Intermittent Parker lights - faulty connectors???

[tigger73]

Wondering if anyone else has come across issues with the front parker lights (side lights) coming up with a warning in the MFD and not illuminating.

I've had on/off intermittent faults coming up for the last couple of months. I asked the VW service manager and he grumbled about the bulbs/connectors that VW use are the problem and that he could supply new bulbs that would probably fix the problem.

Anyway when I get the fault, the parker light doesn't light up so I tap the outside of the light housing and the parker light comes on . So it's definitely not a broken bulb.

I've taken the bulbs out and polished the connectors but still didn't fix the issue.







Anyway its been annoying me for long enough so I figured I'd ask if anyone else has seen this issue.

[Transporter]

Try replacing the T10 globe.

[tigger73]

Try replacing the T10 globe.

Maybe I ought to try and find some LED globes while I'm at it....

[GoddyB]

Yep, I've got the exact same issue on the RHS of my 2010 GTI. Definitely not the globe as it comes back on. Would like to know the fix, agreed, very annoying

[tigger73]

Yep, I've got the exact same issue on the RHS of my 2010 GTI. Definitely not the globe as it comes back on. Would like to know the fix, agreed, very annoying

I am glad to hear that I'm not the only one with this issue. I'll certainly keep you posted on the "fix" once I get the issue resolved. Been to a dealer and an independent so far and nobody knows exactly what the problem is.

Globes are cheap so I probably will just replace first off and see if this resolves the issue but it has me puzzled as the globes still work - they just fault every now and then (getting more frequent).

[GoddyB]

It's happened to me twice, first time was about 2 months ago then again 3 nights ago. First time it was raining but the other night no rain but a moist dewy night, wondering if moisture has something to do with it???

[Umai Naa!!]

You need to tighten the terminals in the globe socket. They lose tension and spread apart over time.

It's a very common side-affect of those 5W wedge globes. Happens on all cars that run that style of globe.

[tigger73]

You need to tighten the terminals in the globe socket. They lose tension and spread apart over time.

It's a very common side-affect of those 5W wedge globes. Happens on all cars that run that style of globe.

Thanks! Sounds like a logical cause. I'll give it a shot tomorrow.

[tigger73]

Well got out with a small screwdriver and with some gentle persuasion I tightened up the connectors this morning.

Before:


After:


Turned the ignition on and it still faults (had to tap the lens to get the parkers to turn on) .

[Umai Naa!!]

Have a close look at the globe.

The bad connection can cause the globe to fail.

[peter51]

I have had the same problem with my 1982 Datsun for 30 years and have found that bending the contacts and changing the globe gives the best results. If you have not changed the globe you could have a broken filament that makes contact again when the fitting is tapped and then breaks again when it cools down.

[tigger73]

Well I went and got some Navra Ultra Blue T10 globes and it seems to have fixed the issue. The bonus is I now have blue parkers

Will see how these go and post back in a week or so if it's a permanent fix.

Still a little puzzled about the stock globes as they both still work but intermittent. Very strange.


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[tigger73]

Well seems like the new globes have sorted things. No faults now for a couple of days whereas before they were faulting almost every trip in the end.

I did speak to a Audi/VW tech the other day and he said it was classic behaviour prior to complete failure of the globe.


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[MGV]

Hi Damien, are these available over the counter somewhere, or did you get them on-line? Got a part no?

May as well replace my 4+ year old ones before they begin to fail...

[tigger73]

Hi Damien, are these available over the counter somewhere, or did you get them on-line? Got a part no?

May as well replace my 4+ year old ones before they begin to fail...

These are a standard off-the-shelf T10 bulb. You can go to VW for them but reality you can pick them up for half the price at Supercheap/Autobahn/Repco/etc. I paid $10.99 at Autobahn for a set of 2 Navra Ultra Blues. There was the Navras or some Phillips Super White 6000k - probably should have got these as the Navra ones are quite blue (and not that bright).

Here's a couple of photos. First is with headlights on:




Just parkers:




Given the bulbs are cheap I may look at changing these out for something a little less blue and possibly a little brighter. May even try my luck with some error-free LEDs.

I hardly use the parkers so it wasn't really a major issue - more an annoyance that the bulb out warning was coming up in the dash.