Technical “Check Parking Lights”

[Forza500]

My daughter has a “65” plate 2015 Fiat 500.

A few weeks ago the yellow warning triangle started popping up occasionally so I took it to a local dealership that had just started dealing with Fiats. They had it for a whole week couldn’t find the problem and charged me £345 for labour!

I decided to look myself when I got the car home and noticed that the driver’s side repeater was out so (Thank God for YouTube) I replaced the bulb (on both sides). Thought I had solved it and then got the error “Check stop lights” saw that the left hand side brake light was out so I replaced it. Triangle disappeared…until I turned the headlights on and got the message “Check Parking Lights”. I read somewhere that that can be related to the number plate lights so I replaced them but no joy. Looked in the manual and can’t find any mention of “Parking Lights” and don’t want to replace the wrong bulb, especially as all the lights are working even though the triangle is on permanently.

Can anyone tell me what is meant by parking lights? I remember in the dim and distant past that they were side lights you’d put on when parking on certain roads but this car has DRLs not side lights.

Feel like I’m going to be chasing this fault around but would appreciate some guidance on which light the car is asking me to check!

Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[jackwhoo]

Without key in ignition turn lights on, this turns on parking lights. Check parking lights inc number plate lights are lit.
Do not use "led" bulbs , do use bulbs of correct power

 

[Forza500]

Without key in ignition turn lights on, this turns on parking lights. Check parking lights inc number plate lights are lit.
Do not use "led" bulbs , do use bulbs of correct power

Thanks for getting back to me. So the "parking lights" on her car are the DRLs...and they're working perfectly! I replaced the number plate bulbs yesterday so they're all good. I'll change the DRL bulbs tomorrow and see if I can clear the warning.

 

[jackwhoo]

Thanks for getting back to me. So the "parking lights" on her car are the DRLs...and they're working perfectly! I replaced the number plate bulbs yesterday so they're all good. I'll change the DRL bulbs tomorrow and see if I can clear the warning.

I dont know if drls are parking lights
But you need to look at number plate lights to see if lighting and same for tail lights

 

[jackwhoo]

Ah i think i get what you mean Are the front drl bulbs twin filament? One brighter than the other? If so check parking light dimmer than day running light

 

[Forza500]

Ah i think i get what you mean Are the front drl bulbs twin filament? One brighter than the other? If so check parking light dimmer than day running light

They have the DRL bulb and the main beam bulb in the same cluster - no other lights. When I did what you suggested only the DRLs came on so they must be the parking lights.

 

[puntodeltathema]

Two things I'd check - first that the "dim" version of the DRL (assume the LED "ring" if this is a 2015 car) comes on when the headlights are on. Second, that the tail lights are present and correct (and correctly rated). NB the tail light bulbs on the 2015 facelift are different from the earlier car, and a different wattage (5w rather than 10w from memory).

 

[A3jeroen]

Older cars use 10W bulbs. Newer 5/21W combined with brakelights.

gr J

 

[Forza500]

Older cars use 10W bulbs. Newer 5/21W combined with brakelights.

gr J

I used 5/21W when I replaced the brake lights as per the manual

 

[A3jeroen]

That means you have the newer clusters. Carowners of older cars have sometimes used 5W bulbs instead of 10W.

gr J

 

[Forza500]

Two things I'd check - first that the "dim" version of the DRL (assume the LED "ring" if this is a 2015 car) comes on when the headlights are on. Second, that the tail lights are present and correct (and correctly rated). NB the tail light bulbs on the 2015 facelift are different from the earlier car, and a different wattage (5w rather than 10w from memory).

DRL are lit when headlights are on and tail lights are present and correct. All the lights are working perfectly...it just the error message. I'm going to replace the DRLs later this week (when she's not using the car!) and see if I can clear the error.

 

[Forza500]

That means you have the newer clusters. Carowners of older cars have sometimes used 5W bulbs instead of 10W.

gr J

It's the 2015 facelift version so you're definitely correct.

 

[Forza500]

UPDATE: I hadn't had an opportunity to swap out any bulbs on my daughter's car to clear the error but then she was driving home tonight and her friend, who was driving behind her, told her that she had no tail lights at all. Her brake lights and number plate lights were working fine but no rear lights.
I'm a bit confused because I've already swapped out the left hand side bulb (rear and brake lights are the same bulb) when I saw that one brake light wasn't working last week and that restored the brake light.

It's dark now, so I won't have an opportunity to swap out any bulbs until the morning but does anyone have any ideas.

 

[jackwhoo]

Check wiring inside rubber tube top left of hatch between body and hatch
When you changed brake light bulb were the tail lights working?

 

[Forza500]

Check wiring inside rubber tube top left of hatch between body and hatch
When you changed brake light bulb were the tail lights working?

Thanks for that tip. I thought the tail lights were working but after tonight I'm doubting myself. I'm pretty sure they were...but they definitely aren't now.

I wish I could take it to a Fiat service centre I don't have any other Fiat dealer near me other than the one who charged me and couldn't solve the problem. The next nearest is a 90 minute drive.

 

[Forza500]

Looking at listing of the tail light/brake bulb in the manual of the car it's say P21/5W then in a separate column called 'Power' it says 10W (see attached picture). Is that a mixed message? Apologies if I'm stating the obvious...

 

[puntodeltathema]

Suspect that's a misprint - they were plain 10w bulbs on the earlier pre-facelift cars, so my guess is that whoever edited the manual forgot to update that column!

 

[John202020]

Without key in ignition turn lights on, this turns on parking lights. Check parking lights inc number plate lights are lit.
Do not use "led" bulbs , do use bulbs of correct power

This

 

[John202020]

The fact the number plate lights work suggests there's power to the rear, not sure re the wiring for face lift cars, for both to be out is unusual but not unheard of, remove the bulb and test it on the battery with a piece of wire, key out lights on replace the known working bulb, see what happens, if the rears are out there should be a warning on the dash, note the message on the dash only lasts a few seconds so easily missed leaving just the light

 

[Forza500]

UPDATE: I decided to use my breakdown Home Start with RAC. Patrol came and changed the side/brake bulbs for new ones and magically rear lights work again and ‘check parking lights’ message has gone and triangle of doom has disappeared. Let’s hope the fix sticks!!