Where is my headlight fuse on a 2006 VS?

If both high and low beams are out, it's probably not a fuse - as each has its own fuse.

In my 2013 VS, those are the two on the far right (number 5 and number 6).

15 or 20 amp fuses should work.

Ugh. If not fuses, what is your guess?

Did the lights go out after driving in the wet? Could be where the headlight buckets are gounded.

Are the 'parking' lights and tail lights working?

Check to see if front turn signals are working, too. Just looked, and they get their ground from the headlight bucket, so if it's the headlight ground, the front turn signals won't work, either.

There are two small wires coming out of the wiring harness that are grounded to the steering box behind the driver's side wheel. Those are probably the grounds for the headlights, but I'm not sure.

As part of a road trip tool kit, have a jumper wire with alligator clips, one end to the positive on the battery and the other to a stripped back headlight feed wire... ...in a pinch this will get you safely off the road with one headlight. This can also supply temp power to a electric fuel pump, tail lights and more.

Check.

Adding that to the kit.  Actually, I'll just throw in a pair of screw-terminal alligator clips....I've already got the wire.

Good idea.

When my headlights went it turned out to be the headlight switch getting dodgy.

Yes. Lights worked fine for 100 miles. Parked for 10 minutes. Then nothing. Brights don't work either. Bright clicker doesn't click like normal. Turn signals work. Back and front.

I'll look for a wire and clip. Love the idea of shorting it on and off. Might as well tie it to the ignition in the meantime for some daytime lighting.

thanks for all your help. Frustrating morning.

..... and said alligator wire can assist you with acquiring temporary stewardship of a particular ride, with permission of course~

I'm with Ed on this one, switch gone bad. The way the VS switches are wired, they get burned out fairly quickly because they can't handle the juice going through them for very long. Try touching the switch stem (the part the headlight knob is attached to) while the lights are on to see how hot they get. 

Problem solved by running heavier wiring (for brighter illumination) through a relay and use the headlight switch as the low voltage hot wire.

Made it home, with headlights on the whole way!

There's still some loose ends to clean up. (Like my plate and tail lights stay on even when I turn the car off. Must not have wired that switch back as expected.)

1) It was a fuse. Here's how I made it home:

It was zip-tie tensioned because I just used screw hole connectors and they were too big. This worked for 100 miles.

2) Where can I pick up fuses like this locally?

3) Switch worked fine once I added my wire fuse. Well, except that despite my best intent, I screwed up the plate and tail light wire.

thanks again for all your help

^ ^ BRILLIANT! Nice work, MacGuyver! 

Ryan, don't let Kirk see what you did, or he may start wiring all of his cars with one less fuse. The zip tie tensioner is an elegant solution to a challenging engineering problem.

I think I've seen those old-style fuses at a few nearby NAPA and even Auto Zone stores, but they're getting harder to find. I know the Sage of Auburn stocks them, though.

But a nice project for a rainy weekend might be swapping in a fuse block that uses modern blade fuses.

And 'just a fuse' usually isn't just a fuse. Fuses don't just get tired and give up. Like wives, there's always a reason they decided to suddenly blow up.

Sacto Mitch posted:

 And 'just a fuse' usually isn't just a fuse. Fuses don't just get tired and give up. Like wives, there's always a reason they decided to suddenly blow up. 

Ha. Now safely at home I'll start doing a better job diagnosing. My 356 neighbor said my wiring probably has issues before I got Anthony to replace my alternator.

Any tips on finding the culprit easier?

Also, Mitch, I saw one of our mutual neighbors near the entrance to Ancil Hoffman Park on California Dr has a silver speedster. Any clue who this is? On here or the registry? They weren't home when I drove by. Probably headed to breakfast with the 356CAR folks this morning. I'll ask them as well. Do you ever join them?

This was my first attempt. Shorted it before it had a chance. Longer "fuse" wire worked well. I'll look for ATS bullet fuses this morning. I was drawing a lot of amperage with lights, wipers, and my phone and Bluetooth speaker. I'll stop charging my phone and speaker for a bit to see if that avoids the problem.

Ryan, please ignore my last post (which I've now deleted).

I just checked my fuse block and I think I see what's happening.

Your car is wired like mine. The fuse that failed feeds power to the headlight switch. From the headlight switch, power goes to the dimmer switch, and from there goes back to the fuse block where two other fuses send power to the high and low beam circuits.

But other circuits can draw their power from the hot lead that goes to the headlight switch, so a number of things could have caused that fuse to blow, not necessarily the headlights.

If your phone charger and bluetooth speaker draw power from that headlight switch terminal, a momentary short in either of those circuits could have taken out the fuse.

If you find the right replacement fuse, get a bunch, as it could take some sleuthing to find just where the short is.

"Too close for missiles, switching to guns."

16A FTW 

My neighbor gave me a pair of 8A and 16A at the 356CAR meetup this morning. Back in action.

Also, lights work normally without the one lead that keeps my tail and plate lights on. Mitch, care to take a pic of your headlight switch from the back? Not yet sure how to get that back in order.

Ryan, here's a photo I took when I had to replace my own headlight switch.

Hope this helps. Your switch may not look like this. If not, let us know.

Yes! Exactly. This is perfect. Thanks. 

Thanks for sharing that switch pic, Mitch! 

Glad to help, Ryan.

By the way, X2 on what MusbJim said above about these switches.

They are cheaply made Chinese switches that usually don't handle the headlight current for very long without burning out (mine nearly started a fire).

If you don't follow what he said about installing relays to handle the heavy current of the headlights, just ask and you'll get more help here.

Success! Thanks so much Mitch!

Now that you have your headlights working feel the headlight switch after you've driven a while with the lights on. If t is really hot consider having the switch turn on a set of relays to power your lights.

Ryan, what year was your VS built? Those are old VW school German Fuses. You should be able to get as many as you want from any VW parts house.

My VS is 2010/1963 and has modern fuses. 

It's easy to replace that inadequate fuse block with a new safer blade type one for under $12 (plus fuses).

https://www.amazon.com/OFF-ROA...-buggy/dp/B0046XIU2M

Robert M posted:

Now that you have your headlights working feel the headlight switch after you've driven a while with the lights on. If t is really hot consider having the switch turn on a set of relays to power your lights.

I've had the lights on for about 50 miles now and I find no discernible heat from my fingertip thermometer. I get what you mean about relays, but I'm going to try to keep that rats nest of wires a little less complex for now. I am tempted to switch to blade fuses, but let's see how many more miles I can get with this setup. Hoping stepping up the amperage buys me more miles.

Ryan said "Hoping stepping up the amperage buys me more miles."

Argh, so you just put in a bigger fuse?  Be sure to carry a fire extinguisher and be on alert for smell of burning plastic wire insulation.

If there was a short, it will break the new fuse as well. So far, it's not even warm to touch after running headlights. I think it just degraded over time.

How would you recommend diagnosing further @WOLFGANG?