New problem-gauges won't light up...

[Optigman]

I'm hoping Mr_Diesel or Jettadude can help out here. After doing my rebuild I've filtered through most all the problems however my gauge cluster won't light up. I've checked all connections, my cluster has the two wiring harnessess and fuses are all good. Checked the bulbs too, they're good, and I've even swapped my spare cluster in to see if it was the circuit board on the back of the cluster, no go - it's still dark.

I get warning lights and the multi function display works, just can't see the gauges at night. (good thing it's not on the road yet) speedo and tach work also.

Any help is more than welcome, thanks guys!

[Slalom]

you try swapping headlight switches? the dimmer in them like to go...

[Optigman]

you try swapping headlight switches? the dimmer in them like to go...

Problem fixed, don't ask what I did, may have been a dirty connection or something, cause after ripping the dash apart for the fourth time, now they decide they want to work. doesn't help any when the car sat for 2 years before it came to live with me. (for free) :D

On to the next problem...

[burn_your_money]

Glad to hear you got it straightened out.

[jettadude]

sorry i just got to this thred now. but the dimmers on the headlight switches are tempermentle. if you push them all the way over to the bright side it will make it dark, so you need to try to move it twards dim and it should come on. but its fixed, but if it happens again

[miamiDaveGLi]

the dimmers on the headlight switches are tempermentle.
AMEN !!

[Mr_Diesel]

Well, I've been down this alley before, and I have found out a few things. There is an entire circuit that goes all the way around the car for dashboard lighting. I think the color of the wire is light brown or blue... If you look at the color of the wire going into your cig lighter, then you can see what color I am talking about. There is dashboard lighting in the cig lighter. If any of those wires are severed:

1. Cig lighter light
2. Climate control light
3. Cluster lighting

then none of them will work. My suggestion to you would be to check all of those lights and make sure none of the wires got cut or ripped out in the process of rebuilding your car.... Again, to make sense of my blabbing, if you were to cut the wire going to your cig lighter light, then your cluster and climate control lights would cease to function as well.

I think the color of the dashboard lighting is light blue.


Good luck, and go to amazon.com right now and buy a bently to check yoru wire diagrams.

[Optigman]

Thanks - I'll check the wiring tomorrow just to be safe. Got the Bentley, along with a slew of other repair manuals. Sometimes experience is more reliable and thorough than book learning. Much thanks for your help, it's always appreciated.

[Mr_Diesel]

Yeah, NP. I'd also like to re-enforce what's been said by the other guys... Those switches, to put it lightly, SUCK BALLS. Very poor design... It could be the switch itself.

[Optigman]

Yeah, NP. I'd also like to re-enforce what's been said by the other guys... Those switches, to put it lightly, SUCK BALLS. Very poor design... It could be the switch itself.

lmao - all to true! may start looking at swapping out the switches for a more modern look.

[Mr_Diesel]

Yeah, NP. I'd also like to re-enforce what's been said by the other guys... Those switches, to put it lightly, SUCK BALLS. Very poor design... It could be the switch itself.

lmao - all to true! may start looking at swapping out the switches for a more modern look.

Passats had a sweet light switch... That's definatly on my agenda for the coupe.... A passat dash swap.

[jettadude]

the power wire for the lighting is blue/white i think its blue with a white stripe or visa versa, but i have my gauges hooked up through there so i know the wires your talking about cody.

[GermanDieselFreak]

Hey man me too dude i think every single owner of a A2 that came to my garage for mechanic/bodywork/Tuning or what ever asked me to fix that f***ing dimmer dude that is soo bad its funny that your talking about it but the passat light switch doesnt sound like a bad idea what so ever i cant wait to have my 2 A2's this week to test them we probably all know what big surprise ill get lol ill tell you guys if they indeed work or didnt hahaha cya..........

[Mr_Diesel]

If you have that weird resistor thing on your headlight switch (90-92 Golf/Jetta?) you can actually do a simple modification that allows you to run the more common (and better) dimmer from pre-90 mark II's. There is a single wire that operates the interior lights (at the very top of the headlight harness). You jump that wire to the dimmer circuit on the old switch. I think it's all plug and play. The dimmer curcuit should have a blue wire with grey stripe or vice versa. I can verify for sure next time I see my Mark II.

Benefit is those older switches are common junkyard commodities and they have a better dimmer, IMO.

[GermanDieselFreak]

ohh yeah dude i am definatly going to check that out actually man for sure so before '90 dude so 86 to 89 preaty much ok well ill see if mine work on the 91 and 92 when i get them and if not well ill go to the trusty "yeah right" junkyard and get them BTW where is the best place to get Jetta's MK2 headlight's fender lights and tails light and blinker bumper lights and things like that ? thanks dudes..........

[twig]

i find the local junk yards are the best to find cheap replacements, but i've never bought new so i don't know anything about that.