dash lights and gauge problem

hello, need some help, basically the dashboard lights on my MK1 GOLF, are bit odd sometimes they turn on sometimes they stay off when I drive at night and sometimes the rev counter just has a mind of its own jumping around, the temp then doesn't work nor the fuel gauge and the indicator light on the dash but the speedo meter works fine i once switched it off and started it up again and it was ok again  would this be a dodgy earth and where would i find this thanks

On the instrument cluster there are 3 possibilities.
1. Bad Earth (ground) wire pin 2 usually brown wire has become flaky.
2. Bad 12V+ to the cluster usually pin 14 or the Black wire.
3. Bad 10V stabilizer that is flaking out.

On the cluster connector remove the shroud off the cluster.


Carefully lift the mylar off the plastic tongue.




On the pad side of the plastic tongue, place one strip of electrical tape. Then return the mylar and the shroud.


This will tighten the connector to the pads on the cluster.

Take a 3m Scotch-loc splice and add a new ground path to your cluster, on the wire side of the main cluster connector, about 3-4 inches back add a wire about 10 inches long to your Brown (earth) wire.


You will add a ring connector to the free end of the wire, and using a small drill, 1/16 or 1/8, Drill a hole in the frame behind the "X" scuff the paint and Screw the ring connector there.



So a few more questions will tell you which issue you have.

If the Turns or 4-way Hazards work when this happens then you have a power issue with the black wire.

As the Hazards use a common ground, so it won't be the brown wire.

If the Hazards don't work then you have a ground issue on pin 2.

The 10V stabilizer


Powers the Fuel. Water temp, and can effect the Rev counter, this is a KA7810-ATE and can be sourced at a good electronics store as the dealer wants about 40 quid for one that costs 80 cents at www.mouser.com.

If your Cluster has broken traces on the mylar, then you need to go to the Archive section, in the briano's how to's I have a electrical section that shows you how to "BackFeed" Power and Ground to the 10V Stabilizer to power a flaky cluster, as you can attach at the 10V stabilizer, and it will route power and ground to the cluster.

Your speedo works because it is cable driven off the transmission.

If your car has a MFA check the brown earth wire in the engine bay, it's fitted to the cam cover, gearbox end of the engine.
If it's just hanging on by a few threads of wire pull off the ring connector and fit a new one.

This earth goes to the dash and seems to cause all sorts of strange problems..

I have a digital clock in the dash but no MFA would there still be a wire there or would it be else where thanks

Yes there is still a wire that is ground running from the coil mounting bracket to the rear of the valve cover. passenger side.  It usually is attached to the o2 sensor bracket.

Hello me again I can't  see any wiring on the coil bracket going to the rocker cover I started her this morning and she seems fine again, i couldn't check lights as it was to light, the clock is always on and off someday the time will appear other days it won't, I don't know if I heard that there is a earth for the dash that hoes to the steering column, I could be wrong but if someone could confirm this will be ideal, the engine is 1.6 1982 if that's any help thanks

 Hello me again I can't  see any wiring on the coil bracket going to the rocker cover I started her this morning and she seems fine again, i couldn't check lights as it was to light, the clock is always on and off someday the time will appear other days it won't, I don't know if I heard that there is a earth for the dash that hoes to the steering column, I could be wrong but if someone could confirm this will be ideal, the engine is 1.6 1982 if that's any help thanks

Adding the Earth (ground) as a Splice to the existing ground wire (brown) and tieing it directly to the frame is going to serve you better.

The ground for the Dash goes to a Star connector on the firewall.

Just took the dash out and wondering where to stick the electrical tape, please could you refer to the picture, on where I need to stick the tape, I will be grounding the earth to the fire wall, and also I could see 3 bulbs on the dash, are these the only ones on the dash or is there any more hidden, another question is i was removing the dash and then I decided to switch ignition and realised the battery light never came on would this be a fuse, also I just spotted a red-yellow wire behind the dash that's be spliced in to the re wire in the headlight switch, on the red/yellow wire there is a 30amp inline fuse, all help appreciated in advance  

Just put the dash in, I have added a new earth to the fire wall I have a problem the indicator light on the dash stays turned on and when the indicator are engaged the light just gets brighter but the indicators don't work I have put the hazard light switch back in and that does not work either it did come apart  I put it together again but nothing is there a fuse for the hazards and indicators, I haven't put the fog light or rear screen heater switch in unless this is the cause, please help thanks      

You stick the electrical tape on the plastic tongue that the mylar wraps.  You place it on the Pin side of the tongue so it plumps up the connection side of the mylar.



Indicators as to which ones, the turns and 4-ways have 2 separate fuses one @ f2 or f4, and the turns @ f19. Check your owners book, the fuses go because VW didn't insulate the 2 spade connectors on the 4-way switch.  Use heat shrink to insulate them.


 

Thanks Brian, I will have a look at that, so could be when the connectors touched it blew a fuse? Also another issue I have is the mylar for one of the bulbs that is above the speedo is broken so the bulb is not working is there anything I could do to get this working again or can I add a small wire from the bulb holder pins on the working work and connect it to the bulb holder pins on the speedo side bulb, just need it to work as I more worried about my speed in the dark than anything else thanks again guys , we are getting there slowly lol

Yes you can run a wire from one bulb to the other.
If you are good at soldering then I would solder the wire, but you can beat the wire flat and as you tighten the bulb (twist) it in the cluster you can engage the wire between the mylar and the bulb socket.

Yep Blowing the fuses for the turns is quite common when you don't have them insulated as heat shrink around them, or at least disconnect the battery first.
Happens to us all from time to time

Thanks hopefully have a go at it this week sometime, will let you know how I get on thanks again for all the support and help now I know why the mk1 community is growing

The tape goes here.  

Its so it bulks out the connection.

Thanks appreciate it, lol

Hello.guys just a quick one, what are the bulbs that I need for the dash just think I should get some as spares I been on ebay and they sell packs of 10 but are 1.2w , would these be ok to use instead of the 2w or would the light output be to dim, also is there a alternative upgrade to the dash bulbs , ie : Led , I have seen some threads on the mk1 where people have damaged the wiring due to bulb, just want to know why this may of occurred , thanks for all advice

I have found that I used the sockets for warning lights from a Isuzu Rodeo, or a Honda, and that if you source the warning lamp bulbs for the car you remove the sockets from they are 3W vs 1.1.

Also if you remove the cover over the lamps then you can remove the cloudy green tint.  and either do away with it, or clean and polish the cloudy away.  PS they make Superbright LED replacements.

Could some one explain what this connection is for , I didn't see a plug for this when I removed the dash many thanks  👍