Strange going ons with my dash lights

Post by **danmetallic** » 09 Nov 2014, 17:44

Help needed! I spent the other day re-crimping all the earths on the earth crowns under the dash. The only thing I did differently was unpair some of the earths that were crimped together and put them to another spare earth.

Unfortunately I now have a flashing temperature light that only goes off when i put the headlights on full beam (the dash lights also dim at the same time).

What is going on?

Post by **Oldiebut goodie** » 09 Nov 2014, 18:05

Did you remove the crowns and clean up all the contact areas?

Post by **danmetallic** » 09 Nov 2014, 18:13

Yes, they're all beautifully clean now.

Post by **Oldiebut goodie** » 09 Nov 2014, 18:57

The bodywork and base of the crowns?

Post by **danmetallic** » 09 Nov 2014, 19:08

Oldiebut goodie wrote:The bodywork and base of the crowns?

All lovely too.

Post by **ZsZ** » 09 Nov 2014, 19:09

Did you take out the dash?
Check the dash connector and the dash ground wire.

Post by **Oldiebut goodie** » 09 Nov 2014, 19:24

Must have disturbed another earth then - as above?

Post by **danmetallic** » 09 Nov 2014, 19:28

No, I left the dash in. I suspect I've done a bad crimp.

E D I T: would that actually result in the strange behaviour I'm getting though? Just to double check.

Post by **ZsZ** » 09 Nov 2014, 19:39

I had strange instruments only when the dash had false ground connection.

Post by **danmetallic** » 09 Nov 2014, 19:41

ZsZ wrote:I had strange instruments only when the dash had false ground connection.

How did you rectify that? Where is the dash earth?

Post by **ZsZ** » 09 Nov 2014, 19:54

danmetallic wrote:
ZsZ wrote:I had strange instruments only when the dash had false ground connection.

How did you rectify that? Where is the dash earth?

The ground is nr 5 on the dash PCB connector, as you have an '88. You can follow the brown wire through the loom to the crown. (the dash loom has the blue and the red connectors at the central relay panel)
I think checking the crimped connector and re crimping it, can solve the problem.

On my dash the black connector housing is broken, so sometimes I have to realign the white connector to have clear connection on each pin.

Post by **danmetallic** » 09 Nov 2014, 19:59

ZsZ wrote:
danmetallic wrote:
ZsZ wrote:I had strange instruments only when the dash had false ground connection.

How did you rectify that? Where is the dash earth?

The ground is nr 5 on the dash PCB connector, as you have an '88. You can follow the brown wire through the loom to the crown. (the dash loom has the blue and the red connectors at the central relay panel)
I think checking the crimped connector and re crimping it, can solve the problem.

On my dash the black connector housing is broken, so sometimes I have to realign the white connector to have clear connection on each pin.

Thank you! I shall report back tomorrow.

Got to replace starter in the morning and install hard start relay for good measure then I'll be doing this in the afternoon. Fun times!

Post by **danmetallic** » 09 Nov 2014, 20:49

My worry is that in splitting up some paired earths and having paired up different ones I've somehow thrown everything out. Surely VW had a reason for pairing certain earths and not others.

Post by **ZsZ** » 09 Nov 2014, 20:54

They are connected through the crowns, so connecting them together won't cause anything

They are only paired, because of economical reasons - faster assembly, less connectors

Post by **scottbott** » 09 Nov 2014, 20:54

I would have done the same thing as you by splitting up doubles and making them single,I think I may have at some time

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