My Stilo Abarth broke down the other day. The repair cost a lot and the problem was a faulty gear change pump. I have a selespeed. Now the car is back, and on top form once again.
I have some niggles with the head lamps. One failed, but was not reported by the instrument panel. I replaced the bulb and now it is being reported! Actually, there still a blown bulb, but this is one of the inaccessible small bulbs incased in a blue surround. I am not quite sure what the purpose of these are, except decoration. Happy Christmas.

They're your sidelights bulbs. They come out through the rear access hatch on the headlamp, easier to change than a headlight bulb.

their purpose is you leave them on if you are parked on an unlit road

dave said:

their purpose is you leave them on if you are parked on an unlit road

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If you're just going to sit in your motor with the ignition on (to keep the lights on) then I think it'd make more sense to move it somewhere safer.

Sidelights are best used to make yourself more visible on dark days (before you need dipped) and look pretty smart anyway.

There is a need to have parking lights, I use them occassionally because not always 'safer' places to park.

Argonought said:

If you're just going to sit in your motor with the ignition on (to keep the lights on) then I think it'd make more sense to move it somewhere safer.

Sidelights are best used to make yourself more visible on dark days (before you need dipped) and look pretty smart anyway.

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as with most cars there will be a way of leaving them on without keys
most common is either leaving a stalk in a certain position or an extra key click on the ignition barrel

Or just press the Parking Light button on the Stilo

Stuart DemonD said:

Or just press the Parking Light button on the Stilo

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Oops - goes to read manual!

It is the button next to the front and rear fog light buttons. Switches on the side lights, but no cluster lights come on.

Stuart DemonD said:

Or just press the Parking Light button on the Stilo

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pah you stilo boys and your buttons

custard boy said:

pah you stilo boys and your buttons

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Want to count them all

suppose its nice to have something to fiddle with waiting on the breakdown truck

Stuart DemonD said:

It is the button next to the front and rear fog light buttons. Switches on the side lights, but no cluster lights come on.

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Pretty neat that - amazing how you own one of these for 3 months and still find new stuff.

Talking of the front/rear fog lights, has anyone twigged that the logic is back to front.

Last time I checked UK lighting regulations (long time ago) found:
Rear fogs permitted use: Fog, Snow or Heavy Rain
Front fogs permitted use: Fog or Snow only

...but on the Stilo, you can't activate Rear fogs without activating Front fogs first.

I never noticed that before - will go and outside now and check mine....

Ok, on my car, when I have side lights on, rear fog lights only come on when front fogs are on...

...but if I have dipped beam on, then I can have any combination of fog lights.

Stuart DemonD said:

Want to count them all

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Apologies that this isn't in keeping with the topic.... but looking at this photo, the Abarth Selespeed I'm picking up next week looks identical to this inside.... except mine has the normal liquid crystal display in the centre of the dials console. What's the colourful jobby you have on yours?

Cheers

Stuart DemonD said:

Ok, on my car, when I have side lights on, rear fog lights only come on when front fogs are on...

...but if I have dipped beam on, then I can have any combination of fog lights.

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Same here

... but pretty odd how it behaves on sidelights only don't you think?

Bren J said:

except mine has the normal liquid crystal display in the centre of the dials console. What's the colourful jobby you have on yours?

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That is the colour matrix Multi Function Display - it got dropped on later models unfortunately.

Stuart DemonD said:

That is the colour matrix Multi Function Display - it got dropped on later models unfortunately.

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Ah right! Doh!

Thanks