156 Rear Light Problem
 

My off-side rear light glows dimly even when the lights and ignition is
off. The bulb failure light on the dash is on except when the lights are
turned on. There is about 9V across the bulb. I was lucky I discovered
it before the battery went flat.

My local Alfa garage have never heard of this and don't seem to know
where the bulb failure detection unit is located.

In any case they are so snowed under with dead Alfas that they can't
look at it for at least 2 weeks. I'm getting fed up with removing the
bulb every time I stop and forgetting to put it back in again before
setting off on the next journey! (can't leave it out during the day as I
loose a break light and I might come to the attention of the blue
meanies) Anybody have any similar experience/got any ideas?

Meantime I'm going to put in a relay controlled by the nearside bulb to
disconnect it off. Not a good fix as I'll loose all bulb failure
warnings but better than the present situation
--
Best regards
Rick

"Admin" > wrote in message
...
> My off-side rear light glows dimly even when the lights and ignition is
> off. The bulb failure light on the dash is on except when the lights are
> turned on. There is about 9V across the bulb. I was lucky I discovered
> it before the battery went flat.

Had a similar problem earlier in the year.
The earth bolt near the rear light unit was loose making a poor connection.
You will need to remove some of the boot trim to get to it though.
The earth point is just below the light unit slightly towards the centre of
the car.
Check both the rear earth points while you are in there.
--
David C
156 Selespeed sp3 + Brembo conversion

In article >, David C <david@REMOVE
THIScannard.REMOVETHISorg> writes
>"Admin" > wrote in message
...
>> My off-side rear light glows dimly even when the lights and ignition is
>> off. The bulb failure light on the dash is on except when the lights are
>> turned on. There is about 9V across the bulb. I was lucky I discovered
>> it before the battery went flat.
>
>Had a similar problem earlier in the year.
>The earth bolt near the rear light unit was loose making a poor connection.
>You will need to remove some of the boot trim to get to it though.
>The earth point is just below the light unit slightly towards the centre of
>the car.
>Check both the rear earth points while you are in there.
Unfortunately, it's not earthing.

I should have checked my post more carefully. The rear off side tail
light glows dimly when the side lights are switched off but comes on at
full intensity when the side lights are turned on.

I've got to find the bulb failure unit.
--
Best regards
Rick

"Rick" > wrote in message
...
> Unfortunately, it's not earthing.
>
> I should have checked my post more carefully. The rear off side tail
> light glows dimly when the side lights are switched off but comes on at
> full intensity when the side lights are turned on.
>
> I've got to find the bulb failure unit.
> --
> Best regards
> Rick
>

Check the earth points anyway.
If there is a poor earth strange things can start happening.
On mine the brake lights were permanently on!
Even if they were off when I got out of the car, when the indicators flashed
when the car was locked it set off a strange back-feeding via the brake
lights which would then come on slowly (like turning a dimmer switch!) and
stay on.
--
David C
156 Selespeed sp3 + Brembo conversion

Rick,

The bulb failure unit is actually in the rev counter itself. I have
the wiring diagrams on CD. I could e-mail sections if you like.

Alex



On Mon, 20 Sep 2004 19:16:14 +0100, Admin >
wrote:

>My off-side rear light glows dimly even when the lights and ignition is
>off. The bulb failure light on the dash is on except when the lights are
>turned on. There is about 9V across the bulb. I was lucky I discovered
>it before the battery went flat.
>
>My local Alfa garage have never heard of this and don't seem to know
>where the bulb failure detection unit is located.
>
>In any case they are so snowed under with dead Alfas that they can't
>look at it for at least 2 weeks. I'm getting fed up with removing the
>bulb every time I stop and forgetting to put it back in again before
>setting off on the next journey! (can't leave it out during the day as I
>loose a break light and I might come to the attention of the blue
>meanies) Anybody have any similar experience/got any ideas?
>
>Meantime I'm going to put in a relay controlled by the nearside bulb to
>disconnect it off. Not a good fix as I'll loose all bulb failure
>warnings but better than the present situation
>--
>Best regards
>Rick

