Punto (Mk2/2b) Headlights

[Rhys1234]

Well hello all.

My little punto is proving difficult once again.

The story goes, I'm driving down the road with a lot of angry drivers flashing at me. I think this is strange and then when I pull over I notice I'm blinding every one as my passenger side headlight is out so I do the honest thing and go buy a bulb.

So I fit the bulb and guess what no joy still no light (GREAT). Closer inspection I notice the connect is well let's say on the old side so brain box here thinks he's worked it out again (WRONG) still not working.

As I'm what you would call a novice I started to tinker (NOT REALLY NOING WHAT IM DOING) and found the live wire to be at fault.

Firstly I connected the bulb to the battery to see it function (GREAT) it works. So then I put in a loop from the other headlight to the faulty one. (LIVE to LIVE) Boom!!! It works. So my question is how do I trace the problem as getting to the cables is well let's say more than difficult.

Any help is greatly appreciated

Rhys

 

[Ziggy122]

Well hello all.

My little punto is proving difficult once again.

The story goes, I'm driving down the road with a lot of angry drivers flashing at me. I think this is strange and then when I pull over I notice I'm blinding every one as my passenger side headlight is out so I do the honest thing and go buy a bulb.

So I fit the bulb and guess what no joy still no light (GREAT). Closer inspection I notice the connect is well let's say on the old side so brain box here thinks he's worked it out again (WRONG) still not working.

As I'm what you would call a novice I started to tinker (NOT REALLY NOING WHAT IM DOING) and found the live wire to be at fault.

Firstly I connected the bulb to the battery to see it function (GREAT) it works. So then I put in a loop from the other headlight to the faulty one. (LIVE to LIVE) Boom!!! It works. So my question is how do I trace the problem as getting to the cables is well let's say more than difficult.

Any help is greatly appreciated

Rhys

How can you blind everybody with a headlight out? The other bulb doesn't get magically brighter....

So lets confirm
You know the bulb is working okay - with a 12v feed
You know that the bulb is earthing okay with what you did
This mean there is a power feeding issue

You can rule out the Relay as there is only 1 and it feeds both the headlights, which points to me as been the fuse - is the fuse okay?
Not uncommon for a blown bulb to blow a fuse as well

Ziggy

 

[oldhammer]

Might be drivers warning you that you had a light out,
good on them if so, not many will bother nowadays, only the rozzers,


you may have broken wire somewhere,

 

[Rhys1234]

I have checked what I believe to be the fuses for the lights and all seem fine. Should have put that in earlier sorry. My theory is a broken wire. How do I determine this as I cannot trace it back more than a fingers length due to the lack of space?

I tried to pull the head light out via the three bolts and realised that ain't no simple job either. I assume the bumper or side panel needs to come off to gain access

Rhys

 

[oldhammer]

ithink you have to loosen bumper off pull forward slightly,
no need to completly remove bumper fully,

 

[benny279]

not many will bother nowadays, only the rozzers,

wheres your prove?
cause where i live, my headlight was out on driver side (phew! glad it wasnt passenger side, we all know the pain for that one dont we! ) went passed a doughnut muncher (e.g. rozzer) and didn't even care, if anything i think he was in a rush with no lights on

i remember on my old car, that car would of been the death of me hands down! tail lights would always blow and the damn rozzers always pulled me over yet back then same as today people still drive around with one light at front or with fog light on, dont see them being pulled over!

i guess if the officer didn't get his fun with his misses that night guess he might feel the urge to be a nob

 

[Ziggy122]

The fuse for the HEADLIGHTS is in the cabin fusebox

No guess - thinking i've checked correct ones, make sure you have!

They are both 10amp fuses
Open the kick pannel to access the fusebox
My badly highlighted fuses



1 is left
1 is right
swap them over - does the "dead" light now suddenly work?

If not
The relay been good - fuse good - bulb good and confirmed earth, its a wiring issue which could take time to find.... depending where its gone...

