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Hank Montura Samba Member
Joined: August 09, 2016 Posts: 71 Location: Vancouver WA
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 4:06 pm Post subject: Tail Light Assembly |
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It looks like one of my tail lights isn't working. Is anybody else having a problem with the tail lights? Corrosion on the tail light assembly? Blown fuse?
Once again, any help will be appreciated. _________________ 1984 Westfalia "Trogdor"
2013 Beetle |
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djkeev Samba Moderator
Joined: September 30, 2007 Posts: 32432 Location: Reading Pennsylvania
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Hank Montura Samba Member
Joined: August 09, 2016 Posts: 71 Location: Vancouver WA
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 4:42 pm Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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Thanks Dave,
It is only one of the tail lights. Would you happen to know which fuse it is? I'll be cleaning the assembly and the connector with steel wool and see if that helps and a new bulb as well. I did have a fuse burn up a few years back and have wondered what it connected to.
Thanks again _________________ 1984 Westfalia "Trogdor"
2013 Beetle |
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Sodo Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2007 Posts: 9517 Location: Western WA
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 4:44 pm Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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Hank,
Look at your fusebox cover, molded into the inside, is a list of the fuses. See this post.
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=3...highlight= _________________
'90 Westy EJ25, 2Peloquins, 3knobs, pressure-oiled GT mainshaft, filtered, cooled gearbox
'87 Tintop w 47k 53k, '12 SmallCar EJ25, cooled filtered gearbox
....KTMs, GasGas, SPOT mtb |
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Hank Montura Samba Member
Joined: August 09, 2016 Posts: 71 Location: Vancouver WA
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 4:59 pm Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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Sodo
Thanks. I am hoping it is an easy fix but nothing has been easy with Trogdor these past couple of years. Lots of after market and improvisation. Thanks for the fuse answer. _________________ 1984 Westfalia "Trogdor"
2013 Beetle |
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weswsimpson Samba Member
Joined: September 29, 2015 Posts: 191 Location: Chicago
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 5:39 pm Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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check your grounds, also, if any trailer lights or anything else was "spliced" on to the tail light wires, you may have a broken wire. Your test light/continuity tester is your friend. |
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bluebus86 Banned
Joined: September 02, 2010 Posts: 11075
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 6:21 pm Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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make brighter lights. coat inside of lamp house which is black, with metallized silver tape. you may have to cut it into small pieces, and use tweezers and a stick to cover all the black, on e done you get more light. _________________ Help Prevent VW Engine Fires, see this link.....Engine safety wire information
Stop introducing dirt into your oil when adjusting valves ... https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=683022 |
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Westified Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2012 Posts: 401 Location: Miami, FL
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Posted: Wed Sep 14, 2016 8:05 pm Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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Hank Montura wrote: |
Thanks Dave,
It is only one of the tail lights. Would you happen to know which fuse it is? I'll be cleaning the assembly and the connector with steel wool and see if that helps and a new bulb as well. I did have a fuse burn up a few years back and have wondered what it connected to.
Thanks again |
Hope this helps:
_________________ 1984 Westy Wolfsburg, owned since 1987. FAS 2.0 NA engine conversion in 2022. |
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Hank Montura Samba Member
Joined: August 09, 2016 Posts: 71 Location: Vancouver WA
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2016 7:07 am Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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Whoa Westified,
This is great!
The fuse that burned up a few years ago was a blade type fuse and if I remember it was of to the right of the main fuse box. I'll be using all of these posts as a reference.
Thank you all again _________________ 1984 Westfalia "Trogdor"
2013 Beetle |
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Westified Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2012 Posts: 401 Location: Miami, FL
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2016 1:38 pm Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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You are welcome. If you have air cinditioning fuse #18 for the A/C blower is hidden under the lower steering column cover. You need to remove the cover to access it. I had that fuse holder melt because my blower motor was creating to much resistance due to the bushings being dried out due to age.
_________________ 1984 Westy Wolfsburg, owned since 1987. FAS 2.0 NA engine conversion in 2022. |
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Hank Montura Samba Member
Joined: August 09, 2016 Posts: 71 Location: Vancouver WA
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2016 2:03 pm Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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Is that to the right of the main fuse box? I had a yellow 20 amp blade fuse blow and melt and haven't figured what it was for. Once I pick up the van, I'll be able to diagnose it more accurately.
