Polo with no Dims !!

Kai

Hi,

Last night i noticed that my dipped headlights were not working, i can put on the full beams grand but when i try to dim im left with only the parking lights. Its a 99 polo and it happened to both headlights at the same time so i dont think its the bulbs, ive checked the fuses and they seem fine so im wondering if anyone else has seen this type of thing ?

sector

Kai wrote:

Hi,

Last night i noticed that my dipped headlights were not working, i can put on the full beams grand but when i try to dim im left with only the parking lights. Its a 99 polo and it happened to both headlights at the same time so i dont think its the bulbs, ive checked the fuses and they seem fine so im wondering if anyone else has seen this type of thing ?

Pull out one of suspect bulbs & confirm if it's blown.

if it's not then that is odd but i'd say it is, maybe a little surge when one blew knocked out the other.

crosstownk

sector wrote:

maybe a little surge when one blew knocked out the other.

This is a regular enough occurrence with some cars. It's probably not the fuse as there is a seperate fuse for each bulb.

The_Magoo

The bulbs are dual filement, ie 1 bulb, two strips internal, one high beam, one dim. You might just try changing the bulb, see what happens!

loyatemu

often when i've blown a bulb, the other one has gone either at the same time, or shortly afterwards. not that unusual

if you think about it - they get put in at the same time, they're always on at the same time in the same conditions, they have the same lifespan. it makes sense that they might blow around the same time.

richardson2525

check if the bulbs are the correct wattage. often people 'upgrade' their lights with higher wattage bulbs and this leads to the dipped lights blowing while the high beams will be as usual

ek942

Same happened me wth a honda accord.Both bulbs blew at the same time.It's unusual but not unheard of.

Henry Ford III

Aren't dipped lights an optional extra on German cars?

Kai

Nope checked it last night, The Main Beam and Dipped beam all comes from the one bulb as far as i can tell. The Main Beam works but not the dipped so it must be either the switch or the fuses.

endplate

Had a problem years ago with my fathers car when we lost the headlights. It turned out the problem was I connected spotlights without a relay and the line drew too much current and the headlight connector pin at the back of the fuse box burnt badly after putting in a new switch unit all was ok. Learnt my lesson then.

But in your case I'd go with the possibility that after 1 bulb blew the other bulb was drawing too much current and it blew. Buy 2 new bulbs and see if it works

RiderOnTheStorm

Kai wrote:

Nope checked it last night, The Main Beam and Dipped beam all comes from the one bulb as far as i can tell. The Main Beam works but not the dipped so it must be either the switch or the fuses.

As Magoo said in post #4, most lights have Full and Dim from same bulb..... there are 2 filaments in the bulb, one for Full and one for Dim..... the Dim ALWAYS goes first. Its a small bit unusual for both dims to go at same time, but like a prev post said, it could be a power surge that blew them.

Do yourself a favour and buy 2 bulbs.... they are about 3-4 euro each and then replace them and you will know for definate. If it dont fix the problem, then at least you have narrowed it down and you have spare bulbs for when they do go (and they always go at awkward time!) ... keep the bulbs in the glovebox!

If its your bulbs, then you should really get it fixed before you drive in dark / dusk again. Changing bulbs on a car is as easy as changing lightbulb at home.

Lastly, in Germany, when you discover that your lights are not working, it is illegal to carry on driving. You cant drive to nearest town and buy bulbs, you have to park and walk!
Makes you glad to be Irish sometimes, eh?

pclancy

RiderOnTheStorm wrote:

Lastly, in Germany, when you discover that your lights are not working, it is illegal to carry on driving. You cant drive to nearest town and buy bulbs, you have to park and walk!
Makes you glad to be Irish sometimes, eh?

Or not....How many people have you met what they thought were motorbikes on a dark country road only to discover its a car with one headlight?

To OP, had same problem with my caddy (same front body as the polo) both bulbs blew at once which was annoying but thankfully I always have loads of bulbs in the van due to a friend that "helps" me get them from his garage