knowledge of how
the system works to be able to explain it. Maybe it just had a brain
fart?)
--
Chris French
replaced bulb, still not working. Didn't seem to be power to the light
unit. Thought I'd leave it to the garage to faff about with.
Few weeks later it goes in for it's MOT, they investigate, no power,
check for broken wire where it goes from tailgate to car body - ok.
Looking at having to track the cables through the wiring loom, but
first, as it's Canbus they hook their computer to the car, tell the
cars computer they have replaced the bulb, and then the brake light
starts working. Very odd (and none of us have enough knowledge of how
the system works to be able to explain it. Maybe it just had a brain
fart?)
--
Chris French
Tim+
Jan 15, 2015, 5:36:20 PM1/15/15
to
not, this is probably how it's meant to work.
Makes a bit of a nonsense of rules in some countries that insist that you
carry spare bulbs. Roadside repairs are fast becoming a thing of the past.
Tim
Nightjar .me.uk>
Jan 15, 2015, 7:34:56 PM1/15/15
to
On 15/01/2015 22:35, Tim+ wrote:
...
Are there any that still require this? It hasn't been required in France
for some years now.
--
Colin Bignell
...
> Makes a bit of a nonsense of rules in some countries that insist that you
> carry spare bulbs. ...
Are there any that still require this? It hasn't been required in France
for some years now.
--
Colin Bignell
Chris French
Jan 15, 2015, 7:42:27 PM1/15/15
to
In message
<1537206103443054011.11918...@news.eternal-septemb
er.org>, Tim+ <timdow...@yahoo.co.uk> writes
ford specialist, but they have always been very good). They rang the
nearby large Ford dealers and they didn't suggest it. From what one chap
there said I think the garage even goggled it up and that didn't seem to
turn up much - just some suggestions of replacing the wiring loom for
similar faults.
It's a common car, if it was normal behaviour it would be documented.
and I've changed other bulbs on the car with no problem, why would they
do it for one bulb?
>
>Makes a bit of a nonsense of rules in some countries that insist that you
>carry spare bulbs.
Not really, since this just seems to have been a bit of an oddity
(software bug? weird blip in the system, who knows)
--
Chris French
<1537206103443054011.11918...@news.eternal-septemb
er.org>, Tim+ <timdow...@yahoo.co.uk> writes
>Chris French <new...@familyfrench.co.uk> wrote:
>> The high level brake light on our 2009 Ford Galaxy wasn't working,
>> replaced bulb, still not working. Didn't seem to be power to the light
>> unit. Thought I'd leave it to the garage to faff about with.
>>
>> Few weeks later it goes in for it's MOT, they investigate, no power,
>> check for broken wire where it goes from tailgate to car body - ok.
>>
>> Looking at having to track the cables through the wiring loom, but first,
>> as it's Canbus they hook their computer to the car, tell the cars
>> computer they have replaced the bulb, and then the brake light starts
>> working. Very odd (and none of us have enough knowledge of how the system
>> works to be able to explain it. Maybe it just had a brain fart?)
>
>I'm afraid this kind of chicanery is all too common nowadays. Believe it or
>not, this is probably how it's meant to work.
No, I don't believe so, my garage had not come across it before (not a
>> The high level brake light on our 2009 Ford Galaxy wasn't working,
>> replaced bulb, still not working. Didn't seem to be power to the light
>> unit. Thought I'd leave it to the garage to faff about with.
>>
>> Few weeks later it goes in for it's MOT, they investigate, no power,
>> check for broken wire where it goes from tailgate to car body - ok.
>>
>> Looking at having to track the cables through the wiring loom, but first,
>> as it's Canbus they hook their computer to the car, tell the cars
>> computer they have replaced the bulb, and then the brake light starts
>> working. Very odd (and none of us have enough knowledge of how the system
>> works to be able to explain it. Maybe it just had a brain fart?)
>
>I'm afraid this kind of chicanery is all too common nowadays. Believe it or
>not, this is probably how it's meant to work.
ford specialist, but they have always been very good). They rang the
nearby large Ford dealers and they didn't suggest it. From what one chap
there said I think the garage even goggled it up and that didn't seem to
turn up much - just some suggestions of replacing the wiring loom for
similar faults.
It's a common car, if it was normal behaviour it would be documented.
and I've changed other bulbs on the car with no problem, why would they
do it for one bulb?
>
>Makes a bit of a nonsense of rules in some countries that insist that you
>carry spare bulbs.
