Dome light switch broken. Mounting console removal?

[nectarguru]

Hey everybody. I've had my 2000 Golf TDI since August, but this is my first real post. On the way home today, my dome light switch decided to break on me. It was loosely hanging there, and would flicker occasionally as I drove. When I got home, I was able to pull the switch out and pop the front cover off, gaining access to the console mount. I found the brass(?) tab up there, and after reconnecting the switch it still moved freely, though I can operate the light. I read that there is supposed to be a spring that holds the switch in place. My spring, unfortunately, is nowhere to be found. I want to pop the mount off to get a better look, but I can't seem to find any info on how exactly to do so. I found a thread on the MKVI-A6 discussion, but nothing for this era. I'm a little bit concerned, because I also read that this problem can lead to other electrical issues with the interior lights, power locks, windows, and alarm. As of right now, all of those are still in functional....

In the meantime, I removed the bulb, switch and tab. Can anybody help or point me in the right direction? Thanks!

 

[MrSafety]

... ...
My dome light switch decided to break on me.
It was loosely hanging there, and would flicker occasionally as I drove.
When I got home, I was able to pull the switch out and pop the front cover off, gaining access to the console mount.
I found the brass(?) tab up there, and after reconnecting the switch it still moved freely, though I can operate the light.
I read that there is supposed to be a spring that holds the switch in place.
My spring, unfortunately, is nowhere to be found.
I want to pop the mount off to get a better look, but I can't seem to find any info on how exactly to do so.
I found a thread on the MKVI-A6 discussion, but nothing for this era.
I'm a little bit concerned, because I also read that this problem can lead to other electrical issues with the interior lights, power locks, windows, and alarm.
As of right now, all of those are still in functional....
In the meantime, I removed the bulb, switch and tab.
Can anybody help or point me in the right direction?
Thanks!

Sorry, but formatting as above helps me to sort out what is important!
Q1a - Is your "DOME LIGHT" one that has multiple switches illuminating both front driver and passenger reading zones?... OR
Q1b - Is it for the back seat ?
Having trouble envisioning what you have!?
Sam

 

[nectarguru]

Q1a - Is your "DOME LIGHT" one that has multiple switches illuminating both front driver and passenger reading zones?

It's the front dome light mount by the rear-view mirror, like this one - http://www.vorwerkauto.com/index.php?dispatch=products.view&product_id=741

I plan on trying to replace the spring myself, but I just can't figure out how to get the thing out of there.

Thanks again,
Dave

 

[nectarguru]

Bump.

 

[davebugs]

I have one of those in tan on my "to Ebay" list.

Along with other tan leather stuff from a 99.5 Jetta (door cards, interior lights, regulators & motors).

If you end up needing one PM me. I forget how I took it out actually.

 

[MrSafety]

I'm just not going to be of much help on this one...
unless you can show me a close-up photo that might
help me understand more precisely what you are saying!
An I pride myself in seeing an answer for this kind of thing...
but not here... YET !
Sorry,
Sam Ross

 

[nectarguru]

I actually figured it out. There were two slightly hidden Phillips screws that I was overlooking. Fixed the switch! But now, just as I feared, I lost my power locks, windows, and alarm. Poof, just like that in an instant...................

Now what to do? Has anybody experienced THIS problem, now?

 

[stevekj]

I fixed my dome light switch too. The spring had popped off, like yours, so I took the console out with the two Philips screws and eventually found the spring wedged into the little recess next to the brass slider. It was doing a fine job of shorting things out in there so I managed to blow the fuse while trying to put the switch back together. Check your fuse!

To fix the spring, which kept popping back off the switch, I inserted a little washer on top of the spring to hold the tabs of the plastic switch properly. Seems to be OK so far.

I realize this may be a bit late to help you but it may help others, I hope...

 

[stevekj]

Oops, I should have mentioned that the windows, door locks, etc. are all on the same fuse as the dome light. This is not obvious from the fuse card, and doesn't seem like such a great idea to me, but that's what we've got.

 

[SheeB]

Well I'm in the same predicament as the OP. Any pictures that may of be help putting this spring back into its proper place?

 

[stevekj]

Pictures as requested! Here are two photos of the dome light assembly. The first one shows the upper side of the entire assembly, with the switch and spring in the lower left (the brass H shape is the slider that the switch is moving):

Next, a closeup of the re-assembled switch handle, slider, spring, and custom aftermarket retaining nut

In place of the nut, feel free to substitute a much thinner washer of the appropriate diameter. I didn't have one that was just right. It needs to have an inside hole large enough to fit over the switch pegs, and small enough to grasp the hooks. Without such a washer or nut, the spring will just pop right off again. With the thick nut in this picture, you can see that the spring is compressed pretty much flat, but it still works this way, fortunately.

 

[SheeB]

Thanks a lot for the description and pictures. Exactly what I needed to fix my dangling switch.

 

[nectarguru]

Thank you for the pics! What type of spring can you use in place of the stock? What can I do to stop blowing the fuse?

 

[stevekj]

Thank you for the pics! What type of spring can you use in place of the stock? What can I do to stop blowing the fuse?

Similarly to what I said in my email reply, it sounds like you couldn't find your original spring, so the first thing I would do is look carefully to see if it is wedged into somewhere where it is shorting out the contacts. In my case it was in the small cavity/receptacle next to the slider switch. That would explain the blown fuse.

If your blown fuse doesn't come from shorted contacts in the switch assembly, I don't know what else would be causing it - you would have to use a process of elimination to disconnect various bits and pieces from the wiring harness to figure out where the problem is. A tedious process. But it's probably something simple and close to the switch.

If you do need to replace the stock spring with a new one, it's not too critical what kind of spring you use. Even a spring from a pen would probably work. It doesn't have to be all that strong.

 

[SheeB]

When I get to finally doing this is all that is holding this switch assembly to the roof is the 2 Phillips screws?

 

[SheeB]

Anyone have a pic of the two Philips screw that need to be removed?

 

[JB05]

You may need a mirror to locate them. I found them out the hard way.