awdinut

A: which fuse controls lic plate lights ?

B: if one lic plate bulb fails, will the other continue to function, or are they in series, and if so, which is first in series...left or right ?

C: do the wires in the hinge bundle ever break on these cars like Audis of old ?

D: any other things I can check to try and get these to work again ?

TSHong

I can only tell you for question b, if one is out, the other will work.

aTOMic

Here's a link to a thread that might help... (newbies, amirite?! ) The important part is that the car checks resistance before you turn them on, so if you are trying to see them light up as you install them, that won't work.

In my experience, when I had (have, because the screw broke off in the trunk lid) just one installed it's working intermittently. Which is very strange.

Also, of all the lights to NOT have a warning for, I am surprised that Art (in engineering) chose to neglect THIS one!!

awdinut

That was just the bit of knowledge I needed, Tom ! I was trying to test things by switching the lights to on position and then go back to deck lid and hold the fixtures in place...even the 6418 bulbs I bought did not function. Then I read your post; I held the fixtures in place and had Marilyn turn the switch to on position and the incandescent bulbs lit up.

And the LED 6418 style LED bulbs still will no longer light up. So I think what happened was that one of the LEDs expired at some point and I had not noticed. Then I saw the remaining LED flicker the other day as it was expiring...so nothing wrong with the lic plate circuit or the fixtures. Just 2 LEDs that have been on for the same amount of time have failed at roughly the same time. They lasted 5 years, which seems a reasonable return on my $6 invested, so I just ordered another set.

Unfortunately I had to drill out the screw head on one side to remove the fixture and I can not get the shaft of the screw backed out of the hole. I guess I am going to have to remove deck lid liner and then remove entire black piece above license plate in order to solve the problem or replace with another complete used unit. Bummer; but at least I know the electrical part of the equation is OK.

aTOMic

I'm glad it worked. Too funny that we both have a screw without a head in the license plate lights! (Mine's on the right).

Keep me/us posted on the repair. I'm thinking of heating my screw stub with a soldering iron and then repairing the threads as necessary to avoid removing everything on the trunk, so I'll wait for your report on how difficult the trunk disassembly goes.

awdinut

Good idea with soldering iron if the screw goes into plastic...but I am thinking that with the super fine threads on those bolts that they must go into a metal insert. Dont know for sure.

dvs_dave

The screw goes into a brass insert. When the head is stripped because of the angle of the screwdriver (future tip, use a stubby screwdriver!), then you need to remove the handle insert so that you can get a proper purchase on what’s left of the screw.