Can someone decipher this...the interior light above the rear view does not work. If I switch it to the ON (forward) position I hear a very faint chime,as if the lights are on or door ajar chime. At the same time the gear indicator light in the dash goes off. Turn the light switch to the middle and the gear indicator lamp comes back on and the chime stops....Ideas? Thanks in advance

 

You have three wires going to this switch. Red is live. Brown is constant ground (for always completing circuit such as door open), and Brown/White switched ground for when switch is activated. Sound like a fault at the switch. Remove switch and clean up the inadvertent contact to start. The interior lights are tied into to many things - if 'shorted' a multitude of things can occur.

 

With these lights, I have usually assumed they have grounded out on the roof of the car.

Check to see if any wires have melted, burned paint, etc.

But it could be as simple as cleaning the contacts as recommended above.

 

I meant by inadvertent contact any inadvertent contacting of wires to things not to be contacting. Yep, signs would be possible melting or scorching. Cleaning the contacts would be always helpful.

 

Thanks, I'll check it

 

FWIW its best to put heat shrink on every wire end on every lamp
NOTE its best to replace any lamps that appear to be melted.
NOTE its even better to replace the lamps with the VW lamps and then use LED light bulbs

 

Mine had the hatch roof light ground on the roof and melt the wire and bubblenthe paint on the roof.had to have hatch repainted

I just had a weird issue like that and I believe it was ground related. Fixed it somehow... Not sure what actually fixed it....

 

I've seen the wires melt there too, no repaint but the B pillar had to be removed to rewire the light.

Melted wires because someone had replaced the 5amp fuse with a 15amp