Failed my MOT due to no rear number plate light. When they tried to pop another bulb in it didn't work. Upon further investigation,
rear wipers now not working (always been tempremental - starting when engine started etc) no daytime front running lights (although looking back on paperwork thats been a problem,forgot about it).
Are these connected?
- garage seems to think I need a new central control module or something (they are just MOT/service)
Thanks!

500M said:

Failed my MOT due to no rear number plate light. When they tried to pop another bulb in it didn't work. Upon further investigation,
rear wipers now not working (always been tempremental - starting when engine started etc) no daytime front running lights (although looking back on paperwork thats been a problem,forgot about it).
Are these connected?
- garage seems to think I need a new central control module or something (they are just MOT/service)
Thanks!

Click to expand...

Well yes,,
DRL's are they turned on in the menu on the dash? and are the bulbs+fuse OK?

Now the bad bit, the rear light/wiper fault is almost certainly caused by the "hatch wiring" issue that's well documented wires get snapped shorted together where they go through the boot lid, easy if time consuming fix, just remember to disconnect the battery!

http://fiatforum.com/500/423837-maybelline-has-thrown-hissy-fit.html#post4063061

500M said:

Are these connected?

Click to expand...

Yes.

Almost certainly the extremely common rear hatch wiring fault.

Any garage with any experience of working with 500's should surely have seen this before by now.

If you don't fancy doing it yourself (and tbh it's the only way to be reasonably certain of getting a lasting repair), then a competent auto electrician is the next best thing.

Most general purpose garage fitters don't work with the kind of finesse that's needed to do this job properly.

The good news is that it's unlikely any expensive parts will be required.

Thanks - taking it in and over the phone diagnosis points to what has been said here - fingers crossed its not the unit that the MOT chap mentioned at £600
I could make long list of things that have gone wrong with this car!

I could be wrong, if it does need a replacement bcm a secondhand unit maybe programmable for your car however I suspect the wires, try phoning a auto electrician tell him what's up, he'll most likely of at least heard of the issue and ask for a quote?

Took car to decent garage (not main dealer)retired auto electrician recommended and they fixed the problem - it was the loom, they said it was a common problem on Fiat 500's, many thanks for advice here as mot garage had suggested main dealer and could be BCM.

500M said:

Took car to decent garage (not main dealer)retired auto electrician recommended and they fixed the problem - it was the loom, they said it was a common problem on Fiat 500's, many thanks for advice here as mot garage had suggested main dealer and could be BCM.

Click to expand...

Great to hear!

The boot wiring has been done to death on here, but it is so often the cause of these electrical problems.

Bet you are doubly glad you didn't go to the Fiat dealer; almost certainly would have cost you a small fortune if they had charged you for the diagnosis, replacing the module etc.

Super Uwe said:

Bet you are doubly glad you didn't go to the Fiat dealer; almost certainly would have cost you a small fortune if they had charged you for the diagnosis, replacing the module etc.

Click to expand...

I wonder how many times franchised dealers have run diagnostics & replaced the module, only to then discover the cause of the problem was the hatch wiring fault. Some may have then been tempted to quietly fix the wiring fault & charge the customer for diagnostics + the replacement module.

This issue is common & widespread, and has been widely reported both on this forum and elsewhere, so there's absolutely no excuse now for any garage even remotely familiar with 500's to misdiagnose this sort of fault.

Hi guys are the 500c boot looms susceptible to this wire issue as well?

Leo6 said:

Hi guys are the 500c boot looms susceptible to this wire issue as well?

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Sadly yes they are.

Ok great! Thanks for the heads up!

Hello! I am new to the forum, so I'm sorry if I am not posting this in the correct place. My fiat 500 (2008) pop has recently had a few problems with the rear windscreen wiper not working (washer sill does) and my daytime running lights (both only work when my headlights are off, when they are on, only the right hand side running light works). Any thoughts why this is?
Many thanks,
Becky

Catlover888 said:

Hello! I am new to the forum, so I'm sorry if I am not posting this in the correct place. My fiat 500 (2008) pop has recently had a few problems with the rear windscreen wiper not working (washer sill does) and my daytime running lights (both only work when my headlights are off, when they are on, only the right hand side running light works). Any thoughts why this is?
Many thanks,
Becky

Click to expand...

Hi and welcome, your running light fault is most likely just a new bulb (it's a twin filament one so the side light probably still works with the headlights ) bulb(580 type, could go to Halfords and get them to supply and fit one) http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/c...ghting/lighting1/car-bulb/?48177091T&&cc5_401
Your rear wiper problem is almost certainly the "hatch wiring issue " and will get worse eventually you'll loose the number plate lights (mot failure ) and the boot release may stop working either from the handle or remote, it needs to be fixed, kit to fix it £50 plus 3 hours maybe to install.

Hi John,
Many thanks for your prompt response! I have tried a new bulb, which unfortunately was still having the same problem (working when headlights were off, but not when they were on). My boot release had previously stopped working, but would open by using my key, this has since rectified itself and is currently working fine.
I have my MOT at the end of the month, but wasn't sure whether having a running light not working is an automatic fail?
Thanks again for your advice!

Catlover888 said:

Hi John,
Many thanks for your prompt response! I have tried a new bulb, which unfortunately was still having the same problem (working when headlights were off, but not when they were on). My boot release had previously stopped working, but would open by using my key, this has since rectified itself and is currently working fine.
I have my MOT at the end of the month, but wasn't sure whether having a running light not working is an automatic fail?
Thanks again for your advice!

Click to expand...

Sorry misread your post, so its the sidelight that's not working when the headlights are ON.
Day Running Lights are not part of the MOT, but side lights are(headlights on), are you sure you had the correct bulb this one;
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/c...ghting/lighting1/car-bulb/?481770910&&cc5_401
NOT this one that looks almost the same(correct one has two tiny wires going between the "legs") you can also gently bend outwards the contact wires at the base of the bulb to help the contact.
http://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/c...ghting/lighting1/car-bulb/?481770930&&cc5_401
Do all the other lights work correctly? its worth trying another new bulb OR swap the "good" bulb to the faulty side just to double check then work from there.
Our boot release handle is iffy, I worked out to knock hard on the silver bit if it did not work, then a press of the handle and it works(once)

Sorry, that was my fault for not being very clear/understanding the difference between the two.correct, it's the sidelight not working when main lights are on.I have already tried swapping the bulbs in the hope it was a dodgy bulb, but it still didn't work. All other lights are working at the moment (or atleast for the time being!)

Ok maybe the time to call an auto electrician? It requires some more investigation book says left hand side light feed wire is yellow with a red stripe, right hand side light feed is green with a yellow stripe, access is poor without removing the wheel arch liner or even the whole bumper (not actually that hard or time consuming ) in order to check the wire is providing a feed, perhaps faulty/poor contacts on bulb holder?
Do you have the little yellow warning light on with the exclamation symbol on? Or any message "check ,,,lights"?

I think you're right, I will get it booked in! It does have a warning light and check running lights (or something along those lines). Will update once I have had it reviewed, hopefully with good news!
Thanks again for your help.