The driver of this 2009 Citroen Xsara Picasso 1.6 had only realised that a problem with the rear lights was present, when the indicator started flashing at an increased rate. What had not been apparent, was that the rear lights had not been operating correctly for some time. Unfortunately, this can often be the case and the days of the driver carrying out a daily or at least a weekly check of the lights has long gone for most. Many vehicles do, of course, now incorporate a bulb warning system, but this is still not the norm. So, it is not unusual to see inoperative lights.

Having discovered the problem, due to the fast flashing indicator, the owner asked me to check the bulbs. I was expecting to find a problem with either the connecting plug, or the earth system, as this is quite a common issue with the Citroen range.

The problem on this one was actually in the bulb holder itself. Water had entered the lamp and had severely corroded the bulb holder. The bulbs had rusted into place, and the possibility of removing the bulbs and restoring the bulb holder to service was minimal. The best option was to find another bulb holder to replace the original unit.

Given that the lamp had been allowing the water to leak into the unit, the owner decided to opt for a new rear lamp, in addition to the bulb holder.

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