Technical DRL Again

[Quoman]

My daughter has a 2012 500 lounge which keeps showing check running lights, so we've checked all bulbs front and rear but what we've noticed is
Main beam works on drl
Headlights work
Drl work
But when we turn headlights on,drl go out, is this correct?
If so then we have no side lights
Why is the check running light coming on?

 

[John202020]

6
The side lights will also come on with the key removed and the headlights are turned from off to on, so you can leave the side lights on when the car is parked and locked.

 

[the green vanper]

5. The DRL will only come on whilst the headlights are OFF.

and the ignition is on.

DRL will go off when we switch off the ignition or switch on the sidelights or headlights (might depend on the model or market).

6. The side light will only come on when the headlights are ON.

Not quite precise.

(Edit: added text in italics)

The side lights are switched on by turning the external part of the left hand side lever below the steering wheel to the 1st position. The side lights can be switched on even with ignition off. While turning the headlights on, the side lights will remain on. However to turn on the headlights (low beam / high beam) ignition must be on.

From the owner's handbook:

 

[Quoman]

The lever on the left of the steering wheel has one position .....headlights dipped beam supplied by H7 bulb per side, main beam/ flash is supplied in the drl unit.

 

[the green vanper]

Yes, I was ment to put the word 'usually' in the sentence, but my computer rebooted and forgot about it while retyping the post... I will edit the previous post and add an extract from the owner's handbook. But it doesn't change much in your problem. Have you checked the owner's handbook to understand how the lighting system works?

 

[Quoman]

She didn't get a handbook when sh bought the unit and general tinterweb searches are very vague

 

[Quoman]

This is our problem, the sidelights are not coming on.

 

[the green vanper]

She didn't get a handbook when sh bought the unit and general tinterweb searches are very vague

500 Handbook 07-10

500 Handbook 07-10

www.fiatforum.com

 

[GettinBetter]

This is our problem, the sidelights are not coming on.

Ah, we got there...

I'll leave the other members to reply to that, as I'm zooming round France at mo'

 

[Quoman]

"If so then we have no side lights"
Initial post, sorry I thought it was clear.

 

[John202020]

So all the side lights work with the key out or headlights on?
The day running lights work correctly with the engine running headlights off?

Now remove both rear lights and check the side light bulbs are10w NOT 5w? Note at some point around this year there was a change to 5w, but this has cropped up before when all lights work but the message comes up on older cars

 

[Quoman]

We have no side lights.
Drl work fine
Headlights work fine
We have no side lights
Checked all rear lights

 

[John202020]

So if you turn on the side(headlights)lights key in pocket you have no front lights?

 

[Quoman]

The headlights (upper unit) work fine (2x H7 bulbs)
It's the lower ( drl unit) that's the problem.
With the headlights on, the drl light, I believe should become dimmer.......this is NOT happening

 

[John202020]

The headlights (upper unit) work fine (2x H7 bulbs)
It's the lower ( drl unit) that's the problem.
With the headlights on, the drl light, I believe should become dimmer.......this is NOT happening

Correct I'm just trying to definitely confirm the sides are kaput, the simple test is to turn on the sides alone, that can be done by open car, keep key in pocket turn head lights from OFF to on, you'll get the green symbol on the dash, now both front and rear should be on, if both front are off and the correct bulbs are used then either two broken wires or worse BCM?

 

[Quoman]

Both front and rear lights work perfect. It's the side lights ( within the drl unit) that don't work
All other lights work fine

 

[John202020]

So possibly repeating previous answers turn on headlights there's nothing on in the bumper?

 

[jrkitching]

But when we turn headlights on,drl go out, is this correct?
If so then we have no side lights

The 500 doesn't have sidelights; it has 'position lights'.

They can be used when the car is parked, but you can't drive the car on these lights alone, you need to use dipped headlights if you want to drive with the lights on. There is no switch position which will give you sidelights when the vehicle is moving.

This is different from the Mk3 Panda of the same vintage, which can be driven on sidelights alone, where the regulations permit.

 

[Quoman]

Great! Thank you, next dilemma.....why do I get "check running lights" and the orange triangle?

 

[jrkitching]

Great! Thank you, next dilemma.....why do I get "check running lights" and the orange triangle?

The usual cause is either a failed bulb, or a bulb whose resistance is out of tolerance.

The latter is quite common with aftermarket bulbs, particularly the cheaper ones; and very common if someone has retrofitted LED bulbs.

A bad connection, usually down to corrosion, is another cause we see quite frequently here.

Less common, but still by no means unusual, a fault in the wiring loom (generally either a broken or shorted cable) can also trigger this message, The cable inside the grommet where the loom passes into the rear hatch is a well-known failure point.

 

[Quoman]

Is this a light i can turn off without the use of obd tool? We've tried battery off which cured it until I switched the headlights on....then it came back