The usual Ka rear light issue.

[Ben W]

Hello, hope someone here can help me. I have a 2004/5 Ka and the rear 5w sidelights will not work. The fuses are fine, the bulbs are fine and the front sidelights and instrument lights all work. I have checked the earth wires and cleaned the contacts to the body work. I have cleaned the metal pins that plug into the connector. One strange thing I have found is that a 21w bulb will work in the place where the 5w goes. I'm flummoxed, can anyone help? Thanks.

[Omendata]

Have you tested the bulbs in a test rig? - they are still getting 12v.

Have you tested with multimeter the actual voltages?

My streetka was a pain as the ground is not good in one of the rear light clusters so perhaps the bigger bulbs are making the ground and the smaller ones are allowing the ground to disconnect!! Check for 12v at the hot wire and check the ground continuity when the small 5w bulbs are in!

[Ben W]

Thanks for the reply. I havnt got a multimeter unfortunately. That'll have to wait a while before I could test that.  Would it make a difference that the 5w has two contacts on the bottom of the bulb but the 21 has only the one? Long shot I know.

[Omendata]

Doubt it the holder is the ground and the bottom is the live if I remember the connection setup correctly!

I would check your ground it may be due to the size of the bulb - i bet one has a slightly larger diameter or base and its making contact whilst the 5w isnt maklng a good ground - you could always get yourself a pair of bridge testers (a wire with crocodile clips at each end) and connect the wiring directly to the bulbs.

 

[Ben W]

Thanks for your help mate, but I am officially a !Removed! idiot. The connections on the bulb were the wrong type! It needed what I can best describe as a 'dimple' end where I had the type with the two contacts on the bottom. 

I appreciate your help though. Cheers :)

[Omendata]

Lol i thought the 5w bulb was already in your cluster and had failed and you tried to repalce it with another.

Lesson for me too - never !Removed!-ume!

But yea not an idiot just a bit of a fudd!
>;0)