W124 - Bulb failure lamp - intermittant

[W124-300TE]

Hello all...
I have a 1989 W124 300TE which is in generally jolly sound nick. Recently, the dashboard bulb failure lamp has come on - intermittantly, on two or three occasions - when I switch on the lights. It comes on when I switch on sidelights but then goes off again when I switch on headlights or switch off the lights completely and turn them back on again (to sidelights). All the lights work - although I have not stopped the car and got out and had a look at the lights when the failure light came on. I am thinking perhaps a loose connection somewhere or a slightly squiffy relay?
Any thoughts (I am a novice at all this)? Many thanks...
Marius

 

[Dave Lewis]

I've had an intermittent bulb failure lamp situation before, and the cause was in fact intermittent bulb failure - a broken filament making intermittent contact. Check your sidelamp bulbs.

 

[grober]

Often just down a bad bulb connection. A little corrosion develops where the bulb centre contact rests against the spring contact in the holder. A gentle rub with a nylon pan scourer on both and problem solved. It's always the rear side light bulbs- takes all of 2 minutes to sort. Sometimes you do get a dodgy bulb as Dave said these can usually be identified by a slight dark clouding of the glass if you hold it up to the light.

 

[bolide]

The rear sidelight bulbs on the estates darken a lot with age. It's well worth replacing them as it makes the car much more visible to following traffic

Nick Froome
www.w124.co.uk

 

[W124-300TE]

Splendid! Thanks guys...
Marius

 

[Ade B]

Also check your fuses and numberplate lights/wiring which were the culprits when I had a similar problem.