Indicator light

[Lady Caroline]

Last week my offside rear indicator stopped flashing. I noticed because the front one was flashing at twice the normal speed. I bought two replacement bulbs and wondered whether I would be able to fit one myself. I've never attempted anything like this before but the handbook seemed to make it sound straightforward.

Before having time to do it I drove again today and - everything's working perfectly. Please could you advise me. I'm not proposing to do anything unless I have to. I think the last time this happened it cost me at least £20 for the garage to fit a bulb which costs less than £2.

[GrandadMonkey]

It's a pretty easy job to change one of the bulbs in the rear light clusters. You need to undo the retaining nut inside the boot, unclip the connector, then withdraw the whole lamp cluster by pulling it straight back out of the rear wing. Just be careful to get the seal correctly in position when you put it back in otherwise you'll get water in your boot during wet weather.

See also:
http://www.peugeot206cc.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=6472

You shouldn't need to pay a garage to replace any exterior lamp bulb on a 206cc.

If you are still stuck then post again and we'll try to help further.

Sometimes when the filaments blow they can touch again and "weld" together and light up again but the chances are it will soon "blow" again.

[Lady Caroline]

Many thanks GrandadMonkey. I'll give it a try and report back later.

[Lady Caroline]

I did fitted it yesterday evening, with some help. Thank you GrandadMonkey as without your advice I wouldn't have attempted it.

[GrandadMonkey]

Well done Caroline. It is satisfying to do your own repairs and servicing isn't it? Saves money too.

[grandpapaul]

One thing to note my 2001/51 plate is different to the handbook. When you undo the wing nut behind the trim only the light covers come away exposing the bulbs and bulb holders so there is no need to disconnect the power supply. I don't know when the change was made to the position in the handbook.

[gazza82]

Are you sure you have standard lights? We've got a 2001/Y-reg and 2002/02-reg car and on both bulb holders remain with the light unit.

I've swapped out both of the older style lights with phase 2 units and all the different standard units are the same with the bulb holders unclipping from the light unit.

[Lady Caroline]

I had the MOT done today and they noticed that I'd replaced the bulbs, apparently with the wrong ones, so they were replaced. How did they know? As far as I was aware they were functioning ok. Lots of expense but I hope that's it for another year.

[GrandadMonkey]

Sounds as if you used 5 watt bulbs instead of the correct 15 watt ones. The tester would have noticed because they wouldn't have shone brightly enough. The 5 watt ones are smaller than the 15 watt, didn't you notice that when you changed them? You probably did but didn't realise why.

[Karrot]

Could also be that you needed orange tinted bulbs and fitted white bulbs. Just guessing mind you.

Keep an eye on the operation though. I had the same issue with mine and it was because water had got into the light cluster and corroded the contacts. During tinkering the entire cluster failed due to the corrosion, so I needed to clean everything up. The bulbs were actually fine.

K

[gazza82]

I've just read on another forum where someone got stopped by the police to say they couldn't tell if he was braking ... turn out the previous owner fitted SINGLE filament bulbs in the rear/brake light sockets!! Apart from downright stupid, it must have been fun as the double filament bulbs have different locating pins!!

[Lady Caroline]

Thanks for your comments everyone. I won't try to do things myself in future. I did specify what the bulbs were for though when I bought them from a pukka parts supplier.

[Karrot]

No reason to stop trying. We learn by our mistakes, or in my case by the trail of devastation left in my wake

K

[Capncol]

Gazza. Seen that a few times and usually the front sidelights come on with the brake lights.

[GrandadMonkey]

Thanks for your comments everyone. I won't try to do things myself in future. I did specify what the bulbs were for though when I bought them from a pukka parts supplier.

Hardly your fault then Caroline.

However, as you were new to this I should have thought to ask you precisely what bulbs you had bought and which model Peugeot 206 you have.

Anyway, no harm done and we've both learned something along the way. Me not to assume ANYTHING, and you - well, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Keep trying - we never stop learning do we!