I did hear that my marker, lights, parking lights on the right side AND the license plate light are all not working. So I'm thinking it could be fuse #2. _________________ 1984 Westfalia "Trogdor"
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Westified Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2012 Posts: 401 Location: Miami, FL
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2016 2:27 pm Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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The 2 blade fuses you see in my picture are for the Air Conditioning. Regarding those lights it could be bulbs or corrosion of the actual sockets. I had to replace some sockets. Use a multimeter to test your bulbs (continuity test) and test for voltage at the sockets. Also inspect the bulb sockets. _________________ 1984 Westy Wolfsburg, owned since 1987. FAS 2.0 NA engine conversion in 2022. |
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Hank Montura Samba Member
Joined: August 09, 2016 Posts: 71 Location: Vancouver WA
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2016 3:41 pm Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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If I have to replace the sockets, are they hard to come by? I know I can pick up bulbs and the assembly can be tricky to find. I am planning on giving the assembly a thorough steel wool going over.
I need to get a multimeter as well. I still need to check out the sink pump (mentioned in previous threads) _________________ 1984 Westfalia "Trogdor"
2013 Beetle |
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Westified Samba Member
Joined: May 01, 2012 Posts: 401 Location: Miami, FL
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Posted: Thu Sep 15, 2016 4:02 pm Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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I replaced my sockets 4 years ago. I believe the parts are still available. Check Van-Cafe, GoWesty and Busdepot. They are not hard to change. I used dialectric grease on the new ones to prevent corrosion. I also replaced the lenses. They make the van look much better. I use a small brass brush instead of steel wool. I would think if you leave any steel wool fibers behind they will rust but, since I haven't used it others may want to comment on this. _________________ 1984 Westy Wolfsburg, owned since 1987. FAS 2.0 NA engine conversion in 2022. |
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Hank Montura Samba Member
Joined: August 09, 2016 Posts: 71 Location: Vancouver WA
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Posted: Fri Sep 16, 2016 11:45 am Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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Dialectric grease...the biomed guy here at work suggested that too. I have obtained the multimeter and checking the bulbs and fuses are pretty easy. I need help checking the voltages to rule out the assembly and to check out my sink pump. Any suggestions? _________________ 1984 Westfalia "Trogdor"
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Hank Montura Samba Member
Joined: August 09, 2016 Posts: 71 Location: Vancouver WA
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Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2016 2:45 pm Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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A little diagnosing and a lot of help here. Fuse #2 was blown. 137 bucks to diagnose that??
Thanks a lot guys! You help is invaluable. _________________ 1984 Westfalia "Trogdor"
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Steve M. Samba Member
Joined: July 30, 2013 Posts: 6798 Location: Fort Lauderdale, Fl.
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Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2016 4:58 pm Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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Just wanted to add since this is about the tail lights and being that some of the problems with the tail lights comes from people just butchering the wire harness by adding the trailer connections.
Usually people (U-haul folks) using the those blue push-on clips that cut into the insulation of the wire allowing moisture into the wire so they start to corrode.
You do not need destroy the wire harness by cutting open the loom to splice into the wires.
The connections can be made inside the junction box in the forward left corner of the engine compartment where they would be protected from the elements leaving the wire harness intact. _________________ This free advice is worth exactly what you paid for it.
There are seven days in a week. Someday is not one of them. |
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Stephenmarklay Samba Member
Joined: August 10, 2016 Posts: 526 Location: Spokane
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Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2016 7:57 pm Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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Westified wrote: |
You are welcome. If you have air cinditioning fuse #18 for the A/C blower is hidden under the lower steering column cover. You need to remove the cover to access it. I had that fuse holder melt because my blower motor was creating to much resistance due to the bushings being dried out due to age.
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Not good. Can you lube the bushings on the blower? _________________ 1985 Westfalia. Project 2017. |
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Stephenmarklay Samba Member
Joined: August 10, 2016 Posts: 526 Location: Spokane
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Posted: Sat Sep 17, 2016 8:01 pm Post subject: Re: Tail Light Assembly |
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Steve M. wrote: |
Just wanted to add since this is about the tail lights and being that some of the problems with the tail lights comes from people just butchering the wire harness by adding the trailer connections.
Usually people (U-haul folks) using the those blue push-on clips that cut into the insulation of the wire allowing moisture into the wire so they start to corrode.
You do not need destroy the wire harness by cutting open the loom to splice into the wires.
The connections can be made inside the junction box in the forward left corner of the engine compartment where they would be protected from the elements leaving the wire harness intact. |
Yep. This was the case on my van. I did not have any issues but I just a week or so ago for rid of that mess. Not only did they do exactly what you said they had previously hacked the wires in the black box. _________________ 1985 Westfalia. Project 2017. |
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