Does anyone know if it is possible to wire the interior lights so that the rear light comes on if you switch the front one on so that both illuminate without touching the rear if that makes sense?

It would make life so much easier in my job if it is possible.

In theory you just need to pop open the front one, the rear one, take a feed from the large festoon bulb in the front (or whichever bulb you need to also work with the rear one), solder it to the rear festoon, and you're set.

Here's a start: Look at the threads I started for the footwell lights diy. Do the wires like I describe there, but instead of travelling down the pillar, etc, take it to the rear light. There touch the wire around the bulb's ends and when it lights up you found where to solder it. Either that, or a meter.

Have plenty of 7.5A fuses around you're likely to blow a few up.

Assuming this isn't possible with vagcom or something, I would say it would be pretty easy to do. Both lights drop out of the headlining with just a couple of screws, so you'd just need to fish a wire through between them.

I'd guess that each fitting receives a permanent live, switched live (on door opening etc..) and ground.

Assuming you'd still want the rear light to behave normally (i.e. come on when door opened), you'd need to feed the permanent live from the front, in parallel, across the switched live connections at the back. So when you switch the front light into "always on", the rear (when left in door-open mode) will follow suit.

My only fear would be the risk of confusing the door open sensors with "stray" voltage, but it's pretty unlikely. Would be interested to hear how you get on, if you take it any further..

Well since they both open off the door, you might be able to wire up a switch that pulls the door open signal high so they come on?

Thanks for that all you guys i will pop them down and have a look when i get a spare day.