Mistapaul
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Can I use non OEM sockets for my turn signal and daytime running light lamps?
Technical Electrcal/Headlight lamps
- Thread starter Mistapaul
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Technical Electrcal/Headlight lamps
Connector blocks?
In theory, yes. The connector blocks are just there to make sure each wire connects to the right pin and to make it simple to take the connection apart.
It doesn't need to be any particular shape or size.. but if you're going to replace two connectors (the male and the female) why not just replace the one that's presumably broken?
Ralf S.
In theory, yes. The connector blocks are just there to make sure each wire connects to the right pin and to make it simple to take the connection apart.
It doesn't need to be any particular shape or size.. but if you're going to replace two connectors (the male and the female) why not just replace the one that's presumably broken?
Ralf S.
Mistapaul
New member
Hi and thanks for the reply. My concern is that since the car is equipped with the CAB system, which gives you an indicator message when a bulb burns out, will the non OEM socket which probably does not contain the sensor for that feature, could it possible not be compatible with the main control module and potentially cause electrical issues?
The CAN system has nothing to do with the Bulb Failure warning other than to signal this to the instrument cluster that a bulb has failed..
The body computer senses the current drawn and if a bulb fails the current is less and it detects this.
The DRL is a regular bulb.. (a T20 type in the 500, I dunno about the X ) with two wires going to it... so that's all the connector is supporting. As S130 says, the BCM monitors the current draw and works out whether the bulb is still alive.
But I was rummaging under the missus' friend's wheel arch the other day.. She has a regular 500, not the X but the concept will be the same. The DRL lamp has a connector block that attaches to a female socket.. then inside the lamp, there are wires to connectors for the DRL and the high beam bulbs.
If you want to attach anything to the lamp, it can only be the standard factory connector, since the socket on the lamp is moulded plastic and only accepts the factory connector.
Ralf S.
Mistapaul
New member
It seems fair to say that I can probably safely use the connector block wth female socket that I got on Ebay for 12 dollars as opposed to paying 60 dollars at the dealer. That's wild. Thank you so much.
Mistapaul
New member
I much appreciate your reply, I am going to use the 12 dollar eBay one I just recieved instead of shelling our 60 dollars to the dealer. Wow. Anyway, this got me to wondering how much of this car is real Fiat (if any) and how much is GM. The problem is that the drivers side daytime running light burns out after a few weeks.
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Many vehicle manufacturers now use common parts bought from other suppliers. So GM will buy from manufacturer X a large production run with the parts stamped with a GM logo and part number. Fiat and Ford etc. will do the same. Eventually after vehicle production runs manufacturer X (e.g. Valeo) will start supply the parts as the OEM manufacturer with their logo and part number.
Mistapaul
New member
The bulb burns out every three or four weeks or so.
Mistapaul
New member
Very interesting. I'm getting good information and thoughtful replies here. Thanks so much.
The car market and production is getting very intertwined over the past few years.
Take for example, Fiat.
They bought heavily into GM so the likes of the Croma 2005 used the GM Epsilon platform (base chassis, suspension, etc.) and put Fiat engines into the EU models. They then dumped GM. Now we have Stellantis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stellantis
Brands include:
We see/have the same conflagration with Audi, Porsche, VW, and event Bentley now a VW Group owned brand.
Even Ford with their smaller cars used the Fiat platforms and engines. I'm thinking Ford KA here for sure but possibly other models as well???
Short-lived bulbs is usually a symptom of too much electrical resistance. I would check (remove, clean and re-attach) the local earthing points. There's an earth point on each side of the engine bay. it'll be a bunch of wires, crimped into a ring connector and bolted to the main chassis member.. below the battery or down by the aux belt kind of height.
There's also usually a fairly chunky earth strap from the battery negative to the gearbox. This one is best removed altogether and inspected thoroughly. They're often just braided copper wire with a flash coat of zinc etc. so can corrode inside the braid and basically fall apart from the inside out. If you twist it between your hands it shouldn't make any sound.. but if you can hear a sound like fibres splitting then that's not good. A new (universal will do) earth strap is about £15 and can be fitted in about 20 minutes, so don't struggle on with a moody strap.
Ralf S.
Curiously, I've ordered some generic T20 bulb holders from the bay of fleas. The ones in the Younger Mrs S's Rasputin have broken up a bit with age and being removed with pliers since no human hand can get into the depths of the DRL..
They look (visually in a photo) very similar but not identical to the Fiat ones so it'll be interesting to see whether they fit into the back of the DRL lamp socket... (just a hole with some slots cut out for the bulb-holder "tangs").
If they work I'll post a link..
Ralf S.
Mistapaul
New member
Sounds
Well I will dig into this next, because the new connector block clipped in and fit ok, but the (new) bulb refused to light. The oem female block has space for 3 pins, but only contains 2 pins. The replacement has 3 pins, but since the 3rd hole in the oem does not have a receiving electrode, it should not matter. I did not think to snap pics when I had it apart, but I will. I am determined to get to the bottom of this. The earthing points are easy to deal with. Thank you so much.
