Weird Warning message on 147

A weird problem has devleloped on my 2001 147. When I press the brake
pedal I get a beep and warning on the dash "Right Side Light Failure"
(no help as to front or back). This happens even if the car is
staionary, engine off, just the ignition on. Now as this happens every
time I brake you can imagine how bloody annoying that beep is getting!

I've changed both front and rear right side light bulbs and all the
wiring and connections seem fine. I get no warning when the lights are
on.

Any ideas? Anyone know how the body computer monitors bulbs, eg does
the filament pull an input on the body computer to earth?

Thanks

Ernie Bilko wrote in
>

> A weird problem has devleloped on my 2001 147. When I press the brake
> pedal I get a beep and warning on the dash "Right Side Light Failure"
> (no help as to front or back). This happens even if the car is
> staionary, engine off, just the ignition on. Now as this happens every
> time I brake you can imagine how bloody annoying that beep is getting!
>
> I've changed both front and rear right side light bulbs and all the
> wiring and connections seem fine. I get no warning when the lights are
> on.
>
> Any ideas? Anyone know how the body computer monitors bulbs, eg does
> the filament pull an input on the body computer to earth?

Bad earth on the offending bulb holder?

--
PeterMcC
If you feel that any of the above is incorrect,
inappropriate or offensive in any way,
please ignore it and accept my apologies.

"Ernie Bilko" > schreef in bericht
...
!
>
> I've changed both front and rear right side light bulbs and all the
> wiring and connections seem fine. I get no warning when the lights are
> on.

Are you sure you also changed the brake light bulb?? (normally a duplo 21/ 5
Watt bulb)
--
Ciao from The Netherlands
alfistagj (aka Gert-Jan)
GT 2.0 JTS (2005)
Montreal 2.6V8 (1428700 - 1973/4)

"Ernie Bilko" > wrote in message
...
>A weird problem has devleloped on my 2001 147. When I press the brake
> pedal I get a beep and warning on the dash "Right Side Light Failure"
> (no help as to front or back). This happens even if the car is
> staionary, engine off, just the ignition on. Now as this happens every
> time I brake you can imagine how bloody annoying that beep is getting!
>
> I've changed both front and rear right side light bulbs and all the
> wiring and connections seem fine.

The computer is warning about the right brake light and you have changed the
side lights at the front and rear?!?

On Wed, 9 May 2007 18:56:52 +0100, "GT"
> wrote:

>"Ernie Bilko" > wrote in message
.. .
>>A weird problem has devleloped on my 2001 147. When I press the brake
>> pedal I get a beep and warning on the dash "Right Side Light Failure"
>> (no help as to front or back). This happens even if the car is
>> staionary, engine off, just the ignition on. Now as this happens every
>> time I brake you can imagine how bloody annoying that beep is getting!
>>
>> I've changed both front and rear right side light bulbs and all the
>> wiring and connections seem fine.
>
>The computer is warning about the right brake light and you have changed the
>side lights at the front and rear?!?
>

Yes, the rear side light bulb is a dual and I changed that. Brake and
rear side light is a dual filament bulb so changing the brake bulb
also chages the rear side light bulb. I assumed dual brake/side was
standard on most UK cars.

Ernie

>>>A weird problem has devleloped on my 2001 147. When I press the brake
>>> pedal I get a beep and warning on the dash "Right Side Light Failure"
>>> (no help as to front or back). This happens even if the car is
>>> staionary, engine off, just the ignition on. Now as this happens every
>>> time I brake you can imagine how bloody annoying that beep is getting!
>>>
>>> I've changed both front and rear right side light bulbs and all the
>>> wiring and connections seem fine.
>>
>>The computer is warning about the right brake light and you have changed
>>the
>>side lights at the front and rear?!?
>
> Yes, the rear side light bulb is a dual and I changed that. Brake and
> rear side light is a dual filament bulb so changing the brake bulb
> also chages the rear side light bulb. I assumed dual brake/side was
> standard on most UK cars.

Yes the rear are dual filament bulbs, but I was more questioning the change
of front side lights for a break bulb problem. Incidentally, well done
getting your hand in there to change those front bulbs!

Try cleaning the contacts on the rear connectors with a fine sandpaper.
There might be a build up of corrosion, blocking the power.

