Clearing warning messages about lights

[St0ker]

Hi

I have a 2014 Sprinter 313CDI. When I switch on the lights I get what appear to be warning messages about the parking lights left and right and the dipped beam left. The messages about the parking lights have always appeared since I bought the van but the message about the dipped beam only appeared recently.

I did get a message some time ago about the rear number plate light which I replaced and the message cleared automatically.

I have replaced the left dipped beam bulb but the message about that has not cleared. I'm not sure about the parking lights but all the lights at the front and rear seem to be okay.

Again I presume that the messages should have cleared automatically when the faulty bulbs are replaced.

Is there a way of clearing these messages if they don't clear automatically?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[Larkone]

Are you sure there is no corrosion/poor contact with the bulbs. They could still work but are not pulling enough current for the warning system to recognise they are working. Check the relevant earths as well

 

[St0ker]

Are you sure there is no corrosion/poor contact with the bulbs. They could still work but are not pulling enough current for the warning system to recognise they are working. Check the relevant earths as well

Many Thanks for your reply. I've reseated the dipped beam bulb and that message has cleared but I am still left with the two about the parking lights. The funny thing is that my light switch doesn't have a position for the parking lights. The diagrams in the handbook that I have don't correspond with what I see in reality. Within my headlights there are 2 Lucas LLB477 bulbs (main and dipped beam) and an LED sidelight.

 

[Larkone]

It is calling your side lights parking lights so no issue there. The LED side lights that are obviously not canbus compatible, hence the error message. Either find some LED sidelight bulbs that are canbus compatible, not all are even when they say they are, cheap Chinese ones are the worst for this. Or simpler just fit standard sidelight bulbs - then your message will disappear.

 

[St0ker]

I think I've found the bulbs in question. They're called daytime driving lights in the manual. I've tried removing them but they just won't budge. As far as I can see I need to squeeze the two tabs on either side to release the bulb holder but they just aren't budging. Any tips?

 

[Larkone]

If they are the ones that come on when you turn the sidelights on then yes. Can't help with removal, other than gently work them back and forth, left/right.

 

[St0ker]

If they are the ones that come on when you turn the sidelights on then yes. Can't help with removal, other than gently work them back and forth, left/right.

Many thanks for all your help. I've managed to get them out with the help of a home made tool made from a wire coat hanger.

 

[St0ker]

I've replaced the bulbs for the daytime running lights and they are now both working but I'm still getting the display message about the parking lamps.

The daytime running lights come on with the ignition and switch off when I turn the sidelights on.

As I said earlier my light switch does not have a setting for parking lights.

Any ideas?

 

[Kev555]

I stuck in a bulb to replace a daytime running lights on my Vito as one was blown. I know the bulb was faulty or parking light filament is broke as i keep getting error messages. I would fit a new bulb to any side thats throwing faults and ditch the led bulbs as canbus doesn't like them, even the quality ones.

 

[St0ker]

I stuck in a bulb to replace a daytime running lights on my Vito as one was blown. I know the bulb was faulty or parking light filament is broke as i keep getting error messages. I would fit a new bulb to any side thats throwing faults and ditch the led bulbs as canbus doesn't like them, even the quality ones.

Many Thanks for your reply. My daytime running lights use W21W bulbs and I have replaced both of them and they are working fine.

What puzzles me is that my light switch does not have any setting for switching on parking lights but I have two display messages indicating problems with the parking lamps. (see photos in earlier posts). Part of the problem is I don't actually know which are the parking lamps the manual is not very clear on the issue. My side lights are two small square LEDs but they are both working fine as well.

 

[Kev555]

Missed that light switch photo, my light switch has the parking light option left and right of the dial. Strange yours doesn't? Think my parking lamps are part of the W21W bulbs on mine, need to check again to refresh my memory or possibly a smaller separate 501 bulb.

 

[V6Matty]

Has the front SAM unit been replaced by chance to fix something else, a replacement part being used from a van with different options enabled now causing your van to be confused about something it hasn’t got?

 

[Srdl]

See attached from an online version of your manual. I think the “Navigation Lights” bit refers to what we normally call sidelights and double up as parking lights when you have that option on your switch (where you can select left or right depending on where you are parked). Just a thought… I wonder whether your light switch has been replaced previously and, because there is now no connection for the parking lights option, this is breaking the circuit and throwing up an error message?

 

[St0ker]

Has the front SAM unit been replaced by chance to fix something else, a replacement part being used from a van with different options enabled now causing your van to be confused about something it hasn’t got?

Many Thanks for your reply. I suppose that is a possibility and would explain things but I don't know where the SAM unit is located or how I would tell if it's been changed.

 

[St0ker]

See attached from an online version of your manual. I think the “Navigation Lights” bit refers to what we normally call sidelights and double up as parking lights when you have that option on your switch (where you can select left or right depending on where you are parked). Just a thought… I wonder whether your light switch has been replaced previously and, because there is now no connection for the parking lights option, this is breaking the circuit and throwing up an error message?

Many Thanks for your reply. On my van the "navigation lights" come on when I switch on the side lights. They are small square LEDs. The change of switch would explain things but I don't know how I could tell if it's been changed.

 

[St0ker]

It is calling your side lights parking lights so no issue there. The LED side lights that are obviously not canbus compatible, hence the error message. Either find some LED sidelight bulbs that are canbus compatible, not all are even when they say they are, cheap Chinese ones are the worst for this. Or simpler just fit standard sidelight bulbs - then your message will disappear.

I'll see if I can get canbus compatible bulbs as you suggest and try that.

Many thanks again.

 

[St0ker]

It is calling your side lights parking lights so no issue there. The LED side lights that are obviously not canbus compatible, hence the error message. Either find some LED sidelight bulbs that are canbus compatible, not all are even when they say they are, cheap Chinese ones are the worst for this. Or simpler just fit standard sidelight bulbs - then your message will disappear.

Hi again

You were right.

I discovered that I had a spare sidelight bulb so I tried that in one of the side lights and it cleared the message in respect of that light.

The ordinary bulb is not just as bright as the LED but now I understand the problem I am more content.

Many thanks for all your help.