[Vwdiesel] electrical troubles

[James Hansen]

Sounds like the headlight switch is in failure mode.
I've had this happen, blink on, off, on, OFF. On a curvy road at 3am on the
way to go skiing then next day.
You don't happen to have bigger than stock amperage headlight bulbs? 

To check, pull the switch straight out of the dash, examine for failing
bits.  It will be getting warm when the lights are on if this is it, as the
contacts get a resistance, and melt their way out of the switch housing.

Another good one is the big plug on the back of the fuse panel.  IT gets a
resistance and starts to get hot and melt itself. You can pull these off and
check, real pita if it's corroded, melting.  Suspect this if it's had a
leaking windshield at some point.

There is a relay that turns the lights off, but it is supposed to be
controlled by the ignition circuit- powers on the relay when the key is in
the run position, powers off and leaves only the park lamps lit when the key
is off and light switch on (excepting the annoying buzzer that is at the
bottom of the tool box where it was thrown years ago)

If it all checks out, install relays under the hood to reduce the load to
the light circuit, and some of the problems may go away. I've done this with
great success. The lights are much brighter too.
-james

> -----Original Message-----
> From: vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com [mailto:vwdiesel-bounces at vwfans.com]
> On Behalf Of David Ross
> Sent: Wednesday, January 20, 2010 7:40 PM
> To: VWfans
> Subject: [Vwdiesel] electrical troubles
> 
>   Does anyone know where I can find a wiring diagram (schematic) for an
> '84 Rabbit "L" diesel?  I have the Bentley Rabbit/Jetta Diesel manual
> but none of the diagrams in it are accurate for my car.
> 
>   Specifically I am trying to chase down a headlight problem.  While
> driving on high-beams, the headlights will blink off and on a few
> times,
> and then go off entirely.  They do not go dim or flicker, they just go
> off entirely.  Driving on low-beams seems to be better -  I have rarely
> seem the same symptoms on low-beams.
> 
>   This car has a neat feature -  if I am driving with the headlights
> on,
> then stop and turn off the engine but leave the headlights turned on,
> the headlights will go out when the engine stops but the running lights
> & taillights will stay lit.  Somewhere there is circuitry which senses
> that the engine has stopped and shuts off the headlights but leaves the
> running lights on.
>   Where is this circuitry?  Could this circuitry be related to my
> headlight problem?
> 
> thanks for any help or suggestions
> Dave Ross    N7EPI
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