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Tail Light Issues PLEASE Help
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Look at my Thing
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Joined: April 20, 2018
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Location: TX
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PostPosted: Sun Apr 22, 2018 7:43 pm    Post subject: Tail Light Issues PLEASE Help Reply with quote

So my lights all worked great but the old lenses were all discolored and cracked so i bought a set of tail lights from a VW Parts Dealer and when i removed my old light the housing was metal but the new one is plastic and so i followed the wiring that was already there and it would not work. I then put the old light back into the car and now it wont work but the one on the passanger side still works fine. I am very new to the Things i only got mine a week ago and i am having a hard time trying to fight it all out. Is this a common issue am i doing something wrong is there a fuse or some reason i am getting ZERO power to the wires with a volt meter
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wbailey2112
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 5:00 am    Post subject: Re: Tail Light Issues PLEASE Help Reply with quote

Probably a grounding issue since you went from a metal housing to a plastic one. When you check your voltages are you checking them between each wire to the tail lights and chassis ground? When you check them do you have your lights turned on and/or someone has their foot on the brake pedal?

If they worked before the change you made then something you changed is the basis of your issue. You probably need to add a ground wire from the new plastic tail light assembly to the chassis/body of the car.
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Look at my Thing
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:07 am    Post subject: Re: Tail Light Issues PLEASE Help Reply with quote

I tried to ground it. I also tried to reinstall the original housing and again and i got nothing. the passenger side works great and all the wires test good it makes no sense to me at all. I know it is basic wiring i was only curious if there were inline fuses or something strange because no matter where i ground my volt meter i am getting nothing on any wire
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Captain Spalding
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Joined: February 19, 2005
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:52 pm    Post subject: Re: Tail Light Issues PLEASE Help Reply with quote

There is an inline fuse for the reverse lights, but that's the only one.

I assume you are aware that there are separate grounds for the left and right side tail light housings.

Are you using the wiring diagram in the tech section?

You didn't answer wbaily's questions. When you are testing for voltage where are you testing? Are you testing voltage in the brake light wire while the brake pedal is depressed (and the key switch is on)? Are you testing for voltage in the tail light wire with the lights on?

What colors are the wires on the new brake light housing? What colors do you have on the harness?

Have you seen THIS NOTE in the tech section about the tail light wiring?
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Look at my Thing
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 8:08 pm    Post subject: Re: Tail Light Issues PLEASE Help Reply with quote

The old housing has wire ends on them and they all have to be unplugged and plugged into the new housing. I did follow the diagram on here and it matches the ones in the book. I had tail lights until I messed with the old housing trying to get it out I must have screwed something up. I just got this car and it is in perfect condition but it is doing me crazy with it's quirks. I held the ground of my volt meter on the ground wire and turned the key on had my kid hold the brakes down and nothing so I then moved the ground lead to the frame or body and still nothing. On top of this I cannot get it to run it is missing like crazy I've set the timing adjusted the valves installed a petronix ignition in the distributor and the more I do the worse it runs if it even starts at all. I need to find a very shop close to Bastop TX before I sell this THInG
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Captain Spalding
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PostPosted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 8:25 pm    Post subject: Re: Tail Light Issues PLEASE Help Reply with quote

Your issues are not complicated ones. Any competent mechanic should be able to fix your car right up. Nothing you've got going on requires a VW specialist. Take her down to the mechanic at the corner gas station and he'll have her fixed up in an hour. Take the points with you and have him take the Petronix out for now. Put it back when you've got things sorted out.
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Wildthings
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 11:44 am    Post subject: Re: Tail Light Issues PLEASE Help Reply with quote

With the brake light bulb removed the center contact in the bulb socket should have power when the brake pedal is depressed.
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Look at my Thing
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PostPosted: Thu Apr 26, 2018 11:49 am    Post subject: Re: Tail Light Issues PLEASE Help Reply with quote

I kind of put the brake lights on the back burner until I can get it running. I think it has to be a loose or broken wire or ground it's simple basic wiring I only wanted to know if it was common or if there were fuse links hidden throughout the car like some old cars. But thank you very much for helping me with these issues all you guys are great
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