W124 drivers side side lights not functioning

[rigel]

Greetings all,

I’m looking for a little help from those wiser than myself.

I have started to check my car is ready to return to the road after the winter being SORNed. Everything seemed to work as expected, apart from the drivers side side lights (both front and back).

The bulbs are OK, I have checked them on the corresponding N/side fittings, I have also checked with the multi-meter and I am not getting 12v at the cluster terminals, indicating that the problem is somewhere back down the wire.

It seems strange to me that just one side only isn’t working, are the sides wired independently? If so from where do they originate?

Any help illuminating this hitch would be greatly appreciated,

Thanks in advance, R.

 

[grober]

Possible malfunction of the external bulb failure monitoring module N7 usually located in the relay compartment behind the fuse box? but more likely fuse 8 --- 8 amp sometimes the fuse ends or fuse clip contacts get covered with a thin layer of corrosion when sitting in damp conditions a brief clean followed by reseating is often all that's required failing that renew the fuse.
ps there's often a couple of spares in the fuse box.

pps might be working giving all the fuses a clean --- one by one!!!! while you are there.

 

[rigel]

thanks for that Graeme, im going out to check now.

are ther different fuses for each side of the car?

 

[rigel]

once again thanks Graeme for the quick response, there are indeed different fuses for each side of the car, as i now know (fuse 3 had blown).

first rule of diagnosis; never presume anything! my fault for thinking that the same lights would be found on the same circuit, and was therefore confused as to how one side worked and others didn't.

will be sorted when the new fuses arrive, can't wait to get back on the road again, especially after a day like today.

thanks. R

 

[grober]

The other side is indeed fuse 3 along with quite a few other things as you have discovered.

 

[rigel]

I fitted the fuse from the fog lights and it all worked fine for a minute, then blew again.

having now checked the wiring for the interior boot light, there seems to be an exposed bit of cable where an additional wire has been connected in the past, but leads nowhere now.

this could be the reason (hopefully) for the fuse blowing.

will have to wait for additional fuses to arrive because i dont want to be caught short.

 

[skol_super]

Hi Rigel....i have the same problem...did you sort yours out in the end??? and what was final fault....cheers

 

[rigel]

My problem was a blown fuse. the cause of the fuse blowing was a little trickier to find. I eventually tracked it down to a damaged wire shorting out as it enters the boot lid. IIRC this fuse is responsible for one side of the cars running lights, the rear number plate lights and the interior boot light.

Hope this helps.