TheSamba.com :: View topic

Tue Nov 10, 2009 9:35 am

I've had it with these monkeys 'fixing' my car. Had a new headlight switch put in but after they installed it it needed a bit of a left to right tweak for the lights to come on after pulling it out. Now, after putting the heater and glove box back in, ONLY the parking lights come on even when I pull it right the way out. WHAT the hell could the problem be now?

Does it sound like a faulty switch or faulty/loose wiring that's messed it up?

I love Beetles, but sometimes I start to associate them with morons at garages that can't do shit.

PLEASE advise as to what likely problems could be.

Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:41 am

If you put a used switch in you could have a faulty one. If not then check your ground wires (lite brown). The connectors on vw wiring are copper, they tend to corrode over time making contacts dirty. Clean contacts are important. You may have knocked some wires loose putting things back together.

Hope this helps.

Tue Nov 10, 2009 10:46 am

Was the switch new?

You DO have the ignition key ON while testing the headlights correct?

Tue Nov 10, 2009 11:11 am

Switch was brand new and worked for a while. And yes the ignition is on when testing, when I was driving even.

I shall try to see if the copper has corroded, maybe give it a sandpaper, but I can't see any loose wires. As for ground wires... monkeys long ago messed up the original colour coding.

Thanks for your replies, just having someone reply makes me feel less at my wits end since it injects some logic into the situation.

Tue Nov 10, 2009 6:28 pm

Since you didn't mention which year and model Beetle you have I can only guess which type of headlight switch you have. TIP: add your Beetle year and description to your message signature so it is included with every message.

My non-Super Beetle uses the round knob, dash mounted headlight switch. When it started to act up, I pulled it and cleaned all the contacts. I even sprayed the inside with brake/contact cleaner. It made a BIG difference... like new !

Wed Nov 11, 2009 5:34 am

emu88 wrote: I love Beetles, but sometimes I start to associate them with morons at garages that can't do shit.

I don't mean to be nasty, but is the reason you took it to those morons because you can't do as much as they can?

Once a car is over 10 years old, as an owner, you have either got to learn how to take care of things your self, or pay someone else to do it for you.

If this was simple stuff any moron could do, you would have done it yourself. But you paid someone else to take care of it.

If you have a problem with the work they did, or the parts they installed, you need to take it back to them IMMEDIATELY!

If something is loose and falls off, it could fry your entire wiring harness. And when that happens, they arn't going to fix it for you for free! And thats because they won't be able to tell why it happened.

Or worse yet, it could set the car on fire and you have a total loss.

So do yourself a favor, and take it back so they know what the trouble is before it causes other problems.

The longer you let it ride, the worse things get, the more frustrated you get, and the less willing the shop will be to help you.