Rear inner light problem

[Toonsoldier91]

Morning everyone.


I have a problem with my rear inner unit, theres nothing lighting up no reverse light etc

If the reverse light went would this cut all the power to all the unit ?? Is the inner and outer on different fuses ??

Any help much appreciated. Thanks

 

[DJAlix]

Had this on a customers car, also a saloon, and it turned out to be a break in the wiring loom which runs down the left hinge in to the vehicle. Over time the opening and closing of the boot had caused some of the wiring to break as the loom was not clipped in to its guides correctly from the factory.

Edit: Of course it could turn out to be a faulty cluster or indeed connector housing but I am willing to be its a break in the loom.

 

[Toonsoldier91]

Had this on a customers car, also a saloon, and it turned out to be a break in the wiring loom which runs down the left hinge in to the vehicle. Over time the opening and closing of the boot had caused some of the wiring to break as the loom was not clipped in to its guides correctly from the factory.

Edit: Of course it could turn out to be a faulty cluster or indeed connector housing but I am willing to be its a break in the loom.

Thanks mate. Hopfully not a wiring problem as I'm no good with wires. did you have to take the full trim off the boot to find it ??

How did you fix the broken wire in the end ?? Just incase it does come to that

 

[DJAlix]

Thanks mate. Hopfully not a wiring problem as I'm no good with wires. did you have to take the full trim off the boot to find it ??

How did you fix the broken wire in the end ?? Just incase it does come to that

I took all the boot / tail gate trim off in order to fault find the issue. This car was actually a customer who had me install a reversing camera a while back. I thought to make sure that this was not something I induced before sending him to Audi. Turned out to be this breakage. Easy fix, just rejoined the wires and wrapped. If you are in London I can take a look for you.

 

[Toonsoldier91]

I took all the boot / tail gate trim off in order to fault find the issue. This car was actually a customer who had me install a reversing camera a while back. I thought to make sure that this was not something I induced before sending him to Audi. Turned out to be this breakage. Easy fix, just rejoined the wires and wrapped. If you are in London I can take a look for you.

Thanks for the offer mate but I'm about 270 mile north of London, I'll take a look tonight my step dad has this pen thing that you can stick in the connection and it lights up if there's power. Then I'll go from there

 

[DJAlix]

Thanks for the offer mate but I'm about 270 mile north of London, I'll take a look tonight my step dad has this pen thing that you can stick in the connection and it lights up if there's power. Then I'll go from there

Sounds like a plan. If that does not get you far then I would search the forum for the Audi A3 8V Reversing Camera retrofit guide that Amit published, with help from Jungle and myself. The guide details how to remove the boot / Tailgate trim with images etc

 

[Toonsoldier91]

Sounds like a plan. If that does not get you far then I would search the forum for the Audi A3 8V Reversing Camera retrofit guide that Amit published, with help from Jungle and myself. The guide details how to remove the boot / Tailgate trim with images etc

Cheers mate. I've managed to find the how to. I'll have a little look. Hopfully I can get it off and back on no problem as on my old car when I changed the high level brake lamp it never went back on properly lol then again it was a Vauxhall

 

[Toonsoldier91]

Cheers mate. I've managed to find the how to. I'll have a little look. Hopfully I can get it off and back on no problem as on my old car when I changed the high level brake lamp it never went back on properly lol then again it was a Vauxhall

I've had a look at fuses, when I take out f31 exterior lighting left side, the inner right works again but the outer doesn't.

Fuse looks like. Swapped them from left to right and same as normal no inner at all. Gonna try a 40 from the engine bay and see if that helps

Could this still be a wiring problem if the inner is working with the left fuse out ?? But not the outer

Thanks

 

[Toonsoldier91]

Just realised they work with boot up but they go off when you start to lower it

 

[Toonsoldier91]

Had this on a customers car, also a saloon, and it turned out to be a break in the wiring loom which runs down the left hinge in to the vehicle. Over time the opening and closing of the boot had caused some of the wiring to break as the loom was not clipped in to its guides correctly from the factory.

Edit: Of course it could turn out to be a faulty cluster or indeed connector housing but I am willing to be its a break in the loom.

Sorry to keep pestering you. But was the break in the wire towards to top of the hinge or the bottom as it goes into the side of the car ??

 

[Toonsoldier91]

Well I'm done with fault finding at still at a loss.

Findings so far

Taking f31 fuse out ( with the boot shut ) the inner right cluster works but the outer doesn't

Swapped fuses from engine bay until the 2 fuses in glove compartment and still the same.

