Instrument cluster lights not working

[Merlin8r]

Hi guys,

Bit of an odd problem, nothing major but perplexing. The bottom row of warning lights in my GTI's speedo, i.e. Check Engine light and Seat Belt warning light, don't come on. Ever. They do in my 2 litre. I'm fairly certain it's not a simple bulb change.

Not sure if it's related, but the car came equipped with an awful aftermarket immobilizer that I just had to remove. Now the loom leading into the fuse box has a leftover wire! For the life of me I cannot see where this wire should attach into the fuse box, and the 2 litre simply doesn't have it. The car runs wonderfully and all other systems work. There is another wire the same size and colour/markings connected into the fuse box already.

Any ideas folks?

[graeme86]

If they have never worked since you owned the car then the seatbelt warning light is probably turned off with VAGCOM...that turns off the symbol in the dash. We still get the gong warning because the seat buckle itself has a wire running to the cluster (if you still get that).

The engine light doesnt come on in my R32 either because Australia only had Euro 2 emission standard (Europe had EU4 - so the light comes on in theirs) so it was programmed out of our ECU to come on when you start the car...it will still come on if there is a fault in the system.

Just pray it doesn't come on....it should have a $$$ sign symbol to be more appropriate.

The Check Engine Light test has probably been ECU disabled in your car too.
Mine doesnt even come on if you do a VAGCOM output test.

Its definitely related to the ECU software programming whether it comes on or not.

[Merlin8r]

Ahhh ok thanks for that. I hope that's what's going on. Curious though that my 2000 2 litre has both lights, but the 2001 GTI does not. Are these things I can have checked with VAGCOM?

[graeme86]

VAGCOM can switch on the seatbelt warning symbol (as I said, the cluster has probably been recoded to try and switch off that annoying buzzer).

There are no bulbs inside the cluster, they are all LEDs, so highly unlikely any have blown...

The Check Engine Light is just programmed not to come on when you start ignition.

I'm sure it will work if you actually have a problem at any stage.