Fogey1

B/c that's a sudden energizing of the circuit?
Just askin'.

928 DesMoines

Man, that is a tough one you got going there. For me, I had a problem with the dome light in the hatch that was causing a similar condition. I started popping out all of the light assemblies to let them "hang down" with bulbs removed until I found the culprit. Might not be that simple for your situation, but i'm interested to hear how it works out for you. Hoping for the best.

Mongo

You're telling me. Except, that after popping out the lights in the roof, hatch and doors, the sucker is still going pop! I'm ready to throw in the towel and make due without interior lights, but I am looking at such a nice set of VW ones that I can pop in here.

Mongo

Okay, the next place I feel like I have not focused enough on is the actual hatch area. There is a light not on the actual rear hatch itself that illuminates the cargo area. I can tell you I have gone in the hatch, removed the tool kit, and disconnected the battery numerous times these past couple of years for servicing.

I have the floor jack still in the car just behind the tool kit still, and am wondering if that may be banging on the light, causing it to ground out, or even the hatch motor wiring. I am out of time and have to go to work. Please let me know what I should be looking at in the hatch area. Thanks!

Mongo

Bump. Running out of ideas, but could this be ignition switch related since the fuse now pops when I turn the car off?

dr bob

Andy, is it actually popping when you turn the key off, or is it waiting for when you open the door after turning the key off?

Otherwise, you may be looking for something adding voltage to the load side of the fuse with key on, pops the fuse when voltage goes away from key.

MainePorsche

Here's a paste from a problem we're working with on the 'Park indicator light...' thread which is on this page now.

'On the ignition switch at pins labeled 1 & 2 which I can only describe as being outside the positioning of the key turn, the four lines which emanate are as follows (for an S4):
Pin 1 SW/RT - seatbelt sensing/warning controller
Pin 1 SW/RT - to tachometer
Pin 2 *RT/SW - input to Fuse 24 interior lights
Pin 2 RT/BL - to tachometer

As best as I can tell it looks like the feed to each PRND bulb gets powered at the interlock switch. I'm not familiar with the tach circuitry yet so I'm not certain what these lines are for. I'll listen and learn.'

There is a definite tie in between the ignition switch and the interior light circuitry.

WallyP

Have you tried making and using the "blown fuse" test light that I suggested some time back? It can save a lot of time and frustration...

Mongo

I haven't made that bulb tester yet. I popped another fuse in, cycled the ignition switch a few times, but the sucker did not go pop.

Basically here is what happens to make it go boom:

-Engine is running
-I can open the doors and the lights will be on fine inside
-Close the doors, turn the car off, then there are no lights or gear indicators.

MainePorsche

Interesting. The other fellow has gear indicators on all the time when engine off. He has no symptoms with interior lights. I think his issue is with the interlock switch. If you've checked circuitry to each and every interior light and all is well, the ignition switch may very well be the issue.

Mongo

That is what I am suspecting too. I had an issue once where if I jiggled the key, the gear shift indicator lights would turn on or off. That went away when I pushed on the ignition switch, but it could have been a sign of a potential failure to come.

Mongo

Well here is something that is interesting. I put a new fuse in this morning and backed the car out of the garage. I left the gear position in neutral for a minute as the car warmed up. I put it in drive, and POP! The interior lights fuse goes out! The gear shifter feels like it is binding on something when before it would freely move through all positions.

Mongo

It's been a while since I have updated this thread. I had a look at what was under the console binding and it looks like some wires came loose from their zip ties. After replacing the old and brittle ties from the 80's, the gear shifter does not feel like it's binding anymore.

HOWEVER, putting in a new fuse and transitioning it from Park to Drive pops the sucker! WTH!

I am on the verge of just giving up on this fuse. I'm starting to get used to the dark anyways.

Bill Ball

I'd be happy to come over and commiserate. Maybe together we can figure it out. Sometime in the week after next.

Alan

This is the "Key-in switch" it detects the presence of the key in the lock (even without it being turned) - it is used to control the chime functions (for door, open key in, turn signal on-ignition off-key out, etc etc), all the times the char will chime a warning.

Alan