main beam indicator problems

[gtiheidi]

hi there i'm having problems diagnosing my mk 2, when i use my main beam i don't get any warning indicator on the dash, has any one had similar problems and what did you do to cure this??

[...joe]

yeah mine doesn't show that its on... to be honest i haven't done squat about it!! i found that it does glow but so pale you can hardly see it.

welcome by the way!

[gtiheidi]

thanks for the welcome,
 
do you not find that sometimes you have your main beam on though and not know about it? (keep getting flashed at) very irritating, mine doesn't glow at all

[...joe]

yeah that is true but i'm a tart and don't drive my car half as often as i should!   i also have an uprated headlight loom which makes the difference between dipped and main beam a bit more obvious.
its probably a blown bulb which can be replaced by taking the clocks apart, not much fun! i personally have never done it but i know it can be done and the new bulb can be got from VW.

[gtiheidi]

did try that, but found that all the little indicator bulbs are actually LED's not sure whether they can be replaced or whether they blow??

[...joe]

nah they're not led's.... probably just look like it. you COULD replace it with an led but it'd be frickin bright. well i guess you have two options... 1.get a second hand set of clocks, with working light and put up with incorrect mileage on the trip computer. 2. strip the clocks down and replace the bulb.

[gtiheidi]

are you sure?? i stripped the clocks down and they were definitly soldered onto the circuitboard , didn't look like they could be replaced easily, just wondering if you've had any problems with the indicator stalk or wiring to the bulb??

[...joe]

hmm i always thought they were bulbs... anyway apparently you can get a replacement from VW. like i say i never bothered to do anything about the light so never got as far as you obviously have. never had any issues with the indicator stalk, but the main light switch burnt out ages back (as they do) so that might have caused it but i'm pretty sure they were unrelated.
if it is an led then it would have to have a postive and negative as they only work one way round... another reason is why i thin k it must be a bulb!

[gtiheidi]

i'll check it out again but sure it was led cheers

[rubjonny]

the main beam indicator is definitly a bulb with a blue cap over it, back when the MK2 was in production you blue leds were very expensive!