Oh, the connector has 10 connectors, the switch only 8????
Headlight switch / Horn issues
Hi guys, I have an 85 jetta. The horn blows for no reason or when turning the wheel or using the signals. Also the tail lights + tag lights quit about the time when the horn misteriously started working. I took the fuse block off and checked some things- nothing- cleaned the ground block- no result. I pulled the horn fuse and it still worked, disonnected the horn on the driver side ( are there 2?) and it still blows. Im pretty sure most of my issue is the headlight switch. headlights work only in one of the switch positions. i dunno which side is supposed to be up- the side with the dimmer wheel or the other? either way the position where they work its like daytime running lights. they turn on when you turn the ignition on. I ordered a new switch but i cannot connect it because of 2 nipples preventing connecting, otherwise it looks identical to the old switch apart from the icon and the nipples. the new one is a Meyle made in Germany. Help?!
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On a whim i cut off the nipples and connected. works just like the old switch just better action and no flickering. But still no tail/marker lights. then i kept messing with it and suddenly had marker lights / tail lights again. I figured out that i had the switch on backwards 
Those nipples would have completely prevented connecting this way. Now i have Off, all lights on and the third position headlights brighter with all other lights on. Toggling the brightlight switch works and the horn seems to not go off unexpectedly. Is this how its supposed to be??
Those nipples would have completely prevented connecting this way. Now i have Off, all lights on and the third position headlights brighter with all other lights on. Toggling the brightlight switch works and the horn seems to not go off unexpectedly. Is this how its supposed to be??
Sounds like the light switch issue is fixed. The horn could be a few things with a few ways to solve it.
The obvious is un plugging both horns at their connectors or removing the relay. But most places require you to have a working horn My old Jetta gave me an interesting night once when the horn would just go off on its own when I turned on the lights too. Mine ended up being some split wires at the fuse block that were shorting to ground. Before you go and pull the fuse block out again I would pull the horn pad out of the wheel and have a look. I would also pull the relay out, nicley pick the cover off and have a look.
There's no way for wires to twist up as it it takes power from the glide ring on the back and grounds through the steering shaft. But the button could be getting sticky. At some point in time some one frustrated that their VW didnt have cup holders spilled a drink on the steering wheel.
You can also try swapping another wheel in. Your car uses a small spline wheel. Very very easy to find them online for super cheap, and at wreckers. Remove the horn pad, loosen the nut slightly, give the wheel a tug to brake its hold and off it comes. Its a 24mm nut if I remember right.
I have a wheel Id give you but no doubt you live a zillion miles away, and the one I have is a large spline.
When it comes to wiring, regardless if you're really good with electrical or not you will need good wiring diagrams or color code charts. This is a good chart for your car. CE1 generation fuse block, A2resource.com is really sweet for this kinda stuff. You'll be able to trace the right wires from the horn button to the fuse block and then out to the front. You should also buy a bentley book for your car. Worth every penny!
http://a2resource.com/electrical/CE1.html
The obvious is un plugging both horns at their connectors or removing the relay. But most places require you to have a working horn
My old Jetta gave me an interesting night once when the horn would just go off on its own when I turned on the lights too. Mine ended up being some split wires at the fuse block that were shorting to ground. Before you go and pull the fuse block out again I would pull the horn pad out of the wheel and have a look. I would also pull the relay out, nicley pick the cover off and have a look. There's no way for wires to twist up as it it takes power from the glide ring on the back and grounds through the steering shaft. But the button could be getting sticky. At some point in time some one frustrated that their VW didnt have cup holders spilled a drink on the steering wheel.
You can also try swapping another wheel in. Your car uses a small spline wheel. Very very easy to find them online for super cheap, and at wreckers. Remove the horn pad, loosen the nut slightly, give the wheel a tug to brake its hold and off it comes. Its a 24mm nut if I remember right.
I have a wheel Id give you but no doubt you live a zillion miles away, and the one I have is a large spline.
When it comes to wiring, regardless if you're really good with electrical or not you will need good wiring diagrams or color code charts. This is a good chart for your car. CE1 generation fuse block, A2resource.com is really sweet for this kinda stuff. You'll be able to trace the right wires from the horn button to the fuse block and then out to the front. You should also buy a bentley book for your car. Worth every penny!
http://a2resource.com/electrical/CE1.html
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