The strangest thing happened tonight...

[Bowlerwell]

After having driven all day, I started the car up in the evening only to find that the autocheck 'brems lichts' didn't clear. I assumed one of my brake lights must have popped. After about a 40 mile journey we arrived home only to find the fault cleared as soon as I stopped. I then turned the key and removed it from the ignition, and the engine kept going... I put the key in, turned it, and pulled it out again and the engine still kept going. I thought i'd best stick it in reverse and stall it, but as soon as I engaged reverse the engine stopped.
Now it turns out that one of my rear lights has popped (not 'brems lichts' but the proper faulty bulb symbol).

I'm wondering if it cut out when I put it into reverse because it'd've turned on the reversing lights... Strange... Has started and stopped fine since then.

[S2central.net]

Dicky ignition switch by sounds of things...

[terrybullwon]

Dicky ignition switch by sounds of things...

Same as i had, mine done this and a month later the switch gave up the gost. I slamed my door hard and it cut mine out

[Bowlerwell]

Thanks Gents.
Where best to get one of these? GSF?

[waad_uk]

There is usually quite a few on ebay.... I bought a brand new ones for about £3. Quite a common fault on our cars and the other 80`s. I believe that any ignition switch from any manual Audi 80 will do.

Its not that hard to change over either. Just whip out the instrument cluster, and there is 2 little grub screws that hold with switch onto the ignition barrel. The new one just slides in.

[Bowlerwell]

Good stuff, thanks.

I have, however, discovered that my rear bulb isn't blown... for some reason I must have a loose connection elsewhere giving me the error. Can someone tell me where the signals for the light cluster comes form?

Thanks,

[Keeper of The Kitten]

I remember having a fault in a rather more mundane car, caused by a stop/tail bulb having it's filament connections all crossed up - I changed the bulb for another new one and it was fine - no issues with ignition but it did cause some other strange behaviour.

Just an idea to bounce off the wall!

[Bowlerwell]

I've tried a couple of different bulbs. That's not the issue.
I've had the multimeter out, and i'm just getting a constant 250mV on that pin. Where does this signal come from. A relay?
Presumably a different origin than the right one, because it works fine.

[stiglet]

just to throw in another thought.... after putting the engine back in my beetle i put the reverse light trigger wire from the G/B on the wrong side of the coil. So first time i started the engine i put it in reverse and immediately shorted the coil and killed the spark, hence stalling the engine. I'm sure the S2 has more sophisticated wiring, but if somehow the reverse light switch is crossing over with another live somewhere it could be providing power to your coilpack when the ignition is off (i'm assuming the reverse lights are wired to only come on when the ignition, hence coil, is live)? would explain why the engine cut out after selecting reverse.....

[Bowlerwell]

The engine and reverse lights are behaving themselves now. I think the ignition switch is on the way out.

The problem now is with the signal going to the lights... I have insufficient voltage...