rear interior lights not working

[Tidypug]

Hi,

I have wanted to install brighter LED bulbs to the interior lights of my VRS.

Like a fool I didn't notice the body of the new LED bulb was metal so installing the bulbs ( I only installed 1) has caused a short in the car. I quickly removed the bulb and have fitted the original bulb. Now the lights in the rear won't illuminate when the door opens, only if I turn the lights on with the switch.

With the doors closed I can see the lights in the boot and the rear lights illuminate slightly but not fully. I can also smell that something electrical has burnt out, you know the smell of a burnt out capacitor or the like.

I'm guessing the rear interior lights are separate to fronts as the fronts work as before, so could I have damaged a relay? If so where is it?

 

If any one can help I would be eternally great full. 

[arnold]

If i remember right mine acted strangely when i fitted my leds no smell of burning though. I locked the car up and unlocked and everything returned back to normal  oddly. 

[Tidypug]

The rear lights still don't work. 

[glosrich]

Auto electrician or Skoda or an independent VW specialist might be able to help.

[SashaGrace]

This is exactly what happened to me with my car, like a spanner I burned something out clearly and the symptoms are the same. It’s not the rear light unit as I've tried plugging a different one in and still no joy. I am trying to find which fuse runs the rear interior light to no avail. Any info would be greatly appreciated  Thanks

 

EDIT It’s fuse 43 and changing that made no difference. What else could it be?

Edited 7 July, 2018 by SashaGrace

[jagdad]

I also managed to short out the rear light when installing LEDs with a metal collar, which meant the rear interior light wouldn't work from the door switch (the spots worked OK if manually turned on). I eventually realised the feed comes from the front courtesy light and expected to find a blown fuse or diode when I removed it. In fact the high current had burnt out a track on the PCB (see pics). 

 

I carefully remove the damaged part of the track and then tinned the remaining ends of the track are re-linked with tinned copper wire (you could attach a piece of wire to the solder joints at the ends of the damaged track instead).

 

I then put in some LEDs with a short plastic body, reset the error code on OBDEleven (something like 'short to earth on lighting circuit') and all back to working

 

Hope this helps anyone still the problem.

Edited 28 November, 2018 by jagdad

[SashaGrace]

OMG this could be the answer, I never thought to check the front light unit, I even bought a new one for the rear! I’ll be taking this apart tomorrow to check. If this is the case on my light unit then you must give me your bank details because I owe you a large drink 

[SashaGrace]

@jagdad Thank you so much, I owe you a drink, I checked my front light unit today and had the same fault. Repaired and back to 100% health. I now finally have lights in the back again when the doors are opened. Thank you thank you thank you!!!

[jagdad]

Glad to be helpful Sasha, no need for a drink as I've benefited from your advice/upgrade ideas on more than one occasion, That's what forums like this are for.

[Ballsy]

Ahh this might explain my fault, exactly the same as above! No voltage going to the central light with doors open. Will it be obvious which track I need to repair? Fancy meeting you here Sasha!

[jagdad]

Mine had fused in the red area but it could be anywhere along the yellow track shown

[Ballsy]

I will be getting the soldering iron out tomorrow!

[Ballsy]

Quick question, to get to that board do I have to strip out the whole central light? Does the whole unit pop out, if easily or do I need to unscrew the small hex screws?

Edited 27 February, 2019 by Ballsy

[SashaGrace]

Unscrew those two screws and pull it out

[Ballsy]

3 hours ago, Ballsy said:

Put the originals back, phoned Skoda, booked in next week under warranty, I think I am going to steer clear of anything electrical with this car! 

 

Edited 27 February, 2019 by Ballsy