Puddle Light and Interior lights not working when door unlocked or open

[paul2cr]

Hi folks. Having trouble with the interior lights and puddle lights on my car.

I was trying to fix the puddle lights on the car. The interior lights were working. I took the trim off the driver mirror and checked the wires. I was trying to test if there was power getting to the puddle light. However we connected the battery up the wrong way.:rotz:

I replaced fuse 14 in the fuse box. Now all the lights are working when switched on manually but do not come on when door is opened or car unlocked. Puddle lights still not working. I dont know what else it could be. I was going to check all the wiring to the control module again. But the lights work normally just not when doors are opened so I dunno.

Anyone know what the problem could be?. I heard a few people talk about the locking mechanism has circuit in it and the solder can crack?.

I took the lights out the roof the map lights etc and found the same colour wires from the puddle lights up here. I pulled them a bit. Dunno if this has loosened anything. Anyone know where the connectors are for all these lights and wires?. I have been told its the switchable ground that causes the lights to go on when the doors are opened.

[Supurbia]

Check if the carpets are wet.

[paul2cr]

Hi, I have read up on water ingress already. The passanger carpet and rear passanger carpet are both wet. However I have already had them up and I have stripped back all the wires and reconnected them and then sealed them all. So water will not get into them.

If its the control module I would need to untape all the wires and recheck them all again.

Is there nothing else it could be?. Is there no other controller or switch for the door open and puddle lights?. They should come on when the car is unlocked.

The puddle lights have never worked but the interior lights did.

[paul2cr]

Update on the car. Have become fed up trying to fix the problems with the car. The electrics are playing up. Seems that whoever designed the superb, passat and any other car with the electrics in the floor should be shot.

You would think after releasing the passat and finding out it had major problems that when they released the superb they would rectify them.

Also I had a phone call from Thompson and Potter today saying they have been in touch with the site and I have noticed my post has been removed from the garage review.

Seems you can't have freedom of speech anymore.:rotz:

They did not sound very happy on the phone and were inviting me to speak to the managing director. I declined as there was not much point because I know he would not say or do anything different from the garage.

Would waste hours of my time babbling nonsense about how parts cost this and how labour costs that.

My description was accurate and was verified by another member below my post. I did write they were friendly and helpful when things were going their own way.

Would just like to point out that the parts in question can in fact be bought for half price or less sometimes from VW Parts - Audi Parts and Euro Car Parts, Cheap Car Parts - Euro Car Parts UK?s No.1 Car Parts Retailer

Also if you are trade they can be bought from Trade parts specialists at almost half the price. Lucky for me I have friends who work in garages and can get me the parts at trade. It seems Thompson & Potter did not think it possible I could get trade prices.

They said that they would be unhappy to fit any part that was supplied and would prefer if they ordered the parts. I understant why now because thats where a bulk of the money is made along with £48 per hour labour costs.

Also as mentioned before in my posts an air filter takes a couple of minutes to replace, a pollen filter takes less than a minute, spark plugs take a matter of minutes, timing belt, and few other engine bits would take up bulk of the time but would not take almost 11 hours to do.

Anyway I have decided to sell the car. It seems that people are taking the garages word over mine without even consulting myself first. :thumbdwn:

Why would I say stuff in the first place unless it were true?. Do you think I spend my time making up stories?.:confused:

Seems you can't say anything negative about any company nowadays without a big whoopdeedoo. Should look at it more as constructive criticism and look on making your service better. Never mentioned it took about a week to get a quote from them in the first place.:P

Anyway enough of my banter. Feel free to post your comments on this. Unless this is deleted also.

[rotodiesel]

Well said.

As I have pointed out in other posts, releasing the Superb with all of the design defects of the Passat (every single one) was a crime.

VAG M-K are totally organised to raid your wallet. However...

Apart from design defects, these cars are well made and can be had with some of the very best 4 cyl diesel engines (choose carefully). Skoda screw them together well (better than VW) and these cars can run to starship mileages. They don't structurally rust very much.

