C5 III tail lights

[Will]

Hi. A slightly strange question about tail light operation on a C5III saloon (Dec 2008), but please bear with me!

The saloon rear light clusters are 'split' between the body and the bootlid, i.e. you open the boot lid and a section of light cluster is attached to it and opens too. The reversing lights are part of this bootlid assembly and work fine. The other part is red tinted to match the corresponding body-side cluster.

I've recently noticed that the tail lights on my car only work on the main body side cluster, even though it looks as if there should be bulbs in the red part of the boot lid assembly, above the reversing lights.

I've seen other C5IIIs around with these lights working. Is it a spec thing - i.e only for Exclusives? (Mine is a VTR plus) or associated with DRLs or something?

It isn't the end of the world but just curious really!

Thanks
Will

[M.Gruev]

Hi. These tail lights should work. If they don't you should change the light bulbs. But before you do that you should try punching them really hard with your fist. I know it sound funny, but i have seen mine stop working at least a dozen times and when a punch them they start working again. Same thing happens with the day lights.

[mooseshaver]

Punching lights to make them work? every Citroen I've ever owned had this feature. Usually tail lights.

[myglaren]

Punching lights to make them work? every Citroen I've ever owned had this feature. Usually tail lights.

Strange
The only problem I've had with lights on a Citroen are on the current one and it was the nearside indicator, contact in the headlight unit burned through.

[mooseshaver]

To be fair my friend's Vectra does the same. And his passat did too.
And actually I think my new C5 is fine.
Hmm. And maybe my C3 was fine.
So exaggerated slightly.
A Saxo, 2 C5 estates that had this issue. Never failed mot for it.

[qprdude]

Not in favour of the "If it don't work, hit it" school of repair. It's not working for a reason, more than likely a faulty earth or a dodgy/dirty wet connection somewhere.
As regards DRL, They are front only arn't they?

[Will]

Thanks for the replies. Ha yes the 'give it a bash' technique is one I'm familiar with with the 2cv and AX (and BX, Visa, C15 before that..) Glad(?)to hear even the latest models are keeping up the tradition!

Thanks for the confirmation that they should work, it gives me a starting point. I'll do the obvious first - check bulbs, power feed etc and go from there.

Will