Please Help! K11 Front Parking/Sidelights not working

[red_k11]

Hi,

I did a search on the above but could not find anything. Basically, the front sidelights work when the car is on, but when you turn the car off they are meant to operate as parking lights - problem is, they turn off - which is why my car failed its MOT today

Bulbs are working. Rears stay on after the car is switched off. It really is baffling me as I cannot understand what could be causing it?

My only theory/train of thought is that once the car is switched off, the front lights would operate from a different circuit, but I haven't got any idea where to start looking for this??:down:

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance.

 

[frank]

some k11,s have a dim/dip system, where the headlights are fed in series (6v each) if the sidelights are switched on with the engine running, and go off when the engine is turned off (leaving sidelights only) would it be that ?

 

[red_k11]

Thanks for your quick reply...

I'm not quite sure sorry. When the car is off, I turn the stalk once and the dim (parking/side) lights should come on (but don't). If I turn the stalk again, I do get a brighter 'full' beam - which as far as I know is from a different pair of bulbs.

When the car is on, I do get the dimmer beam on the first turn, then on the second turn it 'seems' that another brighter set of bulbs turn on in addition to the first to give the main beam.

So car is off, first turn on stalk does not give any lights at the front...

thanks again!

 

[frank]

yeh, if the main bulbs light up (low/yellowish) with the ignition on and first click, then thats dim/dip
but if the tiny (5w) sidelight bulbs come on only, (ignition on) then its not dim/dip

 

[red_k11]

I will open one unit up tomorow morning and see what lights up when.

Depending on which type it is, would you happen to know what the problem could be?

Thanks,

 

[frank]

if it is dim/dip, then the 5w sidelight are,nt working for some reason (bulbs maybe ?)

 

[red_k11]

ahhh, so what you were saying was that: Ignition on --> one (main) bulb operates on both twists of the stalk.

With the ignition off, a separate smaller bulb operates on the first twist only, and the main ^ operates on the second twist (car off still). This is what dim/dip system is?

And if the smaller bulb (ignition off) is in a series circuit, then if one blows the other will not work also, making it seem like both are not working? Hopefully this understanding is correct?

Thankyou so much for your help so far, it is very much appreciated.

 

[frank]

no, most k11,s have a 5w sidelight (ign on or off, 1 click)
but some have the 5w ign off 1 click, and then ign on 1 click the main bulbs are fed in series (6v each) ie, a 55w/12v bulb at 1/2 the voltage

 

[red_k11]

ok, so the 1st thing to do tomorrow morning would be to check whether the 5w sidelight bulbs light up at all and go from there. are these 5w sidelights in series (if one stops working, will it affect the other)?

If they do light up (ignition on) and my car has the dim/dip, then it may be a fault with either the dim/dip relay or a fuse in the engine compartment from what I have gathered from your advice and reading other posts?

cheers