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Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem...
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kirk knighton
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 7:16 pm    Post subject: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

The car has only 62,000 miles, nothing but TLC and garage kept all its life, one owner, etc. A real beauty! Runs great.
One little problem however: no backup lights! I checked the fuse - it's good. Every single lightbulb on the car works; I can't imagine both backup lights are burned out. So....
It's a 5-speed.
The switch? Down by the shifter?
Anyone else with this problem?
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TDCTDI
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 7:49 pm    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

The backup light switches are a common failure point depending on which style that you have. The switch is located on the top of the transmission, on the side of where the shift input shaft goes into the trans. If you have the squarish plastic switch, this might be the problem but the mileage seems a bit low for this type of failure.
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kirk knighton
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 24, 2017 7:56 pm    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

Hmmm....so I need to crawl under the car to access this switch? Or through the shifter from up top? Thanks!
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TDCTDI
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 3:59 am    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

From the top, straight down from the back corner of the battery.
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Butcher
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 7:20 am    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

A quick Google search should have some picture of the switch. I agree, the switch is a good place to start. Jumping the right wires would allow power to go to the reverse lights and see them work.

Buy a cheap test light and splurge on a volt meter. It should be a simple fix.
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kirk knighton
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 8:20 am    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

Thanks! Is the part difficult to R & R? Difficult to find a new one?
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dub01
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 8:32 am    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

Use part number 191-919-823 in your search. That is the OEM number but it's NLA from VW. You'll find a decent pic of it when you Google image search that # too.

Just don't buy the cheapest one you find. They are a notoriously fragile design and cheap ones usually don't last more than a few times in and out of reverse.
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 10:45 am    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

Troubleshooting: http://www.cabby-info.com/electrical.htm#Reverse

Image may have been reduced in size. Click image to view fullscreen.

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kirk knighton
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2017 11:17 am    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

Wonderful! Best place to buy a good one of these?
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kirk knighton
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 04, 2017 5:31 am    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

I found two on ebay. One is $25, the other $125! Is the $25 a cheap piece of crap that will break right away? Is the $125 way overpriced?
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 04, 2017 8:06 am    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-GENUINE-VW-Cabriolet-...2548.l4275

This appears to be a good deal, factory switch too.
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kirk knighton
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 04, 2017 11:37 am    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

Butcher wrote:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-GENUINE-VW-Cabriolet-...2548.l4275

This appears to be a good deal, factory switch too.


Thank you! I just ordered it!!
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 04, 2017 6:13 pm    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

You're welcome. I hope it works out for you.

FYI, Meyle and URO are German for junk. Sometimes it's the only option. I know URO is now selling parts to Mercedes and Jaguar so maybe they have changed their way. I certainly believe they can, but I'm not optimistic.
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kirk knighton
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PostPosted: Fri Nov 17, 2017 9:07 pm    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

The switch has arrived and it looks good, like the real deal.
Now....I'm looking at the old one down there attached to the transmission. It's under the air intake stuff, kinda hard to get to. Do I have to take all that air intake stuff out to get to the switch? Maybe just take the battery out?
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volksworld
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PostPosted: Sat Nov 18, 2017 6:17 am    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

from what i recall there were 2 different switches for those cars that looked identical but were electrically different...and those 5 speeds were notorious for the spider gear shaft sliding out and machining a hole in the case....even one with 62,000 miles of tlc....so...the trans may not be original, or the proper switch for it may be NLA....so in the end you may have to rewire the plug to get the lights to work....besides the reverse lights that switch was tied into the upshift indicator light , thats why there's more than 2 wires
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kamzcab86
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PostPosted: Sun Nov 19, 2017 10:47 am    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

kirk knighton wrote:
The switch has arrived and it looks good, like the real deal.
Now....I'm looking at the old one down there attached to the transmission. It's under the air intake stuff, kinda hard to get to. Do I have to take all that air intake stuff out to get to the switch? Maybe just take the battery out?


Removing the plastic connecting pipe isn't a big deal: Two worm clamps loosened and it's out. That's all you would really need to remove to get better access to the switch.
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1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
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2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子
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kirk knighton
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PostPosted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 7:57 pm    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

UPDATE: I took my Cabriolet to a VW shop for a timing belt replacement and had them install the backup lights switch at the same time.
The mechanic told me he had a special angled wrench to get down in there to remove the bolts, didn't have to take anything out to get to it.
So I've got all new belts/timing belt now, and the backup lights work!
Thanks everybody who chimed-in!
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PostPosted: Wed Feb 21, 2018 8:50 am    Post subject: Re: Just bought a MINT 1985 Cabriolet - one little problem... Reply with quote

Great to hear!
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