Wierd Electrical Problem

[Steve Crosbie]

Ingo,

    Recently encountered multiple Weird.  Daughter inlaw's 5ktq ... when
the headlights were turned on quickly - no dash lights and sometimes no
dimming of light in climate control area.  If headlight was turned on
very very slowly dash lights lit fine.  If the glove compartment light
was on when headlights switched on - most of the time dash illuminated,
but sometimes not.  I replaced combo switch from parts car - no better.
 Then I studied the wiring diagram in the Bentley (I'm no electrician
-but figured what the heck).  Noticed that the licensee plate lights
appeared to be near the end of the glove box light circuit.  Checked
lisc. plate lights and both were out.  I replaced both and you guessed
it - totally fixed the dash light syndrome - talk about weird!  There
must be some nutsy grounding scheme in the light system of this vehicle.
    Weird #2 - Just got the 200 back from its LM Bose amp recall and the
radio sounds much better.  Mechanic noticed that there was no sound
coming from the right side front or back.  O.K. my wife is the main
driver, so I missed that.  But by replacing the amplifiers it fixed the
problem.  They wouldn't let me see the amp circuit board, it was late
and they were in a hurry to leave - I think the amp could have gone on
that side recently without the typical rolling inferno syndrome.  Dealer
was great - even gave me a free loaner for the day!.  Thanks again for
the work done by the list to bring this to Audi's attention and keep up
the pressure for the last 3 years!
Steve
Minneapple
'97 A4tq
'91 200tq
'87 5ktq

Ingo Rautenberg wrote:

>Well, I didn't think it was too weird until...
>
>Preface:  I replaced the headlight combo switch on my 200q20v a few months
>back for two reasons:
>
>1.  I saw a puff of smoke one morning from it
>
>2.  The dash night illumination was spotty.  It would sometimes go off when
>using the turn signal and then come back on or sometimes it wouldn't come on
>at all.
>
>So now I still have the intermittent dash illumination problem and
>(surprise) it appears to be related to the trunk wires.  I had already
>soldered the breaks in the wires before and they all seemed to hold, but I
>did make the following observation (this is the weird part):
>
>The positive wires for the inside rear taillights (in the trunk lid)
>alternate in being powered up, if that makes any sense.  If the trunk goes
>up more than half way, the right inner light and license plate lights are
>illuminated.  If the trunk goes further down, the left light only is
>illuminated.
>
>Correction:  This does not seem to happen on the left side any more...hmm.
>Anyhow, with a test light it appears that power is getting to the wire for
>the right side and license plate lights, but not to the left side trunk
>light.  All the while the dash lights are not illuminated until I bridge the
>left and right side positive wires together.  Then the dash lights work
>perfectly.
>
>I'm suspecting that there is a bad connector in the steering column, but
>can't figure out (even with the Bentley) which circuit should be running to
>the left rear.  Any BTDT?
>
>-Ingo
>'91 200q20v...Slightly modified
>'83 Urquattro
>('90 v8q RIP)
>http://hometown.aol.com/quattringo/index.html
>
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