Technical Both Headlights not working.......?

[Mike W]

Hi there,

I own a Fiat Stilo 1.9 JTD 3 dr. Yesterday I noticed BOTH my headlights (dipped) aren't working. Fuses are intact, main beam is fine, as are front fogs and all other lights. Knowing what a pain it is to change 1 let alone 2 bulbs, especially if the bulbs haven't gone - seems a bit coincidental both going at once, can anyone advise what the problem might be if it's not the bulbs before I risk life and limb changing them?

Thanks,

Mike :worship:

 

[Rich]

Hey Mike

It IS possible that both have gone; I've had a few people come into work with both lights having blown at the same time!

It is worth checking the relay; they tend to last the life of the car, but you never know! The relay is T1, which is located behind the flap/door on the drivers side of the dashboard. Change it with another temporarily just to check it works!

Good luck!

 

[T14086]

If fuses 12/13 are live with dip beam on then it's likely to be both bulbs,if they are not live then could be relay as mentioned or switch/wiring or (and seen this many times) body computer.

 

[Mike W]

Thanks Chaps.

Tried swapping relays but couldn't get enough purchase to get them out!! I guess I'll have to face up to changing the bulbs and go from there.......

 

[Deckchair5]

Check for power at the bulbs first though cos you're going to be so mad if you change the bulbs and they still don't work. One of these "stab the wire" type circuit testers is brilliant for that as you can test the power in the cable without having to disconnect anything. If you haven't got one then just test for power at the bulb connector before you take the bulb out

Got power there? Then you can forget all about testing relays, body computers and eveything else- it's a krypton factor challenge bulb change day


No power? Phew saved a lot of blood spill. Let's look somewhere else for the problem

You have got a good earth at the lights haven't you? You don't get funny things happening like other lights flashing when put indicators on and your main beam works fine yes?

 

[Mike W]

"If you haven't got one then just test for power at the bulb connector before you take the bulb out"

err....not wanting make a fool of myself or anything but how do I do that?

(Apparently Halfords etc don't stock this type of bulb so I won't be able to get anything much done today by the looks of things)

 

[Deckchair5]

If you have a "stab the wire" type circuit tester

Find the dipped beam wire right next to the light and, with dipped headlights switched on, stab the wire and check for power there

If you have just a normal circuit tester or a multimeter then remove the bulb electrical connector, again find out which colour wire is the dipped beam (or you could process of elimination) and test for power on the dipped beam line with dipped lights switched on

If you have a multi meter then you can also check for a good earth at the connector (power off of course) by checking for near zero resistance on the black wire to a good earth point

I wish I could tell you the wire colours but don't have wiring diagrams for Stilo

On a Bravo they're
grey/black=sidleights
yellow/black =dipped
green/black=main beam
black=earth
Might be the same on the Stilo but then again......

Halfords don't have a lot of things listed for the Stilo-air filter- special order- plugs- special order

Ring around local car accessories, it's not that special a bulb

 

[Rich]

We do!!!

The dipped bulbs for a Stilo are 477's (or 448's, depending on age, both both are heavily stocked items (MDR- Minimum Display Requirement is about 40 for each!).

We stock spark plugs for it (I've had them); I think Oil & Air filters are special order because FIAT haven't released the proper crossover references; e.g. the Oil Filter will be shared with another FIAT that we keep the filter for in stock.

Although I expect we'll have points and leads for a Ford Prefect in stock

 

[Deckchair5]

There you go then. Halfords save the day

There's just so little in the shelf catalogs for Fiats. I asked for some plugs for my Bravo 1.2 a few years back as they weren't listed there. Chap at the desk says "Apparently Fiat don't make a 1.2 Bravo"

So is that what it is? Fiat don't release the part Nos or is it Halfords don't ask?

Now about my Ford Cresta distributer cap

 

[PNL]

Ford prefect old side valve motors NOW your showing your age mate I used to race them sit up an beg old pops and the later prefects 3 speed gear box can remember building one engine had it rebored to max flat head skimmed big valves by dellow and race cam came of the start line like s**t of a shovel and led for 3 laps then OPPS con rod through block on No 2 cylinder and back on the trailer it went

 

[Rich]

There's just so little in the shelf catalogs for Fiats. I asked for some plugs for my Bravo 1.2 a few years back as they weren't listed there. Chap at the desk says "Apparently Fiat don't make a 1.2 Bravo"

So is that what it is? Fiat don't release the part Nos or is it Halfords don't ask?

Yeah I noticed that when I had the 1.2 Brava. The years are all messed up, and sometimes the screen won't show 1.2 as no parts are there, and the staff don't know how to interpret that. We do keep the plugs in though, as I bought some (and they had to go back as, on one of them, the electrode insulation came loose and was causing a misfire , so much for champion quality ). HT Leads are special order though.

Usually, Halfords will ask for the parts reference, but if the manufacturer do not release it, we can't print. There is a feedback section too on the systems, but this has to be verified by the manufacturer in most cases.

New systems out in the summer, windows XP based, so unix will be no more!

And Phil, what are old side valve motors? Oh how motoring has changed ey, my dad's told me many a story about taking the engine to bits of a sunday afternoon

 

[PNL]

Mate back in those days life was so much easier and side valve engines were so simple we could nigh on lift an engine out by hand [chain and scaffold pole and two strong guys]do your repairs and put the engine back in before your next race no computers/electronics etc even the OHV engines didnt give us much of a problem :worship: Ah happy days

 

[minco]

Hello Mike,

Did you mange to resolved the dipped light issue? It just happened to our Stilo 1.6 dynamic. He's just come back from the garage who fixed a connection problem in the wiper stalk so wondering if it's related to that being taken apart...

Full beam works fine, but both dipped beams just don't come on, full beam does go off. It'd be to odd for them both to blow at the same time.

Any help appreciated!

Thanks,
Eric

 

[fenton_jd]

Hello Mike,

Did you mange to resolved the dipped light issue? It just happened to our Stilo 1.6 dynamic. He's just come back from the garage who fixed a connection problem in the wiper stalk so wondering if it's related to that being taken apart...

Full beam works fine, but both dipped beams just don't come on, full beam does go off. It'd be to odd for them both to blow at the same time.

Any help appreciated!

Thanks,
Eric

I would guess after 2 'n' half years he'd have gotten his lights fixed

Would very likely be a connection problem on a car like the stilo, as apposed to both bulbs blowning

 

[minco]

Guess what? Both lights were blown after all! Sometimes the simple answer seems too easy
Thanks and untill the next time,
Eric

 

[T14086]

Its not unusual for this to happen,there is a wiring mod available to prevent this.

 

[Big Black Stilo]

it can happen, i currently have a dead cluster altogether on our saxo, every bulb has blown in the headlight cluster. (possibly due to moisture)