Striped as much of the wire coating that goes into the hinge and couldn't see any break or any nip of sort. The wire was tucked into the hinge between the slots and was secure to the clip just above the hinge.

The unit works untill I half close the boot

I've swapped bulbs around from cluster to cluster.


It's got me stumped.

 

[DJAlix]

The unit works untill I half close the boot

My customer had exactly the same. You have a break in the loom. I cannot find an image on my NAS with all the trim removed but hopefully this will show where I found the fault approx:

White line = continuation of the boot hinge
Yellow line = Cable / Loom Run
Red = where I found the break (buried deep in the trim)



The Loom seems to be designed to flex at the red marked point as the boot lid opens. Its only a matter of time until something fails to be honest.

 

[Toonsoldier91]

My customer had exactly the same. You have a break in the loom. I cannot find an image on my NAS with all the trim removed but hopefully this will show where I found the fault approx:

White line = continuation of the boot hinge
Yellow line = Cable / Loom Run
Red = where I found the break (buried deep in the trim)

View attachment 155384

The Loom seems to be designed to flex at the red marked point as the boot lid opens. Its only a matter of time until something fails to be honest.

Your a star. I never dug that deep. I only went half way down the hinge. I've been scared to take it all apart because it never goes back together properly lol

I'll just take it to someone hopfully won't cost too much.

 

[DJAlix]

Your a star. I never dug that deep. I only went half way down the hinge. I've been scared to take it all apart because it never goes back together properly lol

I'll just take it to someone hopfully won't cost too much.

Don’t be scared of pulling anything in the boot apart, just take your time and go slow with any plastic clips. Audi’s are made very well and all will go back. Fixing will be a case of stripping back the tesa tape, exposing the wires and then rejoining the broken ones. I would source some crimp connectors before you dig in deep on this one.

 

[Toonsoldier91]

Don’t be scared of pulling anything in the boot apart, just take your time and go slow with any plastic clips. Audi’s are made very well and all will go back. Fixing will be a case of stripping back the tesa tape, exposing the wires and then rejoining the broken ones. I would source some crimp connectors before you dig in deep on this one.

Thanks buddy. I think I'll pay someone. 60 quid if done in a hour then 30 every hour after. I could always strip it ready for him

 

[Toonsoldier91]

Also was the lights acting like mine were where they were working when boot was raised etc

 

[Toonsoldier91]

Result one snapped and one blue worn ( can see metal

 

[DJAlix]

Result one snapped and one blue worn ( can see metal


View attachment 155398

Nice!

Easy fix. First re-join and test lights and if all is ok then crimp and wrap..... job done!

Edit: really bad design flaw by VW Group there

 

[Toonsoldier91]

Nice!

Easy fix. First re-join and test lights and if all is ok then crimp and wrap..... job done!

Edit: really bad design flaw by VW Group there

I agree. Ill ping audi a email with the pic.

I've got to be up for work at 03:30 so I've left it for one night.

I've put the plastic back in the boot and put the rubber seal back around the boot but it doesn't look right and also feels like I have to slam the boot harder to close it

 

[DJAlix]

I agree. Ill ping audi a email with the pic.

I've got to be up for work at 03:30 so I've left it for one night.

I've put the plastic back in the boot and put the rubber seal back around the boot but it doesn't look right and also feels like I have to slam the boot harder to close it

Not sure why you removed that to be honest as you don't need to but looks like you just need to adjust / massage it back in to place.

 

[Toonsoldier91]

Not sure why you removed that to be honest as you don't need to but looks like you just need to adjust / massage it back in to place.

I was struggling to get the plastic part off from behind so though it would help. I'll have a better play when it's all back together.

Don't think any water will get in that anyways. As it's on the bottom

 

[Toonsoldier91]

.

All sorted. Re there was more damaged wires on closer inspection. I didn't refit the wires into the original instead I left abit of slack to stop them crunching together when opening closing. Hopfully no more problems during ownership of the car. Everything in boot seems to have gone back in quite well unlike my old car. Thanks for all your advice !!!

Here's some pics although not the best as I forgot to take photos when done to show routing. Only remembered when I was putting it all back together but hopfully you can make out the route I took with the cable

 

[DJAlix]

Pretty much a perfect job, Nicely done! I have a VW CC with the same fault to look at tomorrow. Looks like a bit of a design issue within VAG groups saloon vehicles...

 

[Toonsoldier91]

Pretty much a perfect job, Nicely done! I have a VW CC with the same fault to look at tomorrow. Looks like a bit of a design issue within VAG groups saloon vehicles...

I think most cars have little common faults.

Just hope it's the only issue I have with it, thanks again for your help would never have found it with out it.