The shame. Being picked up on the MOT for a faulty high-level brake light. That's what happens when you ask a non-driver to check the lights when you press the pedals...
Anyway, I dug out the Haynes manual, and it is utterly wrong, so here's what I did.
Access is through this rubber bung in the tailgate which peels away with your fingers.
Inside you find the bulb.
It pulls out, in fact the thing doesn't seem that firmly seated, but I'm assuming that's how it should be since there is no locking system.
Stick the replacement (Halfords 955 - W16W) on the end of a stick with some Blu-Tack and manouver it into the holder, then push home with your finger.
If you don't use the stick, you'll do what I did the first time, and drop the bulb inside the door. Efforts to rescue it were fruitless and now it will live out its days somewhere in the box-section. If you have very long and skinny fingers, maybe you won't need this, but if yours are the correct proportions to fiddle this bulb into place, you are an alien and not driving French cars anyway.
Overall, I'm really impressed with bulb changing on this car. The sidelight bulb is accesed through another rubber bung, and it's the same one as the numberplate light - Halford 501 - W5W. The latter can be accessed by wiggling a screwdriver in the hole at the side of the clear cover.
Less good: Haynes manual. It's wrong on the brake light and suggests taking the door apart for the numberplate. YouTube proved more useful.
Also, Halfords have replaced their book of bulbs with a computer. Sadly, this has a dredful interface which required scrolling, but you don't know this because there are no scroll bars visible. Fortunatly, I took my old bulb along and helpful assistant instantly identified it.
Finally, I bought a couple of Universal Bulb kits on eBay. They said they were for the Berlingo, but didn't include with brake or sidelight bulbs. The returns process worked I'm pleased to say, because I didn't see the point in carrying a box of bulbs that didn't fit the car.
3 comments:
I really struggled with my berlingos number plate lights for the same reason. I had one lens break too but I superglued it back together which seems to have lasted.
Be wary of Halford's database as it's proved regularly wrong from experience - it lists different bulbs for the Rover 75 and the MG ZT, these are the same car in different trim!
As you suggested here support your local motor accessories shop or the numerous smaller specialists, you'll likely save money too!
It wasn't Halfords database that let me down this time, other than the rubbish usability so I couldn't even find the duff results! It was an eBay seller. At least I got my money back.
Kudos to the Halfords assistant though, who is much better than their computer, recognising the bulb straight away.
Sadly, there are no independent motor factors around here. The nearest is Eurocar parts, but I went off them when they supplied me with a brand new, and rusty, mirror for my campervan years ago.
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