Technical Numberplate Lights Not Working

[RosscoPCole]

Our recently purchased 2012 Fuat 500c has been a dream to drive. A few days ago a message appeared on the dashboard saying the numberplate lights were not working. True enough. I changed the bulbs, but they are still not working and the message is still there.
Any suggestions?

 

[the green vanper]

Hello,

a similar thread here:

Fiat 500 Number plate lights not working | FIAT 500 (2007+)

Hi all, You may remember around November last year the number plate lights on our 500 stopped working but the tailgate lock still worked ok? Well, over Christmas they behaved themselves up until mid January when the warning light appeared again on the dashboard. We put it into Fiats for a...

www.fiatforum.com

Might not be the same problem, but I'd say it's worth checking.

 

[steveras57]

Hello,

a similar thread here:

Fiat 500 Number plate lights not working | FIAT 500 (2007+)

Hi all, You may remember around November last year the number plate lights on our 500 stopped working but the tailgate lock still worked ok? Well, over Christmas they behaved themselves up until mid January when the warning light appeared again on the dashboard. We put it into Fiats for a...

www.fiatforum.com

Might not be the same problem, but I'd say it's worth checking.

defo worth trying!

 

[steveras57]

defo worth trying!

also check all the hatch wiring for the usual well known problems!

 

[Derbyfella]

i can confirm that hatch wiring is still a problem on the 500c - we had it in ours a 12 plate also.

 

[Piccolo Nero e Bella]

The 500C isn't as prone to problems with the boot wiring as the hatchback but the pre-2013 cars have too short a cable running from the body into the boot-lid and in some cases it can be stretched over the edge of the boot lid when the latter is fully open. It starts with a split in the vinyl sleeving. That happened to mine and eventually the boot light failed to illuminate due to a broken wire. I got it all re-wired with more slack on the cable.

From 2013 onward FIAT almost doubled the cable in length and it was clipped to the hinge arm - theoretically eliminating the problem. If you use your boot a lot, like I do, it pays to keep an eye on it.