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Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:36 pm

so im not new to wiring, im definetly not an expert but i've wired a few things before.
i just put on my new headlights turn signals stop running blinkers and backup lights and not a single one of them works.

any thoughts?
74 vw baja bug.

Fri Nov 20, 2009 8:54 pm

Start with a wiring diagram, next check your grounds.

Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:01 pm

Do you have a battery? Just kidding.
Is this stock wiring?
Check fuses, then check ground strap from tranny, whip out the multimeter and check continuity between the negative side of battery and body and chassis. See what that yields.

Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:12 pm

Obviously you have missed ONE major connection.... A simple backward trace with test probe will probably find it....

IF this is a BAJA and you have all the lights mounted on fiberglass, you probably need to GROUND each fixture....

Dale

Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:16 pm

i have all my lights mounted to metal so the ground issue shouldn't exist.

ive got a battery tester that has a 12v setting should i just set it to that and have at it?

all the fuses are fine and my battery is new.

thanks for the help im gonna go short hunting.

Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:27 pm

okay i found one cluster of wires under the backseat that wasn't grounded, screwed it into the frame and still nothing.

balls

Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:29 pm

Set your meter to DC and see if you have 12V between the positive on the battery and on the body or chassis.
Is any electrical working at all, does the car start?

Fri Nov 20, 2009 9:48 pm

the car starts and yeah it flows from the positive to the body

Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:48 pm

could it be that the stock vw "pull out" light switch itself could have gone bad?

Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:56 pm

x2^ i cant tell you how many times iv seen this.... check the headlight switch and the emergency flasher switch... if one or both are bad nothing will work!!!!

Fri Nov 20, 2009 11:31 pm

where are those located?

Fri Nov 20, 2009 11:34 pm

and how do i know if they're bad?

Fri Nov 20, 2009 11:53 pm

alright, sorry lots of stupid questions.

i found where they are, the middle kinda metallic box things has 1 plug that doesn't have a wire in the thing it shoves into (oooh getting all fancy with my wording, sorry i've been working on my car for 10 hours straight im not thinking good)

i dont know much about them but could this be the ground to this "headlight switch" or "emergency flasher relay". do they need a ground?
if it helps its the pin farthest to the front, it seems to be set off from the other ones (which led me to believe its a ground from my technical experience).

after further research i believe this to be a general use relay, should there be some wire attached to the furthest forward pin thats set apart from the 4 other?

Sat Nov 21, 2009 7:29 am

There is not many "general Use" relays in a VW, about the only one is for rear window defroster and its usually under rear seat. Only other "relay" is the dimmer switch ..... Both light switches (EM flasher and head lights) will be mounted on dash.... Back sides of the switches are usually up behind windshield wiper assembly (from trunk area) ...

Look for any loose wires and also a wiring diagram will be helpful...

And yes all those little tiny numbers next to terminals on switches and "stuff" have a specific meaning... (see wiring diagram) ...

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiringt1.php

Dale

Sun Nov 22, 2009 1:54 pm

okay ive got it narrowed down to my #9 fuse, (took each fuse out one at a time, saw if the negative end sparked)
i believe its this 3 or 4 foot length of fairly thick wire that goes from the fuse to a 4 way plastic connector under the passengers side seat, that would also be why the engine wont start anymore because it delivers power to a small box on my firewall which if i understand the concept of wiring correctly, gives energy to alot of essential systems.

on the plus side i found 3 wires that were disconnected from their homes, not essential ones mind you (silly things like interior lights) but its good to know.

the relay i had a question about, the relay does not need to be grounded the extra pin on it is oversized on purpose so people like me wont try to attach things to it, its simply there so that it forces you to only plug in the relay one way, instead of being able to flip it around.

gonna replace it today, god i hate wiring.

good practice though, thanks for all your help, learned how to chase shorts and chase connections :)

also gave me enough time to install a fire extinguisher and a spare tire mount for my first desert trip :) (i refuse to go to the desert without at least those safety items, i also bring along my paramedic's field kit and some special grade fire extinguishers the captain i trained under (fire protection science) gave me for off roading)

once again thank you, sorry this is wordy, im sure in an hour or two i'll be posting another question, the idiots guide is severely lacking in the wiring how to section.

Tue Nov 24, 2009 4:30 pm

okay so i traced where i was getting power and where i wasn't

i was getting power to the light switch however from the light switch to the headlights there was no power

so i went to pepboys and bought a pack of 4 classic on off switches and wired them up, now i get energy to my headlights but they still don't work.
balls

any advice?

i think the switches should be able to handle it, there 20 amp switches and my off road "headlights" are 100 watts, and with 12 volts of power the switches should be able to handle my load.

also my turn signals dont do the "click click click click" thing, they just come on.

Tue Nov 24, 2009 5:04 pm

Check bulbs, are they good, check grounds, check if wired correctly..... If you are getting 12 volts to lights there is only 1 reason (of three above ) they don't light...

Dale

Tue Nov 24, 2009 5:12 pm

yeah i understand that, on headlights it matters if its positive or negative?
i thought power and return was universal on lights.

also my hazard lights dont go click click.

i miss the click click!

Tue Nov 24, 2009 6:31 pm

Typically the high and low beam side is "positive" (+12 volts), typically the ground on headlights in negative....

Typically flashers, either turn signal or emergency work on CURRENT flow though flasher....

This is a turnsignal system in its most rudimentary form....

Dale

Tue Nov 24, 2009 6:41 pm

dale you are amazing, i wish i could pay you back somehow.

so the way i saw lights before was theres a + and a - and a ground

i attached the low beam to the + and the high beam to the - and had the ground all set up

you are quite the hero in my eyes.

however my turn signals are still inoperative, the light on the instrument panel for the turn signals comes on however they don't blink or come on at all,
i just wired my new turn signals onto the stock wires, are they also + and - and does it matter which one is + and which one is -?
or should i just wire the positive wire to the positive wire of the turn signal and ground the black wire?

p.s. you're my hero. but seriously though.