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no dipped beams

Ovni_cupraR

Ovni_cupraR

Yellow Peril
Oct 25, 2008
131
0
Maidstone, Kent
Last week the dipped beam on my left side headlamp went, but the right side was still working. last night though before I made my way home the right side has gone now, so I have no dipped beams atall. My side lights and Full beam are fine. I was just wondering if this sounds like it might be the bulbs or fuses? Because it seems weird for both bulbs to go within a week of each other, but then I would of thought if it was a fuse then both would of went at the same time? any ideas?

thanks
 
last week ? why you driving about for a week knowing you have a headlamp out ?



could be bulbs and fuses as sometimes the bulb popping will take out a fuse as well

open fusebox and check fuses then replace 'Both' bulbs
 
Pull a bulb out and 1) see if it's black inside and 2) give it a shake and see if you can hear any metallic bits rattling inside the glass. On both counts, if the answer is yes, then the bulb has blown.
 
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JamJay said:
Pull a bulb out and 1) see if it's black inside and 2) give it a shake and see if you can hear any metallic bits rattling inside the glass. On both counts, if the answer is yes, then the bulb has blown.

If one bulb blows on a circuit, then it's common for the other(s) to do so shortly afterwards. This is usually because they are now receiving the extra voltage that the originally blown blub should have been using, putting them under more stress and beyond their capabilities.
Click to expand...

Cheers mate
 
JamJay said:
If one bulb blows on a circuit, then it's common for the other(s) to do so shortly afterwards. This is usually because they are now receiving the extra voltage that the originally blown blub should have been using, putting them under more stress and beyond their capabilities.
Click to expand...

Do what??

It's a 12v system so the most a bulb will get is 12v, because one blows it doesn't mean the other gets 24v, they are on separate circuits/fuses anyway :)
 
The most likely cause is bulb failure, next fuses, though if the fuse has blown it's worth checking the bulbholder and wiring for short-circuits. Sometimes a bulb will fail in such a way as to blow the fuse. But I think that this is just a coincidence.

A cursory glance at the fusebox will tell you that all four headlamp bulbs are fused separately. There is a diagram moulded into the cover which tells you what each fuse is for.

The only place the two sidelight bulbs are connected is at the light switch. The voltage fed to the car's circuits is well controlled, and a failure in one circuit will not affect any other one - think about it, these cars rely on their ECU to run, so the power supply is going to be very well regulated.
 
I've sorted it out now, both bulbs had blown, which may have been because there were two 15 amp fuses for the dipped beems when they should have been 10 amp. If they are using two totally different circuits it seems weird that they went around the same time, because I've had the car for about a year now

cheers
 
Dipped beam fuses are listed as 15A, main beams as 10A, so you had the right fuse values, even though both bulbs are the same power, 55 Watts. In the steady state a 55W bulb will draw less than 5 Amps, so there is a considerable margin in any case. I wonder if higher-power bulbs are allowed in other countries?
 
Ovni_cupraR said:
I've sorted it out now, both bulbs had blown, which may have been because there were two 15 amp fuses for the dipped beems when they should have been 10 amp.
Click to expand...

A higher fuse rating does not make bulbs blow, fitting a higher rated fuse does not allow more voltage or current to flow to the bulbs. A higher rated fuse means that you need more smoke from the shorted out wiring before the fuse actually blows.

Have you thought that maybe both of the bulbs were fitted at the same time and that they are the same age and have done the same amount of miles. Maybe they both reached their end of life together because of this.
 
LEE69 said:
Do what??

It's a 12v system so the most a bulb will get is 12v, because one blows it doesn't mean the other gets 24v, they are on separate circuits/fuses anyway :)
Click to expand...

Agree with you, but can't help noticing that on 2 separate occasions,both dipped headlights blew within 48 hours of each other on the 2005 Octavia I've got.

Mine tend to blow headlight bulbs at least every 8-9 months, probably because I have dipped headlights on all the time as Day Running Lights, on both cars.

Also had this with brake light bulbs on previous cars, and it's quite common to follow cars with only the centre LED brake light working, with both "normal" brake lights blown.

Mike
 
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mikeholroyd said:
Agree with you, but can't help noticing that on 2 separate occasions,both dipped headlights blew within 48 hours of each other on the 2005 Octavia I've got.

Mine tend to blow headlight bulbs at least every 8-9 months, probably because I have dipped headlights on all the time as Day Running Lights, on both cars.

Also had this with brake light bulbs on previous cars, and it's quite common to follow cars with only the centre LED brake light working, with both "normal" brake lights blown.

Mike
Click to expand...

you have 2005 skoda octavias? that a bit ott isn't it? :cartman:
 
mikeholroyd said:
Agree with you, but can't help noticing that on 2 separate occasions,both dipped headlights blew within 48 hours of each other on the 2005 Octavia I've got.
Click to expand...

Maybe they were built together on the production line, packaged together then sold together, and used together, then when one blew the other couldn't face being alone and decided to "go" with it aswel. :p
 
Lol lee

I had something similar to this but a garage fixed it for me. Basically the passenger side did not work. The garage said it was down to a loose earth wire which was fixed! and now both work.

Hopefully that helps as its a bit strange why both go so fast.
 
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