Right rear tail/marker/licence plate light not working

[Kdj]

My right rear rear tail light/marker and licence plate lights are not working. I've pretty much chased it down to a brake in the W/R wire that runs between #2 fuse and the 3-way connector at rear of van. I can make the lights work by supplying 12v to the light side of 3-way at back of van. So bulbs and wiring are good at that end! I have 12v coming out of #2 fuse when lights are turned on. Is there anything I'm missing or any know places to look for brake? All the other rear lights work as they are supposed to.

I've pretty much resided to running a new wire from front to back but thought I'd ask for the collective if i've missed anything.

[jlrftype7]

What year Vanagon, in case that matters...? I looked up the wiring diagram in Samba here [I'm away from my Bentley manual]
I see Grey/Red for earlier Vanagons, and same wire color for 85/86 Vanagons.
And yes, it DOES look like it's a straight run from the Fuse #2 to that connector in the rear. Maybe rodent damage underneath in the wiring harness as it runs to the Rear?
Anyway, not a hard run of a new wire if you have to go that route.
_________________
'68 Westy- my first VW and vehicle/Bus- long gone.- sold it to a traveling Swiss couple....
'67 Type 3 Fastback, my 2nd car- gone
'69 Semi-Auto Stick Shift Beetle-gone
2017 MINI Coopers, our current DDs
‘84 Tin Top - Hilga....Auto

[Ahwahnee]

Sounds like you'll have to run a replacement wire unless you want to open up the harness half-way back and see if it has power there - then parse it again halfway between that point and the front or rear depending on whether you have power.

IOW, a binary search for where the break is.

[crazyvwvanman]

In 82 the rear wiring box is in the very back of the engine compartment, near the license plate door.
I assume that is where you checked the wire in the 3 pin connector.
The diagrams show that wire feeding from a 4 pin connector perhaps in the same box.
If there is a 4 pin in there with the same color wire then check that connection also.


Mark