Back Up Light

VS comes with a back-up light. If the plate lights are working, it may be a simple fix of replacing a bulb or checking the ground for the back-up light (maybe a bit of corrosion).

What Jim said. When I got my older VS the lights were all f'ed up. It was all corrosion and grounds.

Thanks!  I'll check the bulb, look for rust and check the ground.

could also be a loose connector on the backup light switch.  It's on the front of the transmission - passenger side - bottom.

 

Could also be a bad switch.  i'd guess it's a wiring issue though.

 The switch is on the nose  passenger side of the transmisson it a grounding switch. Power for the back up lites should be pluged to your Ignition coil + side. then to a 15 amp fuse cartrige close to the coil then out to your backup lite.  The lite's ground.  goes from it to the grounding switch on the tranny. 

 

   Hope this helps

Thanks for the technical info, it helps!

The glass lens facing back on the assembly is the back up light. I also had a leaking problem there. Take the assembly out of the car; clean up and put dielectric grease in all bulb sockets while inspecting for dead bulbs or loose connections. Reinstall using some silicone all around the rubber gasket. You should be home free.

 Get a vw fuse cartrige.   If you can It's well made and then take a 3 inch hose clamp and make a strap that clips it to.. and around the coil case NEET!

Got the light working, just corrosion on the bulb base.  I notice that a lot of water is getting into that housing with the backup light and license plate lights.  Has anyone addressed this, and if so, what did you do?

Like I said in my post earlier, use a small amount of silicone sealant all around the rubber gasket. Also seal around the two lenses at the top (on shine up assemblies, obviously).

Someone had mentioned turning the tail light lens assemblies upside down so that the bulb sockets were at the top, not the bottom.  I liked the concept because if water got in or condensation formed, it would not pool in the bulb sockets.

 

What I don't know is how much this would affect the tail light brightness.  When you look at the way the lens is made, it does look like it was designed a certain way to increase brightness and flipping it over may not work as well.

 

AHas ayone try it and how did it work?

Interesting! I do know that there are shine-up and shine-down assemblies; haven't tried it but  I imagine that with a little ingenuity and fabrication it can be done. Was also thinking that if you need more brightness there, maybe LED bulbs could be retrofitted.

We do that on all cars, due to the design of our rear shelf area, and it does not affect the brightness of standard incandescent bulbs. It does, however, with most LEDs since they are a more concentrated/directional light.  Depending on the manufacturer of your taillights you may have to trim a hair off of the reflector that divides the 2 sockets so it doesn't hit the lens and crack it when tightened down.

Cole,

 

Some time ago Lane Anderson initiated a DIY thread on installation of LED tail light assemblies using existing components and a Coca Cola can! He's worked out all the kinks... the entire nuts and bolts of it including off the shelf part numbers. If you're considering LED's I suggest you follow his lead.

 

At Carlisle Lane took fifteen minutes (on his knees with a screw driver) and explained to me step by step how he did it. Easy-peasy and inexpensive,...An afternoon's effort!

 

When I eventually get around to it I think I'll use an imported German beer can instead...More in keeping with the Deutchland Uber Alles theme. 

Carey, are you saying that you flipped the tail light unit upside down so that the bulb sockets are now on top, but did NOT flip the lens upside down also?

 

 

 

The tear drop lens isn't asymmetrical...

 

It fits either way.

Carl, but the lens profile is not symmetrical  at least mine isn't.  I guess that's why Carey said you may have to modify the divider, so that it will fit the lens when it is flipped.

Aah, Cole you're right. My mistake.

 

I see now that the idea isn't to flip the plastic lens...but to flip the bucket and snip the protruding edge of the light separation baffle between the bulbs so the lens tightens down... with the correct profile... without being damaged.  

Rather than snip and risk cracking plastic use a dremal or a die grinder.

Yes, lenses stay on the same side and still have the flat "shelf" of the plastic lens on top so they look correct.  Bases swap sides and get put upside down.  The "snipping" is of the chrome plated metal divider protruding from the center of the base, no plastic trimming/snipping needed.  Once put back together you cannot tell the difference.

I've replaced all my bulbs with LED's now, except the headlights. I used a new electronic relay for the indicators (which works for both LED's and normal bulbs - so you can go back) It just took a bit of time to find LED bulbs suitable for replacing the normal ones, i.e. when you needed an LED that simulated a whole bulb head.