help - any ideas - no main beam lights

[keebo_sioux]

I noticed when I got home that there wasn't much light coming from the front - whatever setting I put the lights to, only sidelights and fog lights come on.

I don't know if I had full beam earlier (i flashed a thanks and I saw that) ...

Also, twice in the last week the power steering warning light has come on (both times when I've left the car out in the cold and damp for at least 24 hours). The car has handled as normal and the light is gone when i next turn the engine on.

Now I reckon that something electrical is dodgy, but I really don't want to go to my most local stealer but my fave garage is a 60 mile round trip..

anyone got anything I can check for myself before I resort to that? Bear in mind that I know nothing much about electrics!

oh, and forgive me SCN for I have sinned. It has been months since my last visit life has got in the way

 

[muddyboots]

LOL, wondered where you'd gone

There was a recent post about problems with electrical connections to the power steering pump in damp weather, seems like a common fault.

Not sure why it would affect your headlights though. Have you checked the fuse(s) ?
Also I'm not clear whether you mean dipped beam (IE non-dazzling) or the main beam (dazzling) bulbs are not coming on....

 

[stoneyfordNI]

i think he has neither main beam or dipped beam, just side lights n front fogs working

 

[keebo_sioux]

sorry I realised that some time after I posted.

I mean dipped beam.

How do I check the fuses? Would I be able to tell (if they are blown)? Even if I could tell, I would still need to go to a dealer to get a new one, i suppose (i don't even want to get parts from EG unless I have to). Why would the sidelights come on but not the dipped beam? Probably not relevant but all rear lights are fine.

 

[keebo_sioux]

I just went and checked -

full beam works. So does everything except the dipped beam lights. gah.

 

[muddyboots]

Well it's very possible that one bulb had been out for a while and you didn't notice - now the second one has gone.

So check the fuses (look in the manual) first; if any are blown, they should be easy to get hold of, your local filling station might have them, if not then anywhere like Halfords will sell them. If you're really lucky, Seat might put some spares somewhere near the fuse panel (must admit I've never looked at the fuse panel in my Ibiza !!).

If fuses are checked and OK, then it's time to try changing one of the bulbs. The manual will tell you how, and what bulb type. Again, the bulbs should be as easily obtainable as the fuses.
If changing one bulb gets you going on one side, then go buy a second and do the other side

The power steering light could well be a completely separate issue, as discussed elsewhere recently.

 

[keebo_sioux]

aww thanks for that but i only just came back online.

I needed to get it done so I took it to the garage - they didn't have time to run vag-com but changed them and they now work. Because it would seem that both bulbs just "went" it wasnt covered under warranty and they charged me £26.

Spur (Hampton Court) are so in demand they couldnt even look before xmas, and Camberley didn't return my call within the hour, so I had to go to EG. To their credit, they did it virtually straight away and the member of staff that was so rude to me (and kept my refund for another month because I complained) has left that branch.

I never had to change the headlight bulbs on the mk2 ibiza which I had for 5 years (though I did have to get the indicators changed every so often because they were coated in a colour film which kept coming off - sh*te designs-r-us), so I'm not very impressed. I hope this isn't the start of a run of mk4 issues.

I got my xmas pressies though - chrome door pins and chrome front grill - hehehe, SEAT tat for me