# Fiat Ducato sidelight control?



## Rosamund

Can anyone please tell me how to switch on the sidelights in a 2012 Ducato cab? 

Headlights, fog lights, indicators, reversing lights are all working fine, but no sidelights. They don't come on with the ignition, which I kind of expected, and I simply cannot find a control to switch them on.

I don't have a Fiat manual and the Burstner manual doesn't cover dashboard controls.

I'm sure it's obvious and I'll feel really stupid once you tell me, but so far I'm stumped.

Many thanks.


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## blondel

Surely you should have been given a Fiat manual. If you bought it new I should go back to the dealer and ask for one.
I tried to attach one but it is too big.
I downloaded it from the Fiat website.


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## Spiritofherald

Some Fiat cars have a black button on the ignition switch which you press in while turning the key backwards, after which you can remove the key. This puts on the sidelights while stationary but prevents you from driving on sidelights alone. Another feature of some Fiats is you can select sidelights while driving but they actually illuminate the headlamps at reduced output via a wire-wound resistor.

I've no idea if these 'oddities' apply to your motorhome.


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## rayc

see the attachment below. note that the lights can be switched on with the ignition off and the key removed on my 2008 model. On my previous 2008 model this could only be achieved by pushing a tab on the key surround and turning the key to the 'park' position.
If you can turn the headlights on then I cannot understand why you cannot switch the sidelights on, unless their is a fault, as it uses the same control.


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## mikeT

Rosamund 
I too have a 2012 Ducato mine's a panel van conversion,
looking through the Fiat Hand book I don't think you can just have side lights on!
This May have something to do with the new Daytime running lights (these were fitted from March 2012 onwards factory builds )
I do not have these daytime lights either 

If you PM me I will send you a copy of the pages concerning the lights .
Mike


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## rayc

Is the OP is saying that he has not got sidelights even when headlights are on?


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## mikeT

rayc 

No the side lights come on with dipped headlights only !!

your scan of a 2008 model has three positions ours only has two off /running daytime running lights and dipped headlight with side lights 


i.e no side light position !! OK 

Mike 

Scan from my 2012 Fiat hand book enclosed


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## Addie

I would never drive with "sidelights" on - if its dark enough to put your lights on, put your headlights on. A tiny 5W bulb is neither going increase your visibility nor make you much more visible to others.

They are referred to in my Audi's manual as 'parking lights' to be used when the vehicle is parked on street and they also serve as a temporary marker light if a headlamp bulb should fail.

On the Euro 5 Ducatom which is equipped with Daytime Running Lights (DRL's), there is no 'side light' function on the stalk as has already been pointed out. 

The headlamps are exactly the same as the Euro 4 but your DRL's will run (which are your full beam lamps on low) and turn off when your headlamps are illuminated. 

If this doesn't happen, they can be enabled and disabled on the Menu using buttons behind the wiper stalk. 

The side lamp bulbs are still present - but serve only as a fallback should a headlamp bulb fail.


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## Pudsey_Bear

blondel said:


> Surely you should have been given a Fiat manual. If you bought it new I should go back to the dealer and ask for one.
> I tried to attach one but it is too big.
> I downloaded it from the Fiat website.


Do you have a link for that please Pat, I tried a few months ago and found nothing, I do have a manual but it's not easy to find thing so one I can search would be much better.

Kev.


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## blondel

I can't find it at the moment Kev but after I get the grandaughters to school I will look further. I seem to remember I had to register with Fiat then was able to download. Will keep trying to find it. Did try to add it to the downloads on here but didn't understand the instructions.


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## blondel

*Found it!*

Its this site
http://www.fiatcamper.com/en/home

you have to register - I have now forgotten my password


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## Pudsey_Bear

*Re: Found it!*



blondel said:


> Its this site
> http://www.fiatcamper.com/en/home
> 
> you have to register - I have now forgotten my password


I registered back in 2008 apparently, I'd forgotten all about it, but it recognised my email, so new password and away.

Cheers Mike.


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## LaMB

Our Peugeot Euro 5 only has the off/headlight switch. It's something to do with having the headlight switch on and doing something with the ignition key to get the sidelights on for parking- as has been said these Euro 5's seemed to come with the wrong manual - I'm trying to get the right one, but it is proving difficult! I wont give up though!

Martin


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## LaMB

Further information now found:-

With the ignition off and the key in the STOP
position or removed:
Move the ring on the lighting stalk to
position O, then to dipped or main beam
headlamps.
The lamps will remain on while you are
parked.

Martin


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## Rosamund

Many thanks everyone for your responses and suggestions.