On Thu, 10 May 2007 11:07:35 +0100, "GT"
> wrote:

>>>>A weird problem has devleloped on my 2001 147. When I press the brake
>>>> pedal I get a beep and warning on the dash "Right Side Light Failure"
>>>> (no help as to front or back). This happens even if the car is
>>>> staionary, engine off, just the ignition on. Now as this happens every
>>>> time I brake you can imagine how bloody annoying that beep is getting!
>>>>
>>>> I've changed both front and rear right side light bulbs and all the
>>>> wiring and connections seem fine.
>>>
>>>The computer is warning about the right brake light and you have changed
>>>the
>>>side lights at the front and rear?!?
>>
>> Yes, the rear side light bulb is a dual and I changed that. Brake and
>> rear side light is a dual filament bulb so changing the brake bulb
>> also chages the rear side light bulb. I assumed dual brake/side was
>> standard on most UK cars.
>
>Yes the rear are dual filament bulbs, but I was more questioning the change
>of front side lights for a break bulb problem. Incidentally, well done
>getting your hand in there to change those front bulbs!
>
>Try cleaning the contacts on the rear connectors with a fine sandpaper.
>There might be a build up of corrosion, blocking the power.
>


I was grasping at straws in changing the front, as the error just said
side light failure I changed both front and back. I'll need a week or
too for the skin to grow back on my knuckles. I also should have
waited for the engine to cool, one of those hoses near the back of the
light assembly is bloody hot.

The weird thing is that all the lights work fine and always have done.
The error doesn't happen when either the side or head lights are
actually on, looks like the fault sensing circuitry gets overridden
then.

I will check earths as I am starting to think that the body computer
tries to "see" earth through the bulb to check continuity, as normally
the +ve end of the fillament would be pulled to earth through the
filament. That would explain the lack of errors when the lights are on
as in this case the +ve of the filament gets +12V.

What really worries me is that it only detects the side light error
when the brake pedal is depressed. No error when the car is first
started???

Also I have the MOT in a week. I assume that as all the lights work
and the error is actually a mistake that they will still pass it????

"Ernie Bilko" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 10 May 2007 11:07:35 +0100, "GT"
> > wrote:
>
>>>>>A weird problem has devleloped on my 2001 147. When I press the brake
>>>>> pedal I get a beep and warning on the dash "Right Side Light Failure"
>>>>> (no help as to front or back). This happens even if the car is
>>>>> staionary, engine off, just the ignition on. Now as this happens every
>>>>> time I brake you can imagine how bloody annoying that beep is getting!
>>>>>
>>>>> I've changed both front and rear right side light bulbs and all the
>>>>> wiring and connections seem fine.
>>>>
>>>>The computer is warning about the right brake light and you have changed
>>>>the
>>>>side lights at the front and rear?!?
>>>
>>> Yes, the rear side light bulb is a dual and I changed that. Brake and
>>> rear side light is a dual filament bulb so changing the brake bulb
>>> also chages the rear side light bulb. I assumed dual brake/side was
>>> standard on most UK cars.
>>
>>Yes the rear are dual filament bulbs, but I was more questioning the
>>change
>>of front side lights for a break bulb problem. Incidentally, well done
>>getting your hand in there to change those front bulbs!
>>
>>Try cleaning the contacts on the rear connectors with a fine sandpaper.
>>There might be a build up of corrosion, blocking the power.
>>
>
>
> I was grasping at straws in changing the front, as the error just said
> side light failure I changed both front and back. I'll need a week or
> too for the skin to grow back on my knuckles. I also should have
> waited for the engine to cool, one of those hoses near the back of the
> light assembly is bloody hot.
>
> The weird thing is that all the lights work fine and always have done.
> The error doesn't happen when either the side or head lights are
> actually on, looks like the fault sensing circuitry gets overridden
> then.
>
> I will check earths as I am starting to think that the body computer
> tries to "see" earth through the bulb to check continuity, as normally
> the +ve end of the fillament would be pulled to earth through the
> filament. That would explain the lack of errors when the lights are on
> as in this case the +ve of the filament gets +12V.
>
> What really worries me is that it only detects the side light error
> when the brake pedal is depressed. No error when the car is first
> started???
>
> Also I have the MOT in a week. I assume that as all the lights work
> and the error is actually a mistake that they will still pass it????


Have you has someone press the pedal when you are behind the car to see what
actually happens at the time.

I've driven behind several cars who look ok until the indicator or brake is
pressed, then weird things start happening.

