MKV Guys! - Electrial help! No License Plate Lights

2005.5 MKV Jetta, DSG, 125,000 miles. The lights worked last time i checked.

I did search and saw some threads on a possible bad harness, but everything else works except those plate lights. No power to them and I don't have a fuse diagram. But I kind of doubt that one fuse would be the culprit. But is there a lonely fuse for this circuit? Anybody have this situation? The car was outfitted with LED tails by the original owner so I know someone was messing with things.

Here is my VCDS scan (edited short):

Thursday,01,August,2013,19:37:03:25200
VCDS Version: Release 11.11.6
Data version: 20121223

VIN: 3VWST71K85M641228 Mileage: 201200km/125019miles

01-Engine -- Status: OK 0000
02-Auto Trans -- Status: OK 0000
03-ABS Brakes -- Status: OK 0000
04-Steering Angle -- Status: OK 0000
08-Auto HVAC -- Status: Malfunction 0010
09-Cent. Elect. -- Status: Malfunction 0010
15-Airbags -- Status: OK 0000
17-Instruments -- Status: OK 0000
19-CAN Gateway -- Status: OK 0000
1C-Position Sensing -- Status: OK 0000
25-Immobilizer -- Status: OK 0000
42-Door Elect, Driver -- Status: OK 0000
44-Steering Assist -- Status: OK 0000
46-Central Conv. -- Status: Malfunction 0010
47-Sound System -- Status: OK 0000
52-Door Elect, Pass. -- Status: OK 0000
56-Radio -- Status: Malfunction 0010
62-Door, Rear Left -- Status: OK 0000
72-Door, Rear Right -- Status: OK 0000
77-Telephone -- Status: OK 0000
7D-Aux. Heat -- Status: OK 0000

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Address 09: Cent. Elect. Labels: 3C0-937-049-23-H.lbl
Part No SW: 1K0 937 049 C HW: 1K0 937 049 C*
Component: Bordnetz-SG H34 0803
Revision: 00H34000 Serial number: 00000000061389
Coding: E4018A1641041800000000000F000000002151005C
Shop #: WSC 00000 000 00000
VCID: 2F43F286BE7F3C60891

Subsystem 1 - Part No: 1K1 955 119 B Labels: 1KX-955-119.CLB
Component: Wischer VW350 012 0401
Coding: 00065493
Shop #: WSC 00000

Subsystem 2 - Part No: 1K0 955 559 M Labels: 1K0-955-559-AF.CLB
Component: RegenLichtSens 005 0605
Coding: 00479269
Shop #: WSC 00000

1 Faults Found:

01504 - Bulb for License-Plate Light (X)
012 - Electrical Fault in Circuit

New bulbs are in and voltmeter to terminals show nothing. I have not pulled the cover off the inside of the trunk to chase wires yet. That's tomorrow after work.

if a previous owner put LEDs in, likely he also put resistors in to make the fault not show up. (assuming it ever worked ok since you had the car)

if so, you need to find where this was done, and find a likely fault. (previous owner had to cut wires to insert resistor)

time to trace wires.

meerschm said:

if a previous owner put LEDs in, likely he also put resistors in to make the fault not show up. (assuming it ever worked ok since you had the car)

if so, you need to find where this was done, and find a likely fault. (previous owner had to cut wires to insert resistor)

time to trace wires.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I will be removing the trunk inner cover today and seeing what's what. A guy on myturbodiesel.com had the same issue (found this last night) and he had a corroded connector. Maybe I'll get lucky.

I had this problem, both lic. plate lights out. Turned out to be two different issues.

1. Replaced the driver front door wiring harness as it was cracked and bare wire was exposed. This brought one bulb back
2. A corroded bulb-housing in the trunk itself that was replaced when VW gave me a new trunk under the rust warranty. This brought the other bulb back.

andru365 said:

I had this problem, both lic. plate lights out. Turned out to be two different issues.

1. Replaced the driver front door wiring harness as it was cracked and bare wire was exposed. This brought one bulb back
2. A corroded bulb-housing in the trunk itself that was replaced when VW gave me a new trunk under the rust warranty. This brought the other bulb back.

Click to expand...

Thanks, usually the door harness problems show up in the window and door lock actions, which mine are fine. I'll certainly have a look at that harness (what I can see of it). Without a wiring diagram, it's hard for me to imagine that any power to the license lights are associated with that harness, but this is VW.....

I'm pulling the cover tonight inside the trunk to expose the wiring and will do some checking.

I think I have a flaky headlight switch.

The car has an aftermarket Euro switch with the "auto" (coming home" feature and when I wiggle the switch knob, the license plate lights come on and off. Also, I just noticed I have brake lights, but no rear parking lights!

All the wiring under the inner trunk panel looks good. Where can one get a GOOD (not Chinese) switch?

Part no. 5ND 941 431 B XSH

Thanks

how did you not notice the lack of tail lights?

DPM said:

how did you not notice the lack of tail lights?

Click to expand...

I have brake lights but when backing into my driveway at night, I did not have any backup lights. It's not like I see these lights when driving.

did you check out ecs tuning?

meerschm said:

did you check out ecs tuning?

Click to expand...

Yep, new switch on the way. Boy this Chinese junk is exactly that.

What worked for me

First off I know it is a very old thread, but since I could not find an answer on any other forum, I thought I put in my two cents here, in case somebody is looking for an answer.
I recently acquired a (mk5) 2006 jetta with the 2.5L and automatic trans. with the bulb out warning in the dash. I tried replacing the fuse because the led bulbs that came with it were ok, but I found out that there was no power to the socket, I even took the panel from the trunk trying to find the problem. All my fuses were fine, wiring was good too. I ended up putting regular bulbs, cleared the code to the warning light and that did it. This might not be the solution for everybody but it was for me. I used the xtool vag401 to clear the code. I hope this it helps someone.