License plate lights out, NOT the bulbs, sockets or fuse...

Lost my plate lights, replaced the bulbs... no joy. Checked the fuse, good, voltage both sides. No V at the sockets (by the way, smear your screws for the lights with grease on the threads like I did years ago. The stainless screws and carbon steel trunk corrode wildly) Started with the travel loop next, BINGO, lights flickered when I wiggled it. Disassembled the trunk lid liner and unplugged the harness from the lights, trunk release and trunk closed switch. Removed the trunk lining around the CD changer and pulled some slack in the harness. Chopped it there and up inside the trunk lid. I happened to have some 6 conductor 18 ga. stranded cable, (you only need 5) so I stripped it and removed one, fished it through the rubber travel loop with the moulded ends, made a color code conversion chart for myself. Soldered and shrink wrapped it at both ends. Remember to stagger your splices so you don't end up with a big lump in the harness, and it also reduces the chance of shorting together should you get a needle (sharp wire strand) stick through your shrink tubing. The OEM wire insulation is stiff and brittle (fine for stationary wiring) but didn't cut it flexing. Two wires were broken, the other three had insulation that was cracked wide open, conductor just hadn't broken yet.

Just thought I'd share this failure in case someone has intermittent plate lights or trunk release issue... these wires were close to shorting together which could cause some funny things to happen.

I have seen this kind of failure on the A3 cars (along with the wires going into the doors which makes the alarm / windows not work properly). I have to wonder how long until it affects my car. I had to repair some broken wires going into the door on my 91, thankfully it was just for the speaker and not for the seatbelt interlock (which I have now disabled anyway...)

It will be interesting to see how things go on our A4s age. They were some of the first really computerized cars VW sold, hopefully they don't get too cranky and confused with old age.

-Jason