Mk 3 Golf wierd electrical problem

I have a 1994 VW golf and when i press the brake pedal the rear fog light indicator glows a little. This is the case if i put the car in reverse or use the indicators. Sometimes, as it did yesterday, the indicators in the dash would also glow a little when i press the brake pedal. This meant that if the indicator was used without pressing the brake it was fine, but as soon as i pressed the brake pedal the indicator would glow dim (both of the indicators in the dash)

Does anyone know why this is so? Any help would be greatly appreciated, thanks

Reply to
Shabs
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I would imagine that (as long as you have the correct type bulbs fitted) this could well be an earthing problem. Afraid I don't know where the earthing points for the lamps are, but when you find them, they may well be either loose or corroded. A good clean with emery cloth/ glass paper and a re-tighten hopefully will cure the problem. It's caused by the bulb in use at the time trying to find the completed circuit back to the battery, when the earth is missing the path of least resistance is usually through another bulb. I have known engine earth straps to break and the car's owner to complain of a warm handbrake lever where the completed circuit has been the handbrake cable!!

HTH AndyR VR6

Reply to
AndyR

Does anybody know where the earthing point is for the brake pedal lights?

Reply to
Shabs

There's no special earth for the brake lights. The Grounds of all bulbs in the taillight assembly are joined still inside the assembly itself - that's why the different lights tend to interfere if the ground is missing. Look for a brown cable leaving the harness that is plugged into the taillight, you will find it somewhere under the carpet.

btw: cross-posting is evil. Followup-To: rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled

Ingo

Reply to
Ingo Braune

Thanks guys, the problem has been solved.

I removed the driver side harness at the rear and the problem was still there. I then found that on the passenger side there were 3 wiring sockets entering the light. I could see the earth going to the body. Also when i interfered with the main socket, most of the lights stopped working. Having panicked for a couple of minutes, I moved and secured the same socket and hey presto! my wierd electrical problem is solved.

Thanks to everyone who helped!

Reply to
Shabs

Reply to
Richard

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