Main beam tell tale light

Hi all, the car failed its MOT. The blue light on the dash that indicates when full beam is being used is only working intermittently. No pattern to  it. Changed the fuse took apart steering console and cleaned out all the dust around the stalk that you pull to flash your lights but still having a problem. No obvious issues with connections/wires. I'm sure it must be loose wire somewhere?? I presume that as it works sometimes the bulb and the fuse are ok?

anyone give any tips? Electrics are not my strongpoint.

car is golf mk1 cabriolet 1.8 gti 1990

cant believe this is the only thing between me an getting the mot.

cheers

Hi mate
I read your other post about this so thought I would check mine but it is a yellow light that comes on when I put full beam on ?
Mine is an 83 tin top so might have changed as yours is newer than mine.

Yeah, aparantly after 86ish?? They changed I to white bulb with a blue cover.

The car is my daily and is now off the road with no mot due to this issue. Really need to try and fix.

cheers

Gutted for you mate I think rubjonny could be your man to help with this,but to be honest there are a lot of people who will def offer advice to you I'm sure they will be along soon mate, keep your chin up mate .
Cheers 

Still think you need to pull dash to bits and check pin 7 blue and white wire on the multiplug to see if you get a steady feed. If so I'd replace the fake blue LED;
  http://vwgolfmk1.org.uk/forum/index.php?page=topicview&id=electrical-faq_2%2Fhelp-main-beam_2&=

Thanks for the info, I suppose I'm just putting off the inevitable. Really not keen on taking my dash to pieces. Much prefer the mechanical stuff. The thought of electrics fills me with dread!

Well just double checked the fuses, my new one was not inserted correctly…doh! In my defence I was doing it in the dark and couldn't find my touch. Anyway tested worked. Went for a drive still worked. Spent an hour cleaning the car checking it every few minutes continued to work.

so hopefully this is now resolved. Will check it in the morning if still ok back to the mot centre to get it signed off!

cheers for everyone's help.

What a mk1 day……..

checked the the blue light this morning, not working again. Cancelled my retest again.

Called in a favour from an auto electrician, he took the dash apart found a burnt wire! Going from the sidelights to the ignition, replaced that we weren't sure what it was for and were pushed for time so cracked on. Fixed some other dodgy looking connections and once again blue light starts working, success! No aparantly not, after putting it altogether again the stupid blue light stops working again!!! Ahhhhhhhhh….

dash apart again, another connection soldered. Blue light working again. Whilst reassembling constantly checking it's working all good. Soon as we're done the stupid thing stops working again!

so once again dash apart again! This time he wired in an old led on the dash (old alarm system or something) and put everything back together again. So know the blue light works and so does the back up led. I've went from no lights to two!

So we labelled the led which is next to the hazard light switch 'main beam'. This should get it through its mot, but further investigation is required.

On the plus side the indicators now work when you set and unset the immobiliser. Pleased with that, something else fixed without even trying!

dont these old cars take you on a journey into the unknown.

I forgot to mention last night my electric roof suddenly started working again after messing about in the fuse box. So know everything electrical in the car works. Good times

car booked in for tomorrow at 8.30am for retest.

cheers

sounds like the dash plug may be a bit loose, or pcb contacts worn. seen top tip which involves putting some paper/card under the pcb foil to pack it out.

also worth lookign at pins to make sure they arnt squashed, bit of a bend with a pick sort this. you can open the flap on the back of the plug to take the pins out, just watch out for the red wire this is permanent live so take the fuse out first or be very careful