Coolant Level light flashes, which pin on 28 pin connector?

87homebuilttdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2006
Location
webster new york
TDI
1997 tdi, 2006 Jetta DSG, 2003 ALH Wagon
I have been searching but cannot find info that tells which pin in the 28 pin connector is for the coolant level light. I built a car that uses a 1997 AFN engine and a 1998 cluster. As I drive, the coolant level light flashes. I do not have a level sensor in the coolant bottle so therefore there is no wiring in the harness that I made. I woould like to connect the appropriate pin to ground or whatever it takes to shut off the light. Not looking to connect it to a bottle sensor. My Bentley manual does not label the pin for this.
The cluster has two connectors on the back, a white one and a maroon one. At the moment I am only using the white one.
Thank you.
 

Alchemist

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2007
Location
Lethbridge, Alberta
TDI
'04 ALH Golf
On a 98 cluster, pin 5 should be the warning lamp and pin 9 is temp gauge. Earlier versions had the warning lamp on pin 9. Start by grounding pin 5 if it is not otherwise connected.

Paul
 

87homebuilttdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2006
Location
webster new york
TDI
1997 tdi, 2006 Jetta DSG, 2003 ALH Wagon
Thanks for the help. I tried to ground pin 5, but the light still flashes after the engine is running. When the key is turned on, the light comes on, then it goes out. After the engine is running for even a second it starts to flash and continues until I turn the key off. Seems like pin 5 is the ground for a lot off functions in the cluster, because without it, you get nothing.
I am going to ground pin 9 next.
 

Alchemist

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2007
Location
Lethbridge, Alberta
TDI
'04 ALH Golf
So much for reading the diagrams. I just went to the car and traced the wiring. The coolant level switch connects to pin 2 of the white connector. and is grounded when level is OK. It must be grounded before turning key on or it will continue flashing even if it is grounded later. If it opens with key on it takes 20 seconds to start flashing the light. When the key is turned on it comes on for 3 seconds as a bulb/system test.

Paul
 

87homebuilttdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2006
Location
webster new york
TDI
1997 tdi, 2006 Jetta DSG, 2003 ALH Wagon
All Fixed!!!!

I don't have much time to write this because the concrete is about to arrive for the shrine that I am building for "Paul the Alchemist"!

Your suggestion regarding Pin 2 is correct and I thank you very much. I hate little problems and spend a lot of time on details.
Pin 2 from the 28 pin connector on the back of the instrument cluster when connected to ground turns of the flashing coolant light. Sometime soon I will buy a coolant bottle sensor and hook it up. For now it is grounded.
Send me your e-mail address and i will send you pictures of the car this is about....
Best regards,
Cam
 

87homebuilttdi

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2006
Location
webster new york
TDI
1997 tdi, 2006 Jetta DSG, 2003 ALH Wagon
I forgot to mention how amazed I was that someone would go through all the trouble of going out to their car and trace wiring for somebody on a forum! I can't thank you enough.
 
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