TheSamba.com :: View topic

Sat Mar 20, 2010 1:44 pm

Hey guys, first off I love The Samba and am glad to say it's the most helpful place I've seen yet. Second I finally had an issue I couldn't fix.

I have searched the forum for days now and have tried almost everything unless I missed it.

My 65 and I recently experienced some serious user error. Yeah I had a little issue turn into a bigger one by being a dumbass.

So my rear left parking light wasn't coming on and my right one was (when the headlamps are pulled all the way out) and I decided to see if I could fix it. Well I took off the housing and changed out the bulb, no dice, cleaned all the contacts, nada, cleaned the bolts and screws on the housing and fender .. nothing.

So I noticed that a fuse which had nothing to do with the lights all the way to the right was blown.. hmmm. maybe the previous owners well.. I gave it a shot pulled out the lights and BAM... my right parking light went out too!! My dad was like .. "You Fried it!!!" when I pulled the switch ... holy crap I thought.. yanked it out.. (#8) and decided to check everything, well.. All was good except now both parking lights wouldn't light up.

The upper turn signals work and the lower brake lights come on when pressed.. however there is no parking light whatsoever when the headlamps are on now. .. I had one working before. I haven't checked the license plate wires.. I will go do that but there's no bulb atm.. but I want to be able to drive at night.

So I grabbed the voltmeter.. the 1157 bulb is no longer getter power unless I press the brakes.. . so the question is what did I fry? The housing has two bulbs the top(Signal) has power and is grounded. The 1157 has two wires, positive and a ground and all three wires run to the front through the engine compartment. light bulb holder assembly is a little different than the other type one posts and pics.. but my beetle was built in August of 64. What about the the brake relay?

And how do I go about tracing it. Do you guys need some pics of my fuse block under the hood? Can I just rewire it?

:cry:

Sat Mar 20, 2010 2:14 pm

electric work is my forte but possibly you fried it. make sure you have the right fuses in place. different fuses = different amps watts. whatever you wanna call it. make sure the bulb is actually making contact, you might have to adjust that. i know i had problems with my rear lights because of that.

anyways someone must have better insight.

Sat Mar 20, 2010 3:25 pm

Yea man.. I have torn it apart at least 15-20 times.. lol.. everything is in the right spot.. cept the wiring is odd on the block.. he used one of the terminals to hook up a relay for the new HID headlamps... however it sorted worked before I MESSED WITH IT.. arghhh...

Sat Mar 20, 2010 3:47 pm

Is there anything to fry in the headlight switch? When I pell it all the way out the headlights still come on... just no rear lights..

Sat Mar 20, 2010 4:34 pm

Just in case you didn`t know under `technical` at the top of the page you can get the wiring diagram and legend for it for your car. Here`s a link:
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/info/wiring/bug_62.jpg
Yes it is possible to fry the contacts inside the switch.Per the diagram switch F is the headlight switch, Terminal 58 is the output for your parking lights. There should be a wire connecting it to the fuseblock; check to make sure you have power at these points. If you do, have power here, follow the colors in the diagram and work your way to the back of the car and find where the wire is broken or `open` and not allowing the electricity to pass. Take your time and goodluck.
Shane

Sat Mar 20, 2010 10:21 pm

Have the diagram.

I will start checking first thing in the morning, ty.

Sun Mar 28, 2010 2:27 pm

Fixed!

After making a nice copy of the wiring diagram and grabbing my voltmeter, I realized that the red wire going into the fuse block for the parking/tail lights didn't have power.

That's not all. The red wire was supposed to go up to the light switch. However it was actually bypassed with an aftermarket relay that was connected to a ground and the the other wire was taped off with a fuse under the glove box. Radio? That's not how you connect a radio! lol.. I must have fried the relay! Glad it was there!

Anyhow.. my rear lights function as they should! Stoked!

Thanks again for the input!