Faulty High Level Light - Autotrail Cheyenne

[Guest Philip Grindle]

I have an 1999 Autotrail Cheyenne 634. The nearside high level light does not work. The offside one does. I have tried using the bulb from the offside but no joy which would seem to indicate no power to the lamp holder. The connections apear to be ok. Can anyone point to a likely cause and a solution to the problem?

[Guest Derek Uzzell]

Obviously the first thing to do is actually to confirm whether there is 12V power at the lamp-unit. If there is, then there's probably something amiss with the bulb-holder (corrosion?) that can easily be rectified. Otherwise you may need a new lamp-unit. If no 12V power (or no Earth) is present at the lamp-holder, then the likely cause of your problem is a poor electrical connection further back down the line. It appears to be common practice for motorhome converters (or at least the UK ones) to use Snap-Lok connectors to extend the electrical wiring for the base-vehicle's rear-lights to the high level lights. This practice is quick and easy but, unless carried out carefully, not always reliable long term. It should be pretty obvious where the wiring to each high level rear-light joins the main wiring loom and I'd check the connections at that point. This assumes you can get at them of course! Hopefully the fault won't be with the within-bodywork cabling as this can be a swine to access. (I detest these lights. As far as I can see, they have no legal requirement, perform no useful function, add significantly to the complexity/cost of a motorhome's construction, use battery-power unnecessarily, and invite electrical/water-ingress problems. I expect some people adore 'em though.)

[Guest Derek Uzzell]

I've just re-read your posting and realised you didn't say whether your inoperative high level light is at the front or rear of the motorhome. I've assumed it's at the rear as I've a feeling Cheyenne doesn't have them at the front. Anyway, the fault-finding principles will be much the same whichever end of the vehicle the light is at. (You could always think laterally and remove the bulb from the offside light!)

[Guest Philip]

Thanks Derek for your reply. The light in question is at the front. The rear light is also out but that is a common problem and it is always a poor connection at the bulb.

[Guest pete walker]

derek says:they have no legal requirement, i think that they do in mainland europe derek,there was an artical in mmm when john hunt was editor about someone reciving a spot fine in france. pete

[Guest Derek Uzzell]

Pete: When I said about high-level marker lights "As far as I can see, they have no legal requirement", I meant that there is no legal requirement for motorhome manufacturers to include such lights as part of their vehicles' design. I've also got a hazy recollection of a years-ago letter in MMM on this: it most likely was in the John Hunt era and may well have been what you are referring to. But I recall the letter recounting how the writer had been threatened with an on-the-spot fine in France because one of his motorhome's high-level lights was not working. This is another matter entirely and raises the question of whether or not 'optional' lights have to be operative when a vehicle is being driven. I guess the answer to this is a guarded no, but, if a fault produces a lop-sided look to a vehicle's lighting, it's an open invitation for the authorities to take an interest. If one studies motorhome brochures and magazines, it becomes clear there is no standardisation (neither for presence nor placement) for high-level lights. For example, Hymer normally fit them fore and aft but MMM's test-report Exsis apparently had none: Rapido normally fit them at the back (the easy option) but the newish 70-series has them at both ends: the lights are normally omitted from panel-van conversions but Timberland add them front and rear... I continue to maintain these lights a) provide no obvious benefit, b) take up to 20W of alernator/battery power unnecessarily, c) increase the risk of water ingress, d) can be beggars to fix if a fault occurs, e) often look like an afterthought. Presumably designers see them as selling points, so I suppose they think buyers will view them as 'stylish'. My next Hobby-built 'van will have these lights at both ends. Are they stylish? Well, they are probably as well-integrated into the overall design as any. Did this factor positively influence me to buy a Hobby? Absolutely not. Would I prefer them to have been omitted? Too right I would.

[Guest Phil Grindle]

Cured the fault. The wire coming out of the rear lights had broken at the connection, presumably corroded. Now working ok. Didn't realise that a little problem like this would raise such an interest. Thanks everyone