General 2009 500 light problem along with centre wheel indicator blank

[jrkitching]

So sorry to hear about what has happened to your wife.

Check the wiring at the point where the loom passes from the main bodyshell into the rear hatch; this is a well-known failure point on the 500. To inspect it properly, you'll need to carefully pull away the outer rubber sleeve, and possibly unwrap some of the loom tape.

The loom is bent through an acute angle every time the hatch is opened, and standard automotive cable isn't sufficiently flexible to srtand this kind of treatment. Unless it's fixed using a more resiliant type of cable, any repair likely won't last long. By now, many older 500's will have multiple loom repairs in this area, some are a complete mess.

 

[p0689109]

The wiring either side has a grommet where the cable runs from the lens unit. The boot side panel covers I take it is where the problem lies then which is the area behind the grommet panel?

 

[John202020]

The "wiring issue" relates to the tailgate generally your issue is different I believe I would turn on the relevant light or press the brake, then manipulate the cable with the cluster out and observe what happens can't help feeling there maybe a break somewhere due to rough handling in the past, pull off the panels inside and use a meter on the cables to check for voltage too( push sharp prong through insulation)

 

[p0689109]

That is what I was going to do but it is now in my favourite garage who are trustworthy,honest and good. He has tackled this problem on another 500 and so hopefully he will do a good job. As mentioned the Fiat garage supplies a "kit" ( connector and cable) as it is I believe a common fault.

 

[Ralf S.]

I'm not sure how the 500 is wired behind the scenes but it could be that a break in the hatch wiring is having an effect on the tail lamps, even though you would imagine (at least in old style, "analogue" wiring systems) that the wiring to the tail lamps is completely isolated from the hatch. It'll be interesting to see whether a new hatch wiring/repair fixes them.

The dead instrument LED is also a known issue with the 500. It's messy to fix because the pre-2011 cars were different to the 2011-15 cars and the post-2016 cars are different again... and some of the LEDs are not available anywhere.

The speedo itself is relatively easy to remove.. just unscrew the shroud and the then unscrew all the screws you expose in the order that you see them. The speedo is connected by a long cable and a regular connector, so once you get this far it's fairly painless to get it out of the dashboard.

There are videos on then dismantling the LED, such as;



but my advice is before you do it, have a look at the ribbon and get the number off it and/or the one on the back of the speedo'; that will point you to the LED type you have. Then ring around anyone selling one, or anyone who can do Fiat 500 speedo repairs to make sure they have the correct part before you buy it or send your speedo' off for them to fix. I've heard of some speedos coming back because the repairer can't get the LED for that type.

Worst case is that a new speedo' will be required.. but my preference would be for a repair if possible.. the price is about the same as buying a second-hand speedo'... and you won't have to faff about looking for a speedo with a lower mileage than yours (you can adjust mileage up but not down) and any new speedo will need aligning with the car Body Control Module, which if you can do it is free.. but if you don't have the kit, is not. And a second-hand one might last you two weeks and then need the same repair. A brand new speedo is about £500 though.. so as with everything, it's a question of how lucky you feel.


Ralf S.

 

[p0689109]

Thanks for that video. I take it Fiat dont supply the ribbon then?

 

[Ralf S.]

No.. the LED disc and ribbon seems to be available only as an aftermarket part.

Even those are c. £120, if you can find the correct one. I'm not sure why someone doesn't just make millions of them... there's definitely a demand.


Ralf S.

 

[p0689109]

Thanks for reply. You had one so where did you get it from might I ask?

 

[p0689109]

I found on line that there is a company that you can send the whole instruement to them and they fix and return. When the garage fixes the tail lights I will do that.
I reckon that the problem with the clusters will be the plastic connector onto the cluster rather than the wiring as I said earlier the faulty bulbs were working at first albeit with a dud bulb on the offside brake but it soon escalated into total failure of all 4 bulbs i.e brake and rear side lights not working. I checked each cluster with good bulbs in to ensure each circuit was good at the cluster connector point.