(software bug? weird blip in the system, who knows)
--
Chris French
john james
Jan 15, 2015, 8:47:06 PM1/15/15
to
"Chris French" <new...@familyfrench.co.uk> wrote in message
news:yvC2V8Hi...@familyfrench.co.uk...
came off and bulbs don't usually fail that way, so you don't
usually see the software noticing that sort of short and not
powering that line until its told that the bulb has been replaced.
Maybe more of a documentation failure than anything else.
Chris Bartram
Jan 16, 2015, 2:48:57 AM1/16/15
to
single filament 21W bulb that they dim with PWM for a tail lamp).
Changed it, no good, but turning off the ignition and/or lights made it
work. I think once the controller detects a failed bulb, it disables it
until next start.
Chris Bartram
Jan 16, 2015, 2:51:35 AM1/16/15
to
shorted output.
Brian Gaff
Jan 16, 2015, 3:36:25 AM1/16/15
to
It might be that they are separate and it blew short circuit so the brain
disconnected it. after all if there is a facility to tell it you changed it
that has to be there for a reason.
Brian
--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
disconnected it. after all if there is a facility to tell it you changed it
that has to be there for a reason.
Brian
--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"Chris French" <new...@familyfrench.co.uk> wrote in message
news:kagj4gCp...@familyfrench.co.uk...
harryagain
Jan 16, 2015, 3:46:17 AM1/16/15
to
connection.
As you say the likely place is where the cables is bent to and fro at the
door hinge.
Hard to find.
You can follow the electricty by stripping back the insulation here and
there.
However you need a wiring diagram that shows cable colours really.
Message has been deleted
Tim Watts
Jan 16, 2015, 4:24:41 AM1/16/15
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On 16/01/15 07:49, Chris Bartram wrote:
> My Leon has CANBUS, and I recently had a brake/tail lamp failure (it's a
> single filament 21W bulb that they dim with PWM for a tail lamp).
> Changed it, no good, but turning off the ignition and/or lights made it
> work. I think once the controller detects a failed bulb, it disables it
> until next start.
My VW Touran has CANBUS - when I got an after market radio fitted, I
> My Leon has CANBUS, and I recently had a brake/tail lamp failure (it's a
> single filament 21W bulb that they dim with PWM for a tail lamp).
> Changed it, no good, but turning off the ignition and/or lights made it
> work. I think once the controller detects a failed bulb, it disables it
> until next start.
enquired whether it was best to use a CANBUS interface module or just to
hack it into an ignition fed handy wire in the old tried and tested way.
The answer was: the latter. The fitters did have all the OBD-II and
VAGCOM/CANBUS kit, but they said that on VWs of my vintage at least,
they were likely to end up having to upgrade the firmware in a number of
random computers around the car to make the adaptor module play nice.
They could have been lying, but given they actually sold the adaptor and
had good reviews, I see no reason to assume so.
It sounded a complete mess - so I opted for plan B and it's worked out
fine (the handy ignition fed cable is a big fat one to the aircon switch
right next to the radio bay)
Chris Bartram
Jan 16, 2015, 5:02:51 AM1/16/15
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drain the battery if you don't upgrade the CAN gateway.
Chris Bartram
Jan 16, 2015, 5:03:54 AM1/16/15
to
On 16/01/2015 08:36, Brian Gaff wrote:
> It might be that they are separate and it blew short circuit so the brain
> disconnected it. after all if there is a facility to tell it you changed it
> that has to be there for a reason.
> Brian
>
There isn't actually a facility to say you changed it, just the facility
> It might be that they are separate and it blew short circuit so the brain
> disconnected it. after all if there is a facility to tell it you changed it
> that has to be there for a reason.
> Brian
>
to clear the error from the controller.
Davey
Jan 16, 2015, 7:22:47 AM1/16/15
to
lamps had failed. I replaced it with a new one, but it didn't come on,
then switched bulbs, which proved that the new bulb was good, but still
only had the same location lit up, and then switched them back, and
everything worked fine. At no time during this did I start the engine,
just turned the light switch on and off each time.
They just have minds of their own, they don't work the way we expect!
--
Davey.
Chris French
Jan 16, 2015, 12:10:31 PM1/16/15
to
In message <chr8sm...@mid.individual.net>, john james
<jj9...@nospam.com> writes
Could be I guess, though still a bit surprised that it's not common
enough (even though not a usual bulb failure mode) to be known about as
a possibility.
I'll have to suggest it to the garage next time I'm in
--
Chris French
<jj9...@nospam.com> writes
enough (even though not a usual bulb failure mode) to be known about as
a possibility.
I'll have to suggest it to the garage next time I'm in
--
Chris French
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