I've got an '81 NA Rabbit.
Anyone ever had an intermittant seat belt light that seems to come on randomly when the blinker lever is moved? It makes no sense to me.
While I'm on the subject, I've a couple of other wierd and seemingly unrelated electrical anomolies I could use some advice about.
1. Until recently, my glow plug indicator would only stay on for a short (and porportional) time related to engine temperature. The higher the temperature, the shorter the time. If the engine was fully warmed up, then it wouldn't come on at all.
This has now stopped. The indicator light will stay on forever unless I start the engine. I've verified the glow plugs get cut off after a period of time, but the indicator stays on. I've changed the temperature sensor, but nothing changed. Any hints?
2. My left turn signal blinks like it's on crack! The right side one works normally, but the left side makes me appear to be extra anxious to turn! It's done this since I bought the car, and I've not been able to figure this one out. I've checked grounds, replaced the relay, moved all the bulbs from one side to the other (if the problem moves with it, then I've found the problem!), but I've never been able to figure it out. Any ideas?
I've noticed that the one thing in common with all these weird things is the dash display (gage cluster). Could this be the source of my bizzaro 'character driven personality' car?
seat belt light
Moderator: Fatmobile
Glow plug: well it sounded like a sender problem until you said you replaced it.
Blinkers and glow plugs: now it sounds like a grounding problem. I had blinker problems, and like you, I confirmed the bulbs were all ok. It turned out to be a bad ground connection, and the only way I found it was to unwrap all the wires in the engine compartment and trace the ground wire from shock tower to shock tower, replacing each nasty fuzzy green corroded splice with a new connection. Actually I think one of the wires had come loose from the blinker bulb holder too.
Blinkers and glow plugs: now it sounds like a grounding problem. I had blinker problems, and like you, I confirmed the bulbs were all ok. It turned out to be a bad ground connection, and the only way I found it was to unwrap all the wires in the engine compartment and trace the ground wire from shock tower to shock tower, replacing each nasty fuzzy green corroded splice with a new connection. Actually I think one of the wires had come loose from the blinker bulb holder too.
'82 Diesel Rabbit • '88 Fox (RIP) • '88 Jetta (work in progress)