Landseer

Have you physically traced the wires from CE panel along passenger side sill/carpet, then up into the roof? Looking for melts and crossfeeds.

Mongo

Since I am replacing the horn this weekend, I will take off the battery connections and start pulling panels to trace wires. Most unfortunate way to spend a weekend.

Alan

This is not right. I'd suggest disconnecting the hatch motor and see if that makes any difference.

Alan

Mongo

Hey Alan, I remember you mentioned the below to me on page 5. This is basically what it's doing. So is this not right???

I also started pulling trim off the car and damaged one of my A-pillars trying to check for breakage in the light between the sun visors. No joy. No exposed wires either still under the center console.

Frustrating




EDIT: The more I think about this, the more it may be related to the ignition switch rather than interior light leads grounding out or chafed wires. How would I be able to test that before I dump $100 into a new switch?

Alan

Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan:

Pull the 1A fuse #26 instead & the parking circuit won't run but it will still release from the hatch pull. You may have to futz with the parking position a bit but at least it will work AND stay quiet.

Alan


These things seem quite different to me...

Mongo

Something is running then. I thought the hatch motor and the parking circuit were the same. Clearly they are not.

Also, when I open the hatch, the interior lights don't come on, even with the new fuse in slot #24. This has been for quite some time now (years maybe).

Mongo

Big Update:

I have gone through all the lights again and the hatch. Everything checks out. Now, when turning the ignition on, Fuse #24 now blows as the lights turn off, and the warning lights on the cluster turn on, with gear indicator lights absent.

This has to be an ignition switch issue. Everything else is fine!

Mongo

One thing I noticed with this whole debacle is that the reverse lights NEVER work when Fuse 24 is blown. Why is that? Are they on the same circuit? Searching on here has revealed there is a back-up switch, and a transmission switch, which also controls the PRND32 lights on the tach. Could either of these have failed, causing the fuse to pop???

All interior dome lights check out, the hatch motor and switches check out. My only two suspects left are a failing ignition switch and possibly that transmission switch (Part #000-545-660-6) based on my searches.

Any help would be appreciated now that the lights have been addressed inside the car.

Alan

Its very hard to understand what your actual symptoms are. Slow down, think it through and ignoring all the history - just state exactly and completely and clearly what exactly happens.

1) What doesn't work on the car - other than this issue (it may contribute, so please list everything)

2) Explain this issue:
a) If you replace fuse 24 - with ignition off what works? Interior lights? hatch motor? does the fuse blow?
b)When you turn the ignition to accessory - what works?
c)When you turn to ignition on - what happens - what still works?
d) If you remove all the interior light bulbs - what happens in b), c)
e) Does the behavior change if you unplug the rear hatch motor?

Is it the case that this is just an intermittent issue - and it works OK for a while - then just blows randomly...? Did you ever install the VW parts?

Be systematic

I don't see any reason the ignition switch would be a cause.

Alan

You said this a while back - did you put in new rear speakers? there is a ribbon cable including the rear lights for the roof/hatch that runs near the passenger side rear speakers (the woofer). It's actually quite easy to put a screw right through it...?

Since you have an intermittent issue it might be worth a look - fish around and locate the ribbon cable - make sure it wasn't perforated!

Alan

Mongo

Hey Alan, I can confirm the ribbon cables are intact. In fact, the car had new speakers installed in 2001. Only recently this behavior has started. The issue is not intermittent and is constant.

Ignoring all my prior posts, here is what happens:

1) Close doors, interior lights on until delay turns them off. Fuse does not blow.

2) Opening the doors with the car off and no key in position, the lights illuminate like normal.

2) Operating hatch motor with doors open and lights on does not blow fuse. Hatch operates fine.

3) Turn ignition key to position 2 and/or starting the car will blow Fuse 24. It doesn't matter if the doors are open or closed.

4) Opening the hatch has never triggered the lights to turn on in the interior. Never.

5) Pulled all lights from receptacles where they sit and turned car on Fuse 24 still blows.

I have not installed my new VW interior lights yet.

You had asked if anything else does not function on the car. Both the reverse lights and cruise control are the only other non-functioning things on the car.

Mongo

Alan, if you need me to, I can shoot a video of the symptoms from start to finish. This includes opening doors, hatch, starting car... anything to back up my symptoms. This car's interior lights issue is driving me to crazy town right now.

Mongo

One more thing comes to mind. Relay XXI. I had issues with this relay before in the past. In fact, the sucker was missing from my car when we bought it back in 2001! We picked up a used interior light relay which resolved the issue of lighting when the door was opened.

Now could this 'used' relay be failing, and causing this? Is relay XXI also responsible for the delay feature when turning the ignition off???

Mongo

Don't tell me I stumped you Alan? I thought you cannot be stumped when it comes to that damn interior lights fuse.

Landseer

That fuse 24 problem definitely needs an exorcist.