Side light not working

Please restrict your questions and replies to Capri related technical issues!
Post Reply
Hollypoppylab
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2022 8:16 pm
Car(s): Ford Capri 2.0 Laser, 1985 reg. runner

Side light not working

Post by Hollypoppylab »

Good evening. Got a little problem with my Lasers O/S sidelight, it's not working?
The rear O/S light is working fine, so didn't think the fuse was the problem but checked it anyway & that's okay.
Have replaced the bulb & cleaned the spade connection, but still no joy? Any ideas please.
Mc Tool
Donator
Donator
Posts: 2362
Joined: Sat May 17, 2014 8:34 pm
Car(s): 1980 mk3 capri 2l ohc T9 , Toyota Blade Master 3.5l V6, Paso , 850T,rd400, 900ss
Location: Invercargill New Zealand

Re: Side light not working

Post by Mc Tool »

Cant remember off the top of my head but the front and rear may not be on the same fuse . Do you have a volt meter or a test light ?. It could be that the earth is not good .......nah , not a foil hat thing but you may be getting power to the bulb but if the earth is crook it still wont work .you really need to be able to do a basic test with either a test light or a meter.
Sometimes I talk to myself ... and we both have a good laugh
Hollypoppylab
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2022 8:16 pm
Car(s): Ford Capri 2.0 Laser, 1985 reg. runner

Re: Side light not working

Post by Hollypoppylab »

Just brought a multi meter the other day, will have a check of the circuit tomorrow. Thanks for your reply.
Mc Tool
Donator
Donator
Posts: 2362
Joined: Sat May 17, 2014 8:34 pm
Car(s): 1980 mk3 capri 2l ohc T9 , Toyota Blade Master 3.5l V6, Paso , 850T,rd400, 900ss
Location: Invercargill New Zealand

Re: Side light not working

Post by Mc Tool »

probly the quickest way to check is to place the meter probes on the bulb contacts in the socket ....make sure you dont touch contacts together as its a bit tight in there . You can wrap a bit of insulation tape round the probe so only the tip is exposed .
Multi meters can be a bit misleading in that .... if you have a bad connection somewhere it may not allow enough current to power the bulb but it can be enough to register on a meter , specially digital ones . This is where a test light can be an advantage . Youd think that a complicated expensive meter should be better but ...... I have one of them ding dong things that jap cars have to tell you your doing over 100km/h as a tester , that way you can concerntrate on looking at what your doing and listen for the ding dong instead of lookin at the bulb .
Sometimes I talk to myself ... and we both have a good laugh
Hollypoppylab
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2022 8:16 pm
Car(s): Ford Capri 2.0 Laser, 1985 reg. runner

Re: Side light not working

Post by Hollypoppylab »

Thanks for your advice Mc Tool, much appreciated. I have a circuit testing probe for my other big hobby which is railway modelling, just tested the connections to the side light & there's no power going to the connector block. The other connector which is for the dip beam lit up the probe with no problem, the fuse block is fine so there's a break in the sidelight wire somewhere. Bit of a rewire coming up! Thanks again.
User avatar
D366Y
Donator
Donator
Posts: 2569
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:26 pm
Car(s): 1986 Laser 1.6, daily runaround project
1981 GL Auto 2.0, Barn-Find-Resto, now also a runaround project
1980 3.0S, crash damage resto
1993 Fiesta 1.1

Currently full up and no more space but I still want a 2.8...
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Side light not working

Post by D366Y »

Headlight issues are usually the earth inside the bowl as they always seems to rust in a heartbeat.
Otherwise I've previously had a break near the fuse box where the connection comes out of fuse 1 before heading into the loom tends to get weak and bend/break.

Otherwise the connections in/around the fuse box would be my prime suspect - the headlight relay is generally solid in my experience.

Cheers
Danny
A wise man once said... "you can never have too many capris - buy another" :beer:
It's me, I'm the wise man.
Hollypoppylab
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2022 8:16 pm
Car(s): Ford Capri 2.0 Laser, 1985 reg. runner

Re: Side light not working

Post by Hollypoppylab »

Thanks Danny, I'll check that connection tomorrow, will let you know how it goes.
Hollypoppylab
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2022 8:16 pm
Car(s): Ford Capri 2.0 Laser, 1985 reg. runner

Re: Side light not working

Post by Hollypoppylab »

Update. Had a jiggle about with all the connectors on the fuse box & cleaned all the terminals, pleased to say that all the lights are now working.
Thanks for your advice Mc Tool & Danny.
User avatar
D366Y
Donator
Donator
Posts: 2569
Joined: Mon Sep 03, 2012 2:26 pm
Car(s): 1986 Laser 1.6, daily runaround project
1981 GL Auto 2.0, Barn-Find-Resto, now also a runaround project
1980 3.0S, crash damage resto
1993 Fiesta 1.1

Currently full up and no more space but I still want a 2.8...
Location: Buckinghamshire

Re: Side light not working

Post by D366Y »

Hollypoppylab wrote: Sat Feb 05, 2022 1:01 pm Update. Had a jiggle about with all the connectors on the fuse box & cleaned all the terminals, pleased to say that all the lights are now working.
Thanks for your advice Mc Tool & Danny.
Glad to hear it was a nice easy fix!
Cheers
Danny
A wise man once said... "you can never have too many capris - buy another" :beer:
It's me, I'm the wise man.
Post Reply