Tame Technition Help ): Mk4 Golf panel lights stay on

[cptsideways]

For about the umptienth time the wifes Golf MK4 1.9 PD has sprung yet another VW switch/electrical related fault.

The interior panel lights/radio/switchgear lights remain on when the key is removed, no amount of twiddling the ignition makes any difference. I'm assuming its ignition barrel related or perhaps a relay is jammed? I can happily circuit test but a heads up on what must be a common fault would be nice. Tried googling without much success.


Any help appreciated or I'm driving the bloody pice of stty crap VW to the scrapyard out of spite & I'll be buying her a Toyota instead.

[Jimmyarm]

My wiring diagram is showing 3 + feeds into the module that controls the lamps.

One is from the ignition switch which is Fuse 37 (10a)

The other two are fused live links - F11 & F15 both 5 amps.

Pull the fuses and see which one makes the lights go out, I suspect its a fault with the ignition switch like you say. Try chucking some WD40 down it or failing that get a new one from TPS or similar or a scrappy one

[cptsideways]

Ok cheers for that

Been out pulling fuses, No24 is the culprit circuit, though on the fuse panel it says wipers! yet the wipers work fine Interestingly the dash lights still work on the light switch & so does the reostat that controls the dimming.


The one you suggested does nothing on the switch panel.

FYI its a 2000 Mk4 PD Tdi 115bhp Estate if that makes any difference.

So I've pulled a fuse, solved the issue & nothing has stopped working, how does that work then



VW's are catergoricallicly THE most unreliable pieces of junk I have ever come across. Yes great engines & fuel economy but thats the ONLY thing they have going for them. The amount of regular TLC this piece of junk needs is ridiculous.

let me list whats gone wrong with just this one car in the 2 years we've owned it & about 40k miles.

Rear boot lock relay jammed/failed
Heated rear window button fallen out/broke
Bottom arms/balljoints X about 4 now
Passenger side door latch failed/broken
Radiator failed (ok at 140k I guess) & the worst job ever!
Radiator cap leaking
2 wheel bearings
OE stereo started doing random things so replaced
Indicator stalk replaced as it stopped working
Several random electrical issues
Thermostat - find me a VW with a good one!


Anybody got a diesel Toyota estate they want to sell me cheap, not fussed about miles so long as its been serviced?

[Jimmyarm]

Fuse 24 is for the wiper control module on my diagram, its appears to get some feed from the ignition switch.

Odd that the wipers work with it out !

[mcford]

Sounds like a S contact fault on the ignition switch. The S contact comes into play when the key is inserted into the slot, it tells the car that the key is in the lock.

When it is withdrawn, it will switch the radio off and activate the courtesy light.

You could try lubricating the ignition barrel, though it's not generally considered to be good practice to use a liquid lubricant, graphite may be better. Find a pencil and powder its lead on some abrasive paper, ensure that the abrasive stays on the paper and does not go into the lock.

[Rich_W]

Tried unplugging the headlight switch? Or less likely the little roller switch for headlight height/interior illumination.

[cptsideways]

Rich_W said:

Tried unplugging the headlight switch? Or less likely the little roller switch for headlight height/interior illumination.

I'l have a go at that, how do you get the switch outta the dash though ?

[Rich_W]

Push the switch inwards.
Turn it slightly anti clockwise.
Pull.(or push the switch from the back if you've got the dash end trim off. Or just unplug it through that end)