 

[p0689109]

Turns out that the company I found only does business with garages so the one I use is going to send it to them.
As regards the rear cluster light saga the garage found that some ape had fitted the wrong bulbs in the side lights and to do so he had broke the bulb holes plastic to enable the larger bulb to fit! The mind boggles! So at least the cars lights are all legal now. Here, where I live, the number of cars going around with bulbs out is getting out of hand. The trouble is the cops no longer do stop & check as they are never out on patrol and the drivers seem to think that they dont have to do it as "they check them at the MOT"!

 

[p0689109]

Still waiting for the repairers to return the pod at the moment.

 

[Ralf S.]

At least it sounds like they are doing it, rather than they can't get the part, etc.


Ralf S.

 

[p0689109]

I hope so. It would be nice if they informed the garage that they received it, have spares and will let them know when it is on the way back!

 

[p0689109]

So finally I have the car usable. Unfortuneately the people we sent the pod too did not have the spares to do it. So that was £38 wasted on postage! The internet shows that the company who produce them can supply the part that illuminates the info in the centre of the pod. It would be nice to have it fixed and that will be my next project. The missing info does not stop the car being used. I will have to remove the pod and strip it down to confirm the part number though and so I am going to message the Italian company to see if they have them on the shelf first.

 

[chris3234]

Sorry for long delay. Wife has a broken femur and is in hospital. She has full blown MND and was in a care home. They are still investigating how it happened. Lifes a bitch sometimes.
Anyway I have checked and proved that the light clusters are all working plus the number plate light works. So the problem is the wiring plug connector/wiring. It is strange that both sides are defective.Out of the four light systems (brake, indicator, side light and reverse lights) the two systems not working are brake and side light on both sides. So now it gets difficult. My local garage owner/mechanic remembers doing one and mentioned the dealers do a kit so it is obviously a known problem. I believe the kit is plug and a cable length so I will be landing him the job with my hands full of seeing to the wife

It's usually the high level lights the fail or number plate lights w.g the ones that attach to the tailgate


Not really seen any wiring issues to the main brake lights on here that I can remember




Do you have a multi meter to see if any voltage at all is getting through to the lights?

 

[p0689109]

Please read the entry #35 which is the latest update on the car. Basically the only fault on it now is the centre console electronic display is blank. I will be looking into the availability of the spare by trying to get in touch with the makers in Italy.

 

[p0689109]

The pod display in the centre has been blank since I bought the car with the speedo and rev counter working. So finally I have removed the centre console pod from its mounting to check the number taped on the rear as someone suggested it would be the correct part number for the vehicles pod as they were/are different as the years models were produced. The number is as follows:- F312206500PTSE15239.
Now searching on the web the numbers of the pods are of a different style altogether so does anyone know how to interpret the "new" codes to the one on my instruement? The code numbers for the pods online are of the format COG VLIT 1592-02. or -03 and COG VLIT 1317-03 and -07 so are these compatible to the number on the back of my pod?

 

[p0689109]

So I decided to remove and strip the display as Ralf S #25 above shows (brilliant aide) to confirm the part number and it is COG VLIT 12298-01. Is this a goer as it is different to the numbers in the entry above #37?

 

[p0689109]

I went online again and found a company called CARTRONIX , they are in Waterlooville. Anyway I phoned them and asked if they could fix it pointing out that it has to have the correct replacement or it wont work. The young man on the line said "we fix them all" and so I decided to send it to them. I removed the pod and packaged it on the Friday last and took it to the Royal mail/ come shop who said that they would have it for certain at the address on the box on Tuesday morning not forgetting that the Monday was a bank holiday. Anyway at 11AM on Tuesday I get a call from the company and I am assuming it was a call to say they have received it but better still the lady said it was repaired and could they have the money! Gobsmaked was I and I payed and asked them to send it back in the box I sent it in. This morning around midday it was at my door! Now that is what I call service. I put the pod in the car and bingo all is good. I decided to give it a run but alas the gearbox/stick would not select reverse! But I will see to that in the morning!

 

[John202020]

I decided to give it a run but alas the gearbox/stick would not select reverse! But I will see to that in the morning!

Our 09 car has decided it won't select reverse too, happened last Oct. over time I worked out it needs a firm right push on the stick then it will go easily into the gate moving the stick backwards, moving the stick left once out of the gate is also quite stiff but at least the car is driveable at first it just wouldn't select and out of fifth it won't spring to the neutral point, all forward gears no issue