TheSamba.com :: View topic - 71 sqaureback with wiring prob...help please..(big pictures)

Tue Jan 07, 2003 4:49 pm

i have a 1971 sqaureback and i live in australia. the wiring in my car when it was given to me was all stuffed..it'd been tinkered with by someone who didnt know what they were doing...but my problem is that at the rear of the car, the rear lights have no reverse light. its there, the light has a orange top,red middle and white bottom, but there is a little white cap over the spot where the reverse bulb is supposed to be... anybody familiar with my model and know what to do???

thanks, jonno

Sat Sep 13, 2003 9:59 pm

anyone???

EDIT: i just found some pictures on the net, one matches my front lights and diagram so far, perfectly... the other is what is in my book, and the lights are different. now i am thinking that my car is weird because its really different.

here is the diagram that matches my car, only the fan isnt on there:

diagram 1

here is the diagram out of the book, and there are more wires than the one that is in mine and it doesnt have the side indicators...mine does:

Diagram 2

any help would be greatly appreciated, jonno

Sat Sep 13, 2003 10:14 pm

Have you tried vwtype3.org they are pretty helpful with all your questions.

Sat Sep 13, 2003 11:26 pm

Hey Jonno from Austrailia. Is it true that when you flush the toilet over there the water rotates counterclockwise. (I seen it on "the Simpsons" so it must be true.)
As to your question. I have never seen the caps as you are describing but everything else looks the same as my '72. I will assume the wiring isn't there. I would take the taillight assembly (or at least measure the capped hole) to a regular auto parts store and see if they can match a single filiment pigtail to what you have. Wiring it in is no big deal if this is a four speed car. If its an automatic then I'm not sure. On the front of the trans somewhere (its been a while since I did mine so my memory is a little fuzzy) is a reverse light switch. Looks like a brakelight switch. Or there is a place for one to screw one into. If you can't find it let me know and I'll check where the one on my baja is and let you know. (Its like 2:30 in the morning over here and I ain't going back out there tonight.) The switch is #F4 on the wiring diagram. The lights are #M16 and #M17. One wire from the switch goes to the lights and the other goes to the hot side of the coil #N. Thats it. Let me know if you can't find where the switch is.

Sun Sep 14, 2003 7:48 am

Look for some used tailbuckets maybe?

Tue Sep 16, 2003 6:52 pm

I'm not surprised about the wiring not matching the book but matching the schematic online. I have a 68' square and the wiring in the Bentley manual is way off. Hardly any of the wire colors are correct and the schematic is for a dual carb car when the US 68' was fuel injected. So if I found a schematic that matched my car but was differrent from the book I would go with it.

Tue Sep 16, 2003 7:25 pm

The Bentley matched my 72 pretty good. The biggest problem I had when I rewired mine was it seemed like every component had a second smaller wire with it that was for a computer hookup diagnostic plug. So there were like twice as many wires as needed. Needless to say I got rid of them.

Mon Sep 22, 2003 5:23 am

well butters...i only go to the toilet to pee and produce politicians...to tell you the truth i never really looked at the way it flushed...
but onto the car... thanks for your help guys. i had a go and i managed to get the front lights working however but not parkers and only the right indicator actually worked...i later looked at the left and realised it was constantly on...i checked, then re-checked...and i have come to the conclusion that its constatly live...which isnt right...so i am gonna get a auto sparky to do it...i mean they do it all day, everyday and considering its a coupe of lights and a systems check..it'll be a breeze to complete...

jonno