MkIV beetle pops left running light fuse 23

[skyking1]

I pulled all the bulbs and sockets, and removed the trailer wiring harness. With nothing plugged in or hooked up it blows a fuse instantly. I looked at the immediate wiring but have not crawled in too deep yet.
instrument lights, dimmer, and heater illumination works fine, right side running light is good. Door buzzer/headlight feature works off either 22 or 23 so no problem there.
Any common areas to find a dead short? I do have a belly pan but no pinched wires under the brackets.

 

[UhOh]

I got a glimpse of things going on where most are not suppose to look when I went after a problem with a leaking windshield washer hose. I pulled the fender liner (front) in order to get up inside where I found that the tubing rubbed through as it passed through a hole in the inner fender(?). Here's documentation I put up on MyTurboDiesel:

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/wiki/v...ront-windshield-washer-hose-in-fender-repair/

The side marker light wiring passes through this same area. I realize that your car is a Beetle, but it's possible that it's got a similar routing (which could be responsible for chaffing a wire).

 

[skyking1]

Thanks, I will look there.
If It proves really hard to track down I will replace the lights with LED bulbs, and install a cross wire at the front and rear from the right side to heat up the left, and abandon the circuit entirely. I thought about it as I went for parts and it would be an easy fix.

 

[UhOh]

I couldn't believe how that washer hose was routed deep in the bowels. Had I not been able to reach back a couple inches I would have had to come up with some other routing for an entirely new, long chunk of hose. Based on the pictures you can see that that side marker light wire also is exposed to the same chaffing: I wrapped it and the hose repair together and then put some thick plastic around the lot in order to help protect.

 

[jettawreck]

When either side marker light fuse goes out the instrument lighting normally should also go out. Something back feeding perhaps?

 

[skyking1]

On my 03, it has a fuse #4? that will kill the instrument lighting if pulled.
I know because I robbed it to test things before I went to get more.
I could have issues with the computer though. My interior lights are always on a delay when I open the door. The door switch is fine, all the other functions that are tied to it work.