Technical cinquecento sidelight

[MrSeanE18uk]

Hello everyone I dont know if its factory setting or previous owner done somthing but when I put my sidelights on my cinq the sidelights come on but my main headlights come on but dipped, so dipped beam, ive seen some cinqs/seis driving around with just sidelight bulbs looks better as mine are white but dipped beam ruins it

Any help is appreciated! Thanks Sean.

 

[Dragon Man]

yeah most fiats of the age have that feature. heh believe it or not it is caused by something that actually still works! (it's normally broken)

if you look near the horn (iirc) you will see something that looks like a metal box with a spring in it. on the bottom it will have 3 wires, unplug the center one.. think its white in colour as it has 2 black on the outside and a white.. or maybe blue on the inside.

its called a dim dip resistor, basically it just makes the dipped beams come on but really dimly on sidelights. removing the center wire dissables it. dont worry, the rest of the lights will work just fine.

its the same thing that is on the old panda but i remember it from when i had a cinq.

i dont know.. took me ages to fix mine, and you want to take yours off heh
ill see if i can find a picture of what it looks like....

ahh here.. i did steal this from another thread:

 

[MrSeanE18uk]

Thankyou mate thats so much help! I'll have a look before I go out!

 

[jatkinson]

That little thing is in the middle of the Slam pannel next to the horn

 

[David C]

I think dim-dip was a great feature, shame it didn't last long, I use it a lot on the Cinq & wouldn't want to disable it.

 

[Dragon Man]

I think dim-dip was a great feature, shame it didn't last long, I use it a lot on the Cinq & wouldn't want to disable it.

i agree, on standard bulbs i think its great, but if you get LED side lights is does make them look a little off.

cos my favorite trick was to use amber wing indicator bulbs in the side lights back when i had the cinq hehe but they dont fit the panda's side light holder with it being bayonet fitting.

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

I think dim-dip was a great feature, shame it didn't last long, I use it a lot on the Cinq & wouldn't want to disable it.

:yeahthat: dimdip.

Side / parking lights are NOT designed to be driven on really, and should only really be used as position lamps when parked, so you'd be stupid to want to disable dim dip IMO.

 

[MrSeanE18uk]

:yeahthat: dimdip.

Side / parking lights are NOT designed to be driven on really, and should only really be used as position lamps when parked, so you'd be stupid to want to disable dim dip IMO.

Each to there own as I only use sidelights so other road users can see me in rain etc so everyone can hate on how I want my lights but it's my car

 

[Most Easterly Pandas]

Each to there own as I only use sidelights so other road users can see me in rain etc so everyone can hate on how I want my lights but it's my car

But they can't. That's the problem. You may as well leave them switched off. The amount of idiots who use only side lights in rain and fog is mind boggling. One for the Darwin awards if you ask me. If you want to be seen in motion 90% of the time tiny little 5watt bulbs will not be enough. It'll be someone like you who ends up killing someone and possibly yourself unfortunatly

Just think, it may be your car but its not only your life your mucking about with!

I take it you're fully aware you're not allowed to use only sidelights on motorways?

 

[MrSeanE18uk]

But they can't. That's the problem. You may as well leave them switched off. The amount of idiots who use only side lights in rain and fog is mind boggling. One for the Darwin awards if you ask me. If you want to be seen in motion 90% of the time tiny little 5watt bulbs will not be enough. It'll be someone like you who ends up killing someone and possibly yourself unfortunatly

Just think, it may be your car but its not only your life your mucking about with!

I take it you're fully aware you're not allowed to use only sidelights on motorways?

I wasnt talking about using them on motorways or in heavy fog or rain I'm not that stupid I use main beams, people can see sidelights loads of people use them police often use them round by me sidelights are used in day light wen its dull or light rain just so you get seen more easily, I see motorists more cleary with there sidelights on in lightts rain then no sidelights.

So I aint going to kill myself using sidelights, if they wasnt meant to be driven on why did manufacture company's fit them to there cars, yeah maybe for parking but they wouldnt put it on headlight stalk or call them sidelights.

 

[Dragon Man]

hmm i must admit, i often have mine on in rain just so it turns the rear lights on.
in dim light i am more frit of getting arse ended cos the guy behind me could not see me.
then again, i have never disabled the dim dip resistor.
heh i was actualy thinking of swapping the dim dip resistor for a PWM module (love them things) then i could control how bright i could have my "dim dip" given the time of day.

hmm theres something actually, my mums merc has automatic headlights.. when its dim it auto just puts the side lights on... then when it gets darker it puts dipped beam on. high beam is manual obviously.

i know when i was on the motorbike i never turned the "pilot light" (same thing as a side light) off even in bright sunlight.

still, it could be worse though. take today, its been dim and raining. my dad, brother, sister and i all went out shopping in talon ( ). its amazing how many motorists you see when you are out that just do not put any lights on at all! its actually shocking!

 

[whitz]

i have a habit of driving around with dipped beams on constantly not so i can generally see but so i can be seen.

on the new 500s fiat have just done away with the normal 3 position stalk and it just has on or off for the dipped beam, think this was to stop people just driving around with side lights on in poor weather conditions.

Ash

 

[fingers99]

i have a habit of driving around with dipped beams on constantly not so i can generally see but so i can be seen.

on the new 500s fiat have just done away with the normal 3 position stalk and it just has on or off for the dipped beam, think this was to stop people just driving around with side lights on in poor weather conditions.

Ash

All Brummies were taught to use dipped beam all the time when I was learning to drive. Cars, bikes, trucks..........

 

[rallycinq]

All Brummies were taught to use dipped beam all the time when I was learning to drive. Cars, bikes, trucks..........

It was part of the Highway Code when I passed my test (a long time ago). Something along the lines of 'In conditions of poor visibility dipped headlights must be used'

Side/parking lights are fine if everyone else on the road has no lights on, but if everyone else is on dipped beam, then a car on side/parking lights disappears.

Cheers

D

 

[fingers99]

We used to put them on all the time, rather like Volvo drivers regardless of the weather.

I don't do it in Liverpool in cars, but always on bikes, wherever, whatever.

 

[GrumpyOldMan]

As an extra bonus I would expect that using dim/dip will make your headlight bulbs last just about forever as they turn on gradually and don't have a power surge through them. Most bulbs go when they're being turned on.
If I had a dim/dip option on my Sei I would definitely use it all the time.

I drive for a living and I can never understand why so many people don't light up their cars in the mornings. I regularly see cars driving around without lights whilst it is still virtually dark. I know it's going to get light soon but cars still need to be lit when the light is poor. Here in Lancaster there seems to be a great shortage of headlight bulbs judging by the number of cars driving around with only one bulb lit, I don't know how they get away with it!

Happy new year to you all by the way!

Ian.

 

[fingers99]

I think a lot of people think that if they don't put their lights on, they'll get a lower bill from Scottish Power, et al...........

 

[Lecook]

i agree with the op as i too have disconnected the 'dimdip' as i use the led sidelight bulbs

but then my dipped headlights are only off when the ignition is off, rain, shine, snow, you get the idea, and my sidelights are.. well.. more than sufficient