Car keeps blowing rear brake light globes

[dave_r]

Mum has a 2007 MK5 Golf 2L FSI (Pretty sure it was a Sportline? variant) which seems to eat rear brake globes. Between VW service and Dad, they've changed at least 3 or 4 since new. It has only done 55430km so seemed a bit strange to me.

Did an autoscan with VCDS the other day and noticed the error below. It currently has another faulty globe.

Would this indicate an actual electrical fault which keeps blowing the globes or is the VCDS error just indicating that one of the globes is currently faulty?

Address 09: Cent. Elect.        Labels: 3C0-937-049-23-H.lbl
   Part No SW: 3C0 937 049 E    HW: 3C0 937 049 E
   Component: Bordnetz-SG     H37 1002  
   Revision: 00H37000    Serial number: 00000005875289
   Coding: E58D8F2700041500001400001400000000087F075C
   Shop #: WSC 00046 412 00000
   VCID: 2B5FF2C2F379

   Part No: 1K2 955 119 E
   Component: Wischer 180806 020  0501  
   Coding: 00049109
   Shop #: WSC 00046  

   Part No: 1K0 955 559 AE
   Component: RLS     170706 014  1201  
   Coding: 00208933
   Shop #: WSC 00046  

2 Faults Found:
00987 - Lamp for Brake Light; Left (M9) 
            012 - Electrical Fault in Circuit - Intermittent
             Freeze Frame:
                    Fault Status: 00101100
                    Fault Priority: 1
                    Fault Frequency: 1
                    Reset counter: 251
                    Mileage: 54163 km
                    Time Indication: 0

             Freeze Frame:
                        ON 
                    Voltage: 14.20 V
                        ON 
                        ON 
                        OFF 
                        OFF 
                        OFF 

00988 - Lamp for Brake Light; Right (M10) 
            012 - Electrical Fault in Circuit - Intermittent
             Freeze Frame:
                    Fault Status: 00101100
                    Fault Priority: 1
                    Fault Frequency: 1
                    Reset counter: 249
                    Mileage: 55176 km
                    Time Indication: 0

             Freeze Frame:
                        ON 
                    Voltage: 14.15 V
                        ON 
                        ON 
                        OFF 
                        OFF 
                        OFF

The car was always serviced under warranty by Barloworld but for what they charged Mum, not sure I see the value she got! Gonna have to check out Volkwerke for her as they're close or Volkspower and do it for her as the next service is due about now.

[99_FGT]

Hard to track since it is intermittent, but maybe water getting into the circuit - how long ago would 55176km have been?
Was it really wet then?
LED globes would be more resilient to blowing, but cost a lot more.
Al..

[Transporter]

Try different brand of the globes. It is known that original globes in Golf5 don't last. I use Tungsram (HELLA is good too) brand, they're OK. If you go for LED globes make sure that they're legal.

[dave_r]

Hard to track since it is intermittent, but maybe water getting into the circuit - how long ago would 55176km have been?
Was it really wet then?

That was the km readout as of Monday just past. Will have a check for water as well, car was dry at the time.

Try different brand of the globes. It is known that original globes in Golf5 don't last. I use Tungsram (HELLA is good too) brand, they're OK. If you go for LED globes make sure that they're legal.

Will try them, cbf with led's though. They're a bloody pain to change though !

[gareth_oau]

while youre still having the problem, can I suggest a lower wattage fuse. theyre a lot easeir and cheaper to replace than globes

[Rob Burns]

Does the car have auto lights?

[99_FGT]

while youre still having the problem, can I suggest a lower wattage fuse. theyre a lot easeir and cheaper to replace than globes

So that when the problem occurs all brake lights go out?? Or is the high mount on a seperate fuse??

[85Fuego]

Hey Dave,

Have got a 2005 2L TDI mit DSG.
Blew globes regularly just like you.

Ive had a commodore, cortina, Type 3 fastback and still drive renault stuff by the bucketload, but none blew globes like the Golf. The other cars I'd be lucky to replace a globe (other than headlight) every 5 years.
Asked questions on other forums, asked Barloworld to check it out, they said no problems to be seen.

They stopped blowing when I went to Philips globes instead of NARVA.
Now I can't say NARVA is crap but I've stopped replacing bulbs.

The only thing I can think of is the 2 stage nature of the use of the bulb?

Regards,

David