Passat cig lighter & heating panel lights no workey?

[natescape]

Hi everyone. So the latest issue is that the backlights in the heating panel (as in, the dials for temperature, air flow, AC, etc) does not work. I HAD thought it was just a blown bulb, but I learned today that my cigarette lighter doesn't work (used to power a CD player).

I don't think it's the fuse. Accordiggn to the manual, the fuse that controls that also controls the dome light, trunk light, clock, and power roof (all of which work fine).

Any ideas?

 

[ChristopherTDI]

I have somewhat of the same problem....the backlights in the heating panel are on but the cig lighter/ashtray light is out. I have no clue how to access this bulb nor have I tried yet. Mine is also a 1996 B4.

I hope someone has some helpful ideas........

 

[Dubbs]

I checked this out last year. There is one single bulb that light up three dials. If if remember correctly the bulb is at the top of the three dials and a plastic diffuser spreads the light to all the dials. Mine just was a loose connection and all I needed to do is clean up the contacts and reinsert the bulb and all was good. Hope this helps.
dan

 

[natescape]

Thanks folks. Dan, would that affect the cigarette lighter too?

 

[Dubbs]

I used these pages to help out on access to the bulbs I hope this helps.
Dan
http://www.vwresource24x7.com/resourcecenter/howto/articles.asp?ARTICLE_ID=72
http://www3.sympatico.ca/cybertech.enr/howto.html

 

[Superlite]

Natescape,

When I got my car (Golf A3) I had the exact same situation as you, everything you describe was the identical for me.
The links that Dubbs posted cover perfectly the issue. For the cig lighter, I took it apart and there was a 1) contact issue, the metal spring plate wasn't touching the connector anymore, I just bent it back slightly, otherwise you'll see smoke, trust me! 2) I had to replace the cig lighter led also.
I don't think it is very much different for a Passat.

 

[Grabaman]

the center dial of my 96 passat is bright while the outside dials are very hard to read at night...I was hoping there was more than one bulb...missing a diffuser? Or is this typical passat? thanks, graba

 

[ChristopherTDI]

Graba......My 96 is the exact same way, nice and bright in the middle but cant really see the two outside dials @ night....Must be a Passat thing.

 

[Dubbs]

The center dial (temp. control) is a little brighter than the ones on either side. The bulb that lights up all three is right behind the center dial and hence more light. The light has to travel through the diffuser to illuminate the outer dials. If you notice that the outer dials are noticabley dimmer your diffuser might be loose or the bulb diffuser might be off to one side (or dirty).

 

[Campbellonh]

I had a similar problem with the ashtray and cigarett lighter light (96 Passat). I could get them to come back on by banging on the ashtray. After this went on and off for a while, it started happening with the radio. A good whack on the dash and the radio would come back on. Eventually none of them came back on. (fusese OK though) I looked at Bentley schematics and found all 3 had a common ground. Sooo, (I know just enough to be dangerous), I tried to do my own troubleshooting. I had a test lead hooked into the common ground, and was leaning over to attach the other end to an actual ground. My test lead slipped, bumped off the shifter and fell right into the cigarett lighter hole (which I had out so I could look inside). It sparked some and knocked out a bunch of other things (no blown fuses though, weird). Now I don't have interior lights, alarm system, sunroof control, trunk release from inside, being able to open all the locks at once with the key, and the trip odometer and clock reset every time I restart the car. Probably a few more that I haven't discovered yet. Fortunately not anything essential for getting myself to work, but annoying. Boy do I feel stupid.
I guess I'm going to the dealership after all.
I hope its not too expensive.