Graham

>>>>>>A weird problem has devleloped on my 2001 147. When I press the brake
>>>>>> pedal I get a beep and warning on the dash "Right Side Light Failure"
>>>>>> (no help as to front or back). This happens even if the car is
>>>>>> staionary, engine off, just the ignition on. Now as this happens
>>>>>> every
>>>>>> time I brake you can imagine how bloody annoying that beep is
>>>>>> getting!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I've changed both front and rear right side light bulbs and all the
>>>>>> wiring and connections seem fine.
>>>>>
>>>>>The computer is warning about the right brake light and you have
>>>>>changed
>>>>>the
>>>>>side lights at the front and rear?!?
>>>>
>>>> Yes, the rear side light bulb is a dual and I changed that. Brake and
>>>> rear side light is a dual filament bulb so changing the brake bulb
>>>> also chages the rear side light bulb. I assumed dual brake/side was
>>>> standard on most UK cars.
>>>
>>>Yes the rear are dual filament bulbs, but I was more questioning the
>>>change
>>>of front side lights for a break bulb problem. Incidentally, well done
>>>getting your hand in there to change those front bulbs!
>>>
>>>Try cleaning the contacts on the rear connectors with a fine sandpaper.
>>>There might be a build up of corrosion, blocking the power.
>>>
>>
>>
>> I was grasping at straws in changing the front, as the error just said
>> side light failure I changed both front and back. I'll need a week or
>> too for the skin to grow back on my knuckles. I also should have
>> waited for the engine to cool, one of those hoses near the back of the
>> light assembly is bloody hot.
>>
>> The weird thing is that all the lights work fine and always have done.
>> The error doesn't happen when either the side or head lights are
>> actually on, looks like the fault sensing circuitry gets overridden
>> then.
>>
>> I will check earths as I am starting to think that the body computer
>> tries to "see" earth through the bulb to check continuity, as normally
>> the +ve end of the fillament would be pulled to earth through the
>> filament. That would explain the lack of errors when the lights are on
>> as in this case the +ve of the filament gets +12V.
>>
>> What really worries me is that it only detects the side light error
>> when the brake pedal is depressed. No error when the car is first
>> started???
>>
>> Also I have the MOT in a week. I assume that as all the lights work
>> and the error is actually a mistake that they will still pass it????
>
> Have you has someone press the pedal when you are behind the car to see
> what actually happens at the time.
>
> I've driven behind several cars who look ok until the indicator or brake
> is pressed, then weird things start happening.

Or just reverse up to something reflective - a white garage door or black
shop window for example.

Graham2 wrote in
>

> "Ernie Bilko" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Thu, 10 May 2007 11:07:35 +0100, "GT"
>> > wrote:
>>
>>>>>> A weird problem has devleloped on my 2001 147. When I press the
>>>>>> brake pedal I get a beep and warning on the dash "Right Side
>>>>>> Light Failure" (no help as to front or back). This happens even
>>>>>> if the car is staionary, engine off, just the ignition on. Now
>>>>>> as this happens every time I brake you can imagine how bloody
>>>>>> annoying that beep is getting!
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I've changed both front and rear right side light bulbs and all
>>>>>> the wiring and connections seem fine.
>>>>>
>>>>> The computer is warning about the right brake light and you have
>>>>> changed the
>>>>> side lights at the front and rear?!?
>>>>
>>>> Yes, the rear side light bulb is a dual and I changed that. Brake
>>>> and rear side light is a dual filament bulb so changing the brake
>>>> bulb also chages the rear side light bulb. I assumed dual
>>>> brake/side was standard on most UK cars.
>>>
>>> Yes the rear are dual filament bulbs, but I was more questioning the
>>> change
>>> of front side lights for a break bulb problem. Incidentally, well
>>> done getting your hand in there to change those front bulbs!
>>>
>>> Try cleaning the contacts on the rear connectors with a fine
>>> sandpaper. There might be a build up of corrosion, blocking the
>>> power.
>>>
>>
>>
>> I was grasping at straws in changing the front, as the error just
>> said side light failure I changed both front and back. I'll need a
>> week or too for the skin to grow back on my knuckles. I also should
>> have waited for the engine to cool, one of those hoses near the back
>> of the light assembly is bloody hot.
>>
>> The weird thing is that all the lights work fine and always have
>> done. The error doesn't happen when either the side or head lights
>> are actually on, looks like the fault sensing circuitry gets
>> overridden then.
>>
>> I will check earths as I am starting to think that the body computer
>> tries to "see" earth through the bulb to check continuity, as
>> normally the +ve end of the fillament would be pulled to earth
>> through the filament. That would explain the lack of errors when the
>> lights are on as in this case the +ve of the filament gets +12V.
>>
>> What really worries me is that it only detects the side light error
>> when the brake pedal is depressed. No error when the car is first
>> started???
>>
>> Also I have the MOT in a week. I assume that as all the lights work
>> and the error is actually a mistake that they will still pass it????
>
>
> Have you has someone press the pedal when you are behind the car to
> see what actually happens at the time.
>
> I've driven behind several cars who look ok until the indicator or
> brake is pressed, then weird things start happening.

That's generally an indication of a bad earth in my experience - the brake
lights don't come on but the side lights flash if you use the indicators
type of thing.

I'm with GT's "clean the contacts" suggestion - in the bulb holder and the
connectors in the cluster.

--
PeterMcC
If you feel that any of the above is incorrect,
inappropriate or offensive in any way,
please ignore it and accept my apologies.