I have registered and downloaded the manual from the Fiat Ducato Motorhome site:
http://www.fiatcamper.com/en/home

The manual download is unhelpfully named as:
2012_LUM_UK 603.81.947.pdf

The manual confirmed several of your responses i.e.: there is only an on/off switch for the headlights, nothing for the side lights:



I then looked for the sidelight operation in the 'multi-function display menu' as alluded to in the manual, but couldn't find any light options there.

I again emailed my contact at the dealership and sent the stalk photo and this one indicating the inoperative marker/side lights:



After initially telling me that we don't have daylight running lights, then advising me to 'turn on the sidelights' (he clearly thinks I'm a moron!), he's now concluded we do, indeed, have running lights, which are not functioning. He advises I change the fuse.

I've found the fuse box (not very accessible) and now need to find the spare fuses I was given (tidied away), then identify the right fuse, change it, and hope that's it.

I'll keep you posted!


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## LaMB

Rosamund said:


> Many thanks everyone for your responses and suggestions.
> 
> I have registered and downloaded the manual from the Fiat Ducato Motorhome site:
> http://www.fiatcamper.com/en/home
> 
> The manual download is unhelpfully named as:
> 2012_LUM_UK 603.81.947.pdf
> 
> The manual confirmed several of your responses i.e.: there is only an on/off switch for the headlights, nothing for the side lights:
> 
> 
> 
> I then looked for the sidelight operation in the 'multi-function display menu' as alluded to in the manual, but couldn't find any light options there.
> 
> I again emailed my contact at the dealership and sent the stalk photo and this one indicating the inoperative marker/side lights:
> 
> 
> 
> After initially telling me that we don't have daylight running lights, then advising me to 'turn on the sidelights' (he clearly thinks I'm a moron!), he's now concluded we do, indeed, have running lights, which are not functioning. He advises I change the fuse.
> 
> I've found the fuse box (not very accessible) and now need to find the spare fuses I was given (tidied away), then identify the right fuse, change it, and hope that's it.
> 
> I'll keep you posted!


Personally I wouldn't spend too much time looking for your fuses or your 'blown' fuse, as I do not think you will find a blown fuse. As far as I am aware there are no day running lights unless you have a separate set in the front of the vehicle, I'm fairly sure that day running lights only appear on the front of the vehicle and do not include the side marker lights or the rear side lights.

Day running lights are much brighter than standard side lights, and the side light bulb in the headlight assembly is a much lower wattage.

Our dealer also told us there were day running lights - but there aren't any!

Martin


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## Addie

Just to confirm - OP are you talking about SIDE LIGHTS or your orange SIDE MARKER LIGHTS not functioning?

The side marker lights should illuminate with your headlights there is no separate switch for them. In a EURO 5 the sidelights (as in the tiny whirs 5w bulbs in your outer headlights) cannot be used on their own while driving - they were only ever intended as parking lights.

Lamb - the 'daytime running lights' on the Euro 5 are the inner full beam lamps illuminated at 40%. They a controlled in the DIS (driver information system) on the dashboard - so it does have them.


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## LaMB

Addie said:


> Just to confirm - OP are you talking about SIDE LIGHTS or your orange SIDE MARKER LIGHTS not functioning?
> 
> The side marker lights should illuminate with your headlights there is no separate switch for them. In a EURO 5 the sidelights (as in the tiny whirs 5w bulbs in your outer headlights) cannot be used on their own while driving - they were only ever intended as parking lights.
> 
> Lamb - the 'daytime running lights' on the Euro 5 are the inner full beam lamps illuminated at 40%. They a controlled in the DIS (driver information system) on the dashboard - so it does have them.


I guess the Euro 5 Fiat and Peugeot must have different DIS then, as there is no mention of day running lights in the Peugeot manual - perhaps where my confusion comes from, you would have thought as they are made on the same production line, they would be the same - or am I missing something?

Martin


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## Bernies

Hi all I have a 2012 Burstner Viseo on a Fiat Ducato we only have dipped or main beam no side lights, why I don't could be it's because the van was built in Germany. 8) 8) 8)


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## Addie

LaMB said:


> I guess the Euro 5 Fiat and Peugeot must have different DIS then, as there is no mention of day running lights in the Peugeot manual - perhaps where my confusion comes from, you would have thought as they are made on the same production line, they would be the same - or am I missing something?
> Martin


This is the menu on our Euro 5 Fiat - accessed via the menu buttons near the headlamp adjusters. Strange how the Peugeot Boxer doesn't have them - but can well believe it.










Which results in the Full Beam lights being illuminated at (something like) 40%. No other lights on the vehicle are lit and these then go out when the 'Main Beam' headlamps are lit.


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## cronkle

I was recently looking over a new Pug ambulance. I asked the crew about this issue. They showed me that if you turn off the ignition with the headlights 'on' (didn't check that you could do this with lights off) and switched the indicators as if turning right (may be for left but didn't check) the parking lights are then on.


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