So, the golden rules for happy VAG ownership:

Steer clear of the dealers at all times (I serviced my Superb whilst it was under warranty). This is absolutely essential unless you want your car damaged and your bank account emptied.

Buy spares from GSF, Euro Car Parts or wherever.

Get VAGCOM.

Find a good Independent to do all work if you can't do it yourself.

Use the Internet to identify and fix all of VAG's stupidities - rusted pinch bolts, rain water ingress etc. etc. - there are plenty of them.

If you do all of this, these cars will give really good service and cheap comfortable driving over a huge mileage. (Don't try selling it though, nobody wants them).

rotodiesel.

[Raptor]

Hi Paul,

I had similar problem, interior lights not working when door open and puddle lights not working. It was traced to a faulty circuit board in the wing mirror, once replced eberything ok

Good luck

Raptor

[Fred Bloggs]

Why do they have to make it so friggin' complicated? I have the faulty interior lights but I have had no water ingress under the carpet. All the lights are out except the rear couretsy lights, which work normally. I guess the faulty circuit board takes all the lights out, so I haven't got that exact same fault it sems?

[The Good Shag]

I had similar problem, interior lights not working when door open and puddle lights not working. It was traced to a faulty circuit board in the wing mirror, once replced eberything ok

I think this may be the problem with mine coz the wiring looks mint and the carpets are bone dry. Any tips on getting at the board in the mirror? What side was it or is there one in both mirrors? Where did you get the replacement board? How much was it?

[Nackuk]

I think this may be the problem with mine coz the wiring looks mint and the carpets are bone dry. Any tips on getting at the board in the mirror? What side was it or is there one in both mirrors? Where did you get the replacement board? How much was it?

When you sayyour carpets are dry have you checked underneath. My carpets were dry on top but in fact when I found a gap to put my finger below i could feel the damp. When I lifted the carpet I was horrified about how much the insulation backing had in fact soaked up and was holding onto.

If your wires have been repaired but not soldered it may be that the signal down the cables is not getting to the bulb controlers. Whowever had a previous attempt at repairing mine had done what looked like a good crimping job, however I had the same syspmtoms as yours. Voltage might be there but no signal to turn them on. If you solder the wiring togeather the signal will reach the bulb controller (or so I believe). Note the wire will only solder if it is shiney and not oxidized (you will know as the solder will not take if the wires are now oxidized). There are a lot of wires to solder togeather, so solder them togeather in pairs first. Then bunch them togeather and wind a single long strand of copper wire around the wires. Solder the bundle and you should have a very good joint. It will then need insulating. It doesn't look pretty but is better and in my case hey presto all features work again. Hope it helps.

Edited 31 May, 2010 by Nackuk

[The Good Shag]

When you sayyour carpets are dry have you checked underneath. My carpets were dry on top but in fact when I found a gap to put my finger below i could feel the damp. When I lifted the carpet I was horrified about how much the insulation backing had in fact soaked up and was holding onto.

If your wires have been repaired but not soldered it may be that the signal down the cables is not getting to the bulb controlers. Whowever had a previous attempt at repairing mine had done what looked like a good crimping job, however I had the same syspmtoms as yours. Voltage might be there but no signal to turn them on. If you solder the wiring togeather the signal will reach the bulb controller (or so I believe). Note the wire will only solder if it is shiney and not oxidized (you will know as the solder will not take if the wires are now oxidized). There are a lot of wires to solder togeather, so solder them togeather in pairs first. Then bunch them togeather and wind a single long strand of copper wire around the wires. Solder the bundle and you should have a very good joint. It will then need insulating. It doesn't look pretty but is better and in my case hey presto all features work again. Hope it helps.

Yep. Had the carpet up. Bone dry and the wiring looks mint. Control unit bone dry too. I am very loathe to cut into the loom only to find it perfect. That's why I'm keen to go down the circuit board in the mirror route first.