GTS Number Plate Lights - Fuse?

[StuartW]

Afternoon all

I had both of my number plates go last week with the accompanying dash warning light. I swapped out the bulbs but the old ones looked ok and sure enough, there was no change so I am guessing (hoping) it's a fuse.
I can't for the life of me find out which is the right fuse for a GTS number plate light however and I am sure it doesn't show up in the owner's handbook. Maybe it shares a fuse with another item but everything else is working fine. I don't have a volt meter to check is power is reaching the bulb holders unfortunately.

Can anyone point me in the right direction for the correct fuse please?

Many thanks.

 

[Wack61]

If it's wired up the same as the 4200 the number plate lights are in with the other lights so if they're working it might be the same as mine a broken wire in the link between the boot lid and the car

 

[StuartW]

If it's wired up the same as the 4200 the number plate lights are in with the other lights so if they're working it might be the same as mine a broken wire in the link between the boot lid and the car

I'm hoping it's different as everything at the back of the car seems to be working fine which is why I was hoping there is a fuse on the circuit that I can check

 

[Wack61]

2 bits of wire and a 12v bulb if you don't have a tester

 

[Felonious Crud]

Have trawled through the fuse list in the manual and no sign of one at all! Will look again in case I missed it.

 

[Felonious Crud]

This thread on ML suggests no clear answer, but does give some clues, albeit with a GS Spyder. Wiring or a "partially blown" fuses (although still not obvious which fuse it could be...) could be the culprit. Or something else.

 

[StuartW]

Thanks Darren & Adam - it does sound a bit of a mystery. I think the next step will be a call to my MD to see if they can tell me which fuse (un-identified by the manual) is responsible for these and check that. If not, I guess I have a wiring issue.
Cheers

 

[Felonious Crud]

Well, I can't believe there isn't a fuse... but that of course is no guarantee. Your local MD sounds informed and helpeful so I'm sure they'll help. Be sure to post the answer.

By the way, is *every* other light working? Fog, side, interior, indicator repeaters, puddle lamps, blah blah blah?

 

[StuartW]

I will certainly report back Adam and yes, everything else 'seems' to be working fine.

To be continued

 

[StuartW]

Well, I can't believe there isn't a fuse... but that of course is no guarantee. Your local MD sounds informed and helpeful so I'm sure they'll help. Be sure to post the answer.

By the way, is *every* other light working? Fog, side, interior, indicator repeaters, puddle lamps, blah blah blah?

According to my MD, these lamps share the fuse with the tail lights which are working fine so it is a wiring issue which is beyond my capabilities. It will be fixed when it's in for the MOT in a few weeks time so I'll report back then what the issue was.
Cheers all

 

[Wack61]

Probably just a broken wire where the loom enters the boot lid , you can buy a voltage tester with a light that detects current through cable then goes out at the break if you feel like having a go , mind you the nights are getting lighter

One summer in the 80s I went out in my car to a show, got back in at 11pm , put the lights on and both front bulbs had blown so I had to drive the 8 miles home on full beam which made me popular

These are from Hong Kong but maplins will sell something similar

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-12V-2...995950?hash=item3d15fe5aae:g:JH8AAOSwxp9W~O8A

 

[StuartW]

Thanks for that Darren, I may give it a go or otherwise only go out in daylight hours!
Cheers

 

[Wack61]

Just been to maplins but they only do mains testers

 

[CatmanV2]

Problem is that you need to pretty much get it to the cable, which is covered by a load of trim and a flexible conduit

C

 

[StuartW]

Problem is that you need to pretty much get it to the cable, which is covered by a load of trim and a flexible conduit

C

Indeed, there could be a fair bit of stripping out to be done to get to it which may be beyond me

 

[Wack61]

You'll probably find the same as mine
Pulled the sheath off and the earth wire had snapped plus the others are on their last legs

 

[beau]

What was wrong in the end? Mine have gone out

 

[StuartW]

What was wrong in the end? Mine have gone out

Mine was cable damage in the flexible boot lid section. Marios @ Autoshield vcery kindly diagnosed & fixed it for me when the car was in for the Larini back boxes last summer

 

[beau]

It was indeed a broken wire, all fixed

 

[StuartW]

It was indeed a broken wire, all fixed

Good news, a common fault but at least it's a relatively simple fix