Rear left lamp brighter than right! Help!

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

Guys i need help...please.

A vehicle stopped me tonight complaining that my rear left light was blinding him!

He assumed that i had my fog light on! I replied no that i did not have it on. He replief...you best get it sorted matey.

My car passed its mot on Thursday this week. Only advisory was my reverse bulb light was out! Changed that over as soon as i got home. All seemed fine.

I admit upgrading my rear light clusters not so long ago to the newer more clear n black Aygo version...09+ i think.

What could be causing this issue guys...with the left side being brighter...n this is regardless whether i have my side lights on or full beam.

I anxiously await replies guys. Thank you.

Sammy

[crofter]

My first thought would be a resistance in the earth side of the circuit.Do you or know someone with a multi-tester to check the ohms reading

Del

[Colin J.S]

Check if its a twin filament bulb eg one bulb that doubles as side light and brake light, its quite possible you have simply fitted the bulb upside down so the brake light comes on when you turn side lights on and the side light filament comes on when you press the brake pedal........Thats the first thing I'd check, take the bulb out and try it other way up, get some one to sit in car and turn the lights on and off and use brake pedal so you can see what's going on.........

[alan333]

+1 for Colin's suggestion.

[Colin J.S]

12 hours ago, SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS said:

Guys i need help...please.

A vehicle stopped me tonight complaining that my rear left light was blinding him!

He assumed that i had my fog light on! I replied no that i did not have it on. He replief...you best get it sorted matey.

My car passed its mot on Thursday this week. Only advisory was my reverse bulb light was out! Changed that over as soon as i got home. All seemed fine.

I admit upgrading my rear light clusters not so long ago to the newer more clear n black Aygo version...09+ i think.

What could be causing this issue guys...with the left side being brighter...n this is regardless whether i have my side lights on or full beam.

I anxiously await replies guys. Thank you.

Sammy

Watch this link              

 

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

On 2/17/2019 at 8:53 AM, Colin J.S said:

Check if its a twin filament bulb eg one bulb that doubles as side light and brake light, its quite possible you have simply fitted the bulb upside down so the brake light comes on when you turn side lights on and the side light filament comes on when you press the brake pedal........Thats the first thing I'd check, take the bulb out and try it other way up, get some one to sit in car and turn the lights on and off and use brake pedal so you can see what's going on.........

Spot on!

Thank you so so so much...i didnt know that it even made a difference which way around you insert the bulb!

All working fine now.

Love you guys n this club

[Catlover]

On dual fillament bulbs I thought they used to offset the bayonet pins so the bulb could not be fitted incorrectly.

[crofter]

16 hours ago, Catlover said:

On dual fillament bulbs I thought they used to offset the bayonet pins so the bulb could not be fitted incorrectly.

As far as I know that is still correct. Do Joe and I need to be corrected and to be taught otherwise? Anyone?

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

17 minutes ago, crofter said:

As far as I know that is still correct. Do Joe and I need to be corrected and to be taught otherwise? Anyone?

I have absolutely no idea about these bulbs. 

I def put it in correctly as in it turned like a bulb does. Im sure these arent off set so as to speak...i.e the 2 prong things are inline. 

Well now i know..fit..n then test...lesson learnt

[Gerg]

I think the 380 stop/tail P21/5w bulb (the bulb that is used here?) was definitely always an offset bayonet. 

I have seen it before where someone has managed to get them in the wrong way round.  It's easier still if the bulb holder is a bit loose to start with, then the bulb can 'bayonet' with only one lug engaged and the other one squeezed against the inside of the holder.

[Colin J.S]

18 hours ago, Catlover said:

On dual fillament bulbs I thought they used to offset the bayonet pins so the bulb could not be fitted incorrectly.

You are absolutely correct, the pins are offset to assist in fitting the bulb the right way up............however, its not impossible to fit the bulb improperly, as long as its wedged itself in enough it will make connection....

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

42 minutes ago, Colin J.S said:

You are absolutely correct, the pins are offset to assist in fitting the bulb the right way up............however, its not impossible to fit the bulb improperly, as long as its wedged itself in enough it will make connection....

Makes perfect sense. Thank you

I think i was so pleased that my baby passed its mot...id rather visit the dentist lol...followed by my very 1st Advisory ever...i panicked...bort the bulb n off i went.

Had that gentleman have never stopped me the other night i probably would never have known any better!! Bless him.

I do wonder how bright it could have been for him because he seemed upset and dazzled rubbing his eyes in gesture n all sorts!

[eygo]

its the same wattage bulb for your rear fog lights

and you know how bright they are when someone

leaves them on.

[alan333]

The pins on double filament bulbs are offset, ie one pin is further down the metal body of the bulb than the other.  Thus they can be incorrectly fitted by pushing the bulb further in.

IIRC the pins on yellow indicator bulbs are offset too, but different as in they’re not straight across from each other, thus a white bulb can’t be mistakenly fitted. 

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

Interesting reading.

Im up to date with my bulbs now lol

[Colin J.S]

2 hours ago, eygo said:

its the same wattage bulb for your rear fog lights

and you know how bright they are when someone

leaves them on.