In article >, AlexUK <alex.alfisti@bi
gfoot.getridofthis.com> writes
>Rick,
>
>The bulb failure unit is actually in the rev counter itself. I have
>the wiring diagrams on CD. I could e-mail sections if you like.
>
>Alex
>
>
>
>On Mon, 20 Sep 2004 19:16:14 +0100, Admin >
>wrote:
>
>>My off-side rear light glows dimly even when the lights and ignition is
>>off. The bulb failure light on the dash is on except when the lights are
>>turned on. There is about 9V across the bulb. I was lucky I discovered
>>it before the battery went flat.
>>
>>My local Alfa garage have never heard of this and don't seem to know
>>where the bulb failure detection unit is located.
>>
>>In any case they are so snowed under with dead Alfas that they can't
>>look at it for at least 2 weeks. I'm getting fed up with removing the
>>bulb every time I stop and forgetting to put it back in again before
>>setting off on the next journey! (can't leave it out during the day as I
>>loose a break light and I might come to the attention of the blue
>>meanies) Anybody have any similar experience/got any ideas?
>>
>>Meantime I'm going to put in a relay controlled by the nearside bulb to
>>disconnect it off. Not a good fix as I'll loose all bulb failure
>>warnings but better than the present situation
>>--
>>Best regards
>>Rick

>
Does that mean I have to replace the rev counter as well?
--
Best regards
Rick

In article >, Richard Crosoer <rick@cros
oer.nospam.fsnet.co.uk> writes
>In article >, AlexUK <alex.alfisti@bi
>gfoot.getridofthis.com> writes
>>Rick,
>>
>>The bulb failure unit is actually in the rev counter itself. I have
>>the wiring diagrams on CD. I could e-mail sections if you like.
>>
>>Alex
>>
>>
>>
>>On Mon, 20 Sep 2004 19:16:14 +0100, Admin >
>>wrote:
>>
>>>My off-side rear light glows dimly even when the lights and ignition is
>>>off. The bulb failure light on the dash is on except when the lights are
>>>turned on. There is about 9V across the bulb. I was lucky I discovered
>>>it before the battery went flat.
>>>
>>>My local Alfa garage have never heard of this and don't seem to know
>>>where the bulb failure detection unit is located.
>>>
>>>In any case they are so snowed under with dead Alfas that they can't
>>>look at it for at least 2 weeks. I'm getting fed up with removing the
>>>bulb every time I stop and forgetting to put it back in again before
>>>setting off on the next journey! (can't leave it out during the day as I
>>>loose a break light and I might come to the attention of the blue
>>>meanies) Anybody have any similar experience/got any ideas?
>>>
>>>Meantime I'm going to put in a relay controlled by the nearside bulb to
>>>disconnect it off. Not a good fix as I'll loose all bulb failure
>>>warnings but better than the present situation
>>>--
>>>Best regards
>>>Rick

>>
>Does that mean I have to replace the rev counter as well?


I got the answer to that from my local garage - "Yes!"

However they did say that it was easy to remove the rev counter - 3
screws.

It comes apart easily too. The fault is a VND810 transistor which
switches the lamp on and also does the failure detection. It's easily
repaired, if you can find a component distributor with a less then 1000
piece minimum order quantity.
--
Best regards
Rick

On Wed, 22 Sep 2004 15:51:43 +0100, Richard Crosoer
> wrote:


<snip>

>>>>
>>>>My local Alfa garage have never heard of this and don't seem to know
>>>>where the bulb failure detection unit is located.
>>>>

<snip>

>
>
>I got the answer to that from my local garage - "Yes!"
>
>However they did say that it was easy to remove the rev counter - 3
>screws.
>

Is this the same Local Garage?

>It comes apart easily too. The fault is a VND810 transistor which
>switches the lamp on and also does the failure detection. It's easily
>repaired, if you can find a component distributor with a less then 1000
>piece minimum order quantity.
>--
>Best regards
>Rick


I am assumingt you are the electronic wizard, talks of transistors and
relays.... More useful skill to fix cars these days.

Alex

In article >, AlexUK <alex.alfisti@bi
gfoot.getridofthis.com> writes
>On Wed, 22 Sep 2004 15:51:43 +0100, Richard Crosoer
> wrote:
>
>
><snip>
>
>>>>>
>>>>>My local Alfa garage have never heard of this and don't seem to know
>>>>>where the bulb failure detection unit is located.
>>>>>
>
><snip>
>
>>
>>
>>I got the answer to that from my local garage - "Yes!"
>>
>>However they did say that it was easy to remove the rev counter - 3
>>screws.
>>
>
>Is this the same Local Garage?
>
>>It comes apart easily too. The fault is a VND810 transistor which
>>switches the lamp on and also does the failure detection. It's easily
>>repaired, if you can find a component distributor with a less then 1000
>>piece minimum order quantity.
>>--
>>Best regards
>>Rick
>
>
>I am assumingt you are the electronic wizard, talks of transistors and
>relays.... More useful skill to fix cars these days.
>
>Alex
>
Cars run on UNIX nowadays, not petrol!
--
Best regards
Rick