99 Jetta GLS intermittent tail/plate light problems...

Feb 13, 2006 5 Replies
J

Hi all,



I have a 99 Jetta GLS with just over 80k miles. I have owned th car for about 6k miles and have had no problems except with the electrical system. Basically, sporradicly the driver side tail light will sometimes work and sometimes won't (about 50% of the time) and the same problem with the left license plate light. The brake lights work fine. It has done this since I bought the car, I have replaced the bulbs a couple of times (though they have never been blown) and tried cleaning the contacts (which weren't corroded). I have also had the trunk light and the passanger vanity light stop working completely (which I read from earlier posts could be merely the switches going bad). I can live without the trunk light and the vanity light but and ready to fix the tail/plate lights. Does anyone have an easy fix or know how much this might run me at a mechanic? (I'm in LA and am looking for a reliable one by the way if anyone has suggestions). Thanks in advance for the help!



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M

If the taillamp and license light are both going out simultaneously I'd suspect a loose ground or a loose wire in the left-side parking lamp circuit.

When this happens does your front parking lamp also go out too (little amber light in the headlamp assembly)? If it's just the stuff at the back of the car, probably a loose ground. If it's the front parking lamp too, loose wire or bad headlamp switch on the 12V side of things. electrical problems can be really easy ("oh yeah there's the loose ground right there!" or time-consuming. Time/labor is what kills ya.

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S

It is probably a dirty/oxidized connection. Spray some DeoxIT contact cleaner and rejuvenator on all the connections. It works wonders on all electrical connections. See

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for info.

Mike

Matt B. wrote:

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S

It is probably a dirty/oxidized connection. Spray some DeoxIT contact cleaner and rejuvenator on all the connections. It works wonders on all electrical connections. See

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for info. You can get it at RadioShack also
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Mike

Matt B. wrote:

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J

Thanks!! It worked!

snipped-for-privacy@aol.com wrote:

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S

That's great. You can use DeoxIT on batteries, flashlights, audio/video, RV/boat connections and tons of other stuff. Anywhere there is a metal connection. I just fixed one of my floor standing halogen lights. The dimmer switch was intermittent. When I turned the dimmer up it would flicker and then just shut off. I sprayed one shot of DeoxIT into the dimmer switch (turned off the lamp first - even though I have the nonflammable version), waited a few seconds and turned up the dimmer and now it works perfectly. Great stuff. Mike

Jetta99gls wrote:

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