A '99 Passat Dash Light Query

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- IPMnet
  
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posted
20 years ago

Thu, Nov 6, 2003 10:29 PM

Last summer we made the jump from a pretty spartan '88 Audi to a '99 Passat 1.8T. We were dazzled by all the convenience lights at night in the VW: door switches, courtesy lights, lights behind the radio, etc.

In spite of all this, strangely there are no lights (at least functioning) behind the fan swith/heat regulator swith/and heat director switch. They are all but impossible to adjust correctly without having to turn on the overhead light.

The Question: should there normally be a light(s) behind these

3 switches?

The owners manual wasn't much help in answering the question. As yet we haven't gone into the local VW dealer; maybe they could tell us, and maybe they couldn't (they don't seem to sell/service a lot of Passats).

In the meantime, any Passat afficinado that could answer this for us would be doing a big favor.

Thanks in advance,

Allan Corvallis, OR

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- Tom Christensen
  
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posted
20 years ago

Thu, Nov 6, 2003 10:47 PM

Hi Allan

"IPMnet" skrev i en meddelelse news: snipped-for-privacy@science.oregonstate.edu...

Perhaps it is the same construction as in my '97 Passat: The fan speed regulator in the middle can be pulled out and in the hole underneath I found a little bulb. A plier with a little rubber can pull it out.

I had asked VW, but they could not (or would not) answer, and then I found out this myself after dismounting the whole heat regulator unit...

Good luck. Best regards

Tom Christensen Copenhagen, Denmark

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- Pencilneck
  
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posted
20 years ago

Fri, Nov 7, 2003 5:04 AM

There is a single "wheat bulb" behind the fan speed switch. Go to your local dealer and get the bulb and ask for a 3" piece of scrap vacuum hose, the kind with the cloth weave on the outside, it is normally sold in 3 meter sections, but you only need a small bit.

Anyway, set the fan speed switch to the "2" positsion, then with a pair of pliers and a towel, pull the switch knob straigh out. If you look in the opening, you will see the bulb. Take the vacuum line and jam it onto that old bulb, then pull it out. Pop the new bulb in, replace the switch knob and you are done.... 1 minute job.