Hi Mark..............you Sir are SO correct! ...............personally, I have NEVER used my rear fog light......... In my humble opinion they should be banned!!!!!!!!!!! I think they cause more accidents than they save.............folk quiet obviously switch them on when its foggy...........Really? we are struggling to see as it is in the fog and NOW you want to 'blind' everybody with ya stoopid dumb ***** foglight!!!!! (that YOU can't see but is actually causing MAYHEM behind you) ............I have never understood and never will understand rear fog lights...........BAN THEM!!!! 

As an experienced driver any other experienced  driver should agree, even front ones are totally useless...........driving in fog ...........you can see FAR more with 'dipped' beam and even more so with just side lights on.....if you switch to 'full' beam or indeed front Fogs.............all you see is NOTHING .....just 'bounce back' off the fog which kinda acts like a mirror and makes it impossible...........IN my opinion if we just all slowed down a bit...........a whole lot of lives would be saved! ...........my late Dads motto was " better to get there 10 mins late than never at all" 

Mark, apologies as my little rant was absolutely not aimed at you personally.......you raised a topic which I have reacted to and feel very strongly about.......Hey, that's what chat forums are for yeah.............

[SAM LOVERS HER TOYOTAS]

14 hours ago, Colin J.S said:

Hi Mark..............you Sir are SO correct! ...............personally, I have NEVER used my rear fog light......... In my humble opinion they should be banned!!!!!!!!!!! I think they cause more accidents than they save.............folk quiet obviously switch them on when its foggy...........Really? we are struggling to see as it is in the fog and NOW you want to 'blind' everybody with ya stoopid dumb ***** foglight!!!!! (that YOU can't see but is actually causing MAYHEM behind you) ............I have never understood and never will understand rear fog lights...........BAN THEM!!!! 

As an experienced driver any other experienced  driver should agree, even front ones are totally useless...........driving in fog ...........you can see FAR more with 'dipped' beam and even more so with just side lights on.....if you switch to 'full' beam or indeed front Fogs.............all you see is NOTHING .....just 'bounce back' off the fog which kinda acts like a mirror and makes it impossible...........IN my opinion if we just all slowed down a bit...........a whole lot of lives would be saved! ...........my late Dads motto was " better to get there 10 mins late than never at all" 

Mark, apologies as my little rant was absolutely not aimed at you personally.......you raised a topic which I have reacted to and feel very strongly about.......Hey, that's what chat forums are for yeah.............

I didnt realise it was so bright, feel so bad now, glad i changed the bulb on mot day and then fixed the issue in less than 24hrs, id hate to annoy more drivers, lesson learnt.

However, i cant say that ive ever been blinded or annoyed by rear fogs on vehicles infront of me, havent really noticed if im honest, from now i will probably notice things more lol

[crofter]

I must be lucky as this blinding is not a constant in my experience. When I were a lad fog lights,front and back were not fitted as standard and we fitted our own which were adjustable to our requirements. The front ones were usually set to shine about six feet (two metres) on the road in front as as mentioned they could hinder the view ahead if set higher. The apply named smog was around then which shortened the vision ahead more so than today but there was less traffic.the roads or the headlights were not so extensively light emitting either so you could use what we used to call Lucas flamethrowers on the front which could only be switched on when the main beam was selected. You really needed them on the rally roads

[eygo]

Hi Colin i didnt realise you had a rant so it wasnt taken personally

luckily i have rhino skin and dont take things personally

if i did at work i'd be on diazepam or prozac for life

[FROSTYBALLS]

I have Philips Vision Plus +60% bulbs in place of the standard rear bulbs - P21/5W tail/stop bulbs and P21W bulbs for the reversing and rear fog lights. Claimed to be up to 60% brighter and faster reacting than standard, yet fully road legal.

[eygo]

i agree with mike

by reducing the reacting time this could save a lot of rear end incidents

why cant the car makers use this type of bulb as standard as it probably

wouldn't cost anymore than a std bulb for them with the qty purchased

or just go the led route with a virtually instant response.

manufacturers have safety systems fitted to your car to keep you safe

in an accident why not try and prevent the accident to start with by fitting

better lights thus giving advanced warning to other road users behind you ,

prevention is always better than the fix

 

[alan333]

On 2/19/2019 at 9:02 PM, Colin J.S said:

Hi Mark..............you Sir are SO correct! ...............personally, I have NEVER used my rear fog light......... In my humble opinion they should be banned!!!!!!!!!!! I think they cause more accidents than they save.............folk quiet obviously switch them on when its foggy...........Really? we are struggling to see as it is in the fog and NOW you want to 'blind' everybody with ya stoopid dumb ***** foglight!!!!! (that YOU can't see but is actually causing MAYHEM behind you) ............I have never understood and never will understand rear fog lights...........BAN THEM!!!! 

As an experienced driver any other experienced  driver should agree, even front ones are totally useless...........

Rear foglights are good on empty dark roads, but I agree they're useless in built up areas, or when it's not foggy enough.  Following a vehicle in fog, with a rear foglight on, at a safe distance, gives a far better view of the road ahead than just tail lights.  Twin rear foglights should be banned tho, they just look like brake lights.  At least modern cars switch rear fogs off with the ignition now tho, not like years ago when people had them on for a fortnight after a sniff of fog.