Mk2 Scirocco Reverse Lights or Upshift Light Issues
You may have found this searching why my Mk2 Scirocco reverse lights or upshift light does not turn on? You’ve just replaced it with a brand new unit and now both reverse lights and upshift light does not work. Early Mk2 Sciroccos, Mk1 Rabbit / Mk1 Golf and Mk1 Jetta had this issue when replacing these switches. Specifically 1982, 1983, & 1984.
Firstly, some vehicles have iring issues. As a result, this could be your first problem. Check all of your fuses and make sure that you are getting a power signal to the switch when in reverse.. If you have sorted this and know the wiring is good move on to the next paragraph.
The main issues comes from Original Part No. 171 919 823 J / 171919823J pin locations. On May 31, 1990, VW released Technical Service Bulletin. YOu can download it by clicking the link below:
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Subject: Transmission upshift/back-up light switch – Wiring change to connector when replacing switch
Model(s): Rabbit, Rabbit Convertible, Jetta, Scirocco Through m.y. 1984
The superseded part, ment for Mk2 Golfs and Jetta platforms had been rewired to those harnesses. This Mk2 Golf / Jetta part number changed to 191 919 823 / 191919823 Instead of making a new 171 part number for Sciroccos and Mk1s, they superseded the part which also requires you to de-pin your old harness and conform to the Mk2 Golf / Jetta harness configuration.
Scirocco, Jetta, & Rabbit Convertible Harness
Making the necessary wiring modification will allow you to get your reverse lights and upshift light working again. For Rabbit and Golf, read the pdf link above for those wirings.
Also, make sure you read the entire TSB as 4 speed and 5 speed have different harness colors. in a nutshell you need to do the following:
Scriocco, Jetta, Rabbit Convertible Through m.y. 1984:
- Move black wire from terminal 1 to terminal 2
- Move brown wire from terminal 4 to terminal 5 (on both 4-speed and 5-speed transmissions)
- On 4-speed transmissions, ^ move White/Green wire from terminal 5 to terminal 6
- On 5-speed transmissions, ^ move White/Green wire from terminal 5 to terminal 7