I had this very same thing happen to me
had both headlights
Went out to get curry from local curry house (working when i got out)
Jumped back in car - and drove off, it was much darker

I spend hours looking, i ended up having clusters and the bumper off
Swapped clusters etc to check not a headlight fault
Turns out i had a snapped / burnt wire that was the power feed to the lights that had failed..... A solder job and i was flying

i'd be checking for 12v presence at the multiconnector to the headlights!

Ziggy

 

[s and b]

probably a faulty headlight connector or even the crimp connector on the bulb isnt letting any nasty volts throgh due to age (ooh thats sounds like a ziggy post)
op doesnt even say what type headlight fitted mk 2 or 2b coz theres a big difference

 

[benny279]

oh lets not mention my misfortune last year mot, with my driver side headlight, forgot to put the fuse back in, and theres me fiddling with damn wires that were perfectly fine!:bang: im just forgetful sometimes ok!?

always see the funny side of things, always helps

 

[oldhammer]

wheres your prove?
cause where i live, my headlight was out on driver side (phew! glad it wasnt passenger side, we all know the pain for that one dont we! ) went passed a doughnut muncher (e.g. rozzer) and didn't even care, if anything i think he was in a rush with no lights on

i remember on my old car, that car would of been the death of me hands down! tail lights would always blow and the damn rozzers always pulled me over yet back then same as today people still drive around with one light at front or with fog light on, dont see them being pulled over!

i guess if the officer didn't get his fun with his misses that night guess he might feel the urge to be a nob

if that was the case the officer who went past you wasnt doing his job,
or just couidnt be arsed,

up here they wouid stop you , give warning and perhaps even go through rest of car, tyres even make sure you have screenwash,

 

[s and b]

if that was the case the officer who went past you wasnt doing his job,
or just couidnt be arsed,

up here they wouid stop you , give warning and perhaps even go through rest of car, tyres even make sure you have screenwash,

yes but you live on the dark side

 

[oldhammer]

yes but you live on the dark side

aye.. very true,

 

[benny279]

if that was the case the officer who went past you wasnt doing his job,
or just couidnt be arsed,

up here they wouid stop you , give warning and perhaps even go through rest of car, tyres even make sure you have screenwash,

given thought 9/10 our force cannot be bothered with paperwork, you'll often see boy racers flying past and the police don't even react, stupid really but what can you do? give the officer a slap on wrist? id give you a £1 if you do!

 

[oldhammer]

Coppers is crafty,
they will ave em when they wants too,

ive had my fair share of run ins with em in my younger days,
live and learn as we say,

 

[benny279]

Coppers is crafty,
they will ave em when they wants too,

ive had my fair share of run ins with em in my younger days,
live and learn as we say,

oh haven't we all, we've all had the adult version of the naughty step!

 

[Ziggy122]

i have a sneaking suspicion in my head that i've spoke to him before - i think its mk2b

Ziggy

 

[benny279]

i have a sneaking suspicion in my head that i've spoke to him before - i think its mk2b

Ziggy

OP - can't be me I've been on here since 2012 feels a life time to be honest....

 

[Rhys1234]

Well I've had the light out not that I'm able enough to do much with it other than stand and stare. Both connectors (the one on the light and the power feed to the light) are full of green goo so waters getting in some where.

I've brushed them both clean the best I could put everything back together and............

Wow I have no indicator now but still have side lights and full beam.

Any ideas

Rhys

 

[Ziggy122]

Well I've had the light out not that I'm able enough to do much with it other than stand and stare. Both connectors (the one on the light and the power feed to the light) are full of green goo so waters getting in some where.

I've brushed them both clean the best I could put everything back together and............

Wow I have no indicator now but still have side lights and full beam.

Any ideas

Rhys

Green goo is oxidisation of the copper contacts
by saying goo - it means there is moisture too!

So what works
Side lights and Full beam

But no dipped or indicator?

You honestly need to get the light clusters out i think, a clean and refit the multi-plug

its something obvious, but what i cant tell through a screen im affraid

ziggy

 

[Rhys1234]

Yep that's correct all I have is the side lights and full beam.

When you say light clusters what do you mean?

I took the head light out and separated it from the plug an then refit. Do I need to take it out again?

Thanks for your continued support ziggy.

I'll start taking pics as I go in future just never springs to mind at time

Rhys