Trunk warning light stays on

[gkulik]

I have a 2002 Beetle. Recently the trunk warning light began staying on all the time. I can lock the car with my remote, but cannot arm the alarm. The trunk appears to be locking safely. What is strange to me is the trunk warning sound does not come on when driving.

I have read a few threads of people with the same issue. Some of my details are slightly different, so I wanted to see what anyone had to say before I started tearing things apart.

Thanks for you help.

[Smileybug]

Has it just started all of the sudden? Mine does it sometimes after it rains.

[gkulik]

I just started a few days ago. However it has been raining pretty hard this week.

Do you just wait for it to dry out and it goes back to normal or did you find a way to fix it?

[Smileybug]

Mine would stop once everything dried. It hasn't done it in awhile. I think it has something to do with water getting into the 3rd brake light area but I don't remember.

[HarlequinPixie]

haha. must be a bad time for trunk hatches right now.

Originally Posted by SQJettaIV

Here's one for you guys: yesterday i had noticed that my bug's hatch light on my dash has lit up now....also, when i hit the lock button on the remote, the horn doesn't honk either....im thinking something's up (obviously), but not making a huge concern over it since everything else is fine...oddly enough, this happens when im in charleston for work and won't be back til friday afternoon. anyways, anyone have a clue what it could be?

(jhines is a tech I know at our local dealer)

[noR]

water gets by the 3rd brake light. Causes this problem.

Usually just goes away once it's dry.

[liz116]

I am having the same issue (and it has been apparently fixed twice already) - 2007 New Beetle

My alarm goes off at absolutely great times of the the day, like 4:30 a.m. on a Tuesday or 6:00 a.m. on the weekend.

The trunk indicator light will also stay on, or turn on at various times.

When I first took it in they said there was some corrosion in the trunk latch (makes sense as I live in Canada and it gets wet and super cold) they replaced the latch and I was back not a week later when the alarm went off again, this time they loosened the trunk latch a bit as they thought it might be too stiff for me to close it properly. All fine for about 2 weeks, then this week my trunk indicator light goes on - great I know what is coming so I don't arm the alarm, I just press the button in the door. Indicator light goes off yesterday so I arm the alarm last night and.......it goes off early this morning (and today is a holiday....)

Any help?

[noR]

Sounds like no one's actually fixed the leak.

"Water gets in around the 3rd brake light. Causes this problem."


Sounds like they repaired the corroded latch, and did nothing to keep it from happening again.

Pop the black cover off the hatch (2 phillips head screws, then pull). Silicone that 3rd brake light into place, not like your LED's are going to ever burn out. And then reassemble. If that doesn't fix it, then find the cause of the leak, and patch it.

[MNBud]

Well, I had a little trouble finding this topic but your help I went directly to the problem. The instructions were great. My problems arose after a terrible rain storm. I think the water got into the small electrical plug right on the latch as that was the only wet area. I pulled the plug and blew it out and also where it plugged into. When my problem started it had set of my alarm and I had to leave my doors unlocked.
Thanks for all the tips on here.
I have also had to do the sunroof drains in the past and replaced the guides on the sunroof.
Has anyone had the low fuel light stay on all the time? I'm guessing this is a bad ground but I haven't dug into it yet as the guage is working fine.

[usmhuslwl16]

hey guys, so i have been having the same issues with my 2006 NB! first my alarm just randomly goes off and now my trunk open warning light is staying on and when i leave and lock my car the horn does not sound. So what the consensus seems to be is that there is water in the third brake light? Have any of you had continuing problems (this thread is a couple months old) and/or gone to a mechanic/dealer to have it fixed? (or fixed it yourselves?)

It did rain a lot last night, so that seems like it may be the cause of my trunk problem, however the alarm sounding happened three days ago (and hasn't happened since, but it happened twice that day) so i am nervous it may happen again soon!

[adisman]

I have this same problem (random alarm going off, then more recently, the trunk light saying the trunk is open when it is not) and just like everyone else, it seems to only happen when it rains. The really strange thing is that it indicates the trunk is open with only a dim light in the dash, but when I actually open the trunk the light is fully bright.

Anyway, I popped off the plastic cover and saw signs of water getting in there. How do I access that third light (it is behind the metal frame of the trunk that doesn't look to be removable) to seal it?

[adisman]

Found my answer for how to remove that third brake light.....

Clear Third Brake Light Install - How-To

[Turbomania]

Besides the third brake light, water can also get in through the key lock/ VW medallion. Early cars had this back-up key release for manual unlocking and releasing of the hatch. Attached to that circular plate inside and below it is a water re-direction tube that is rectangular at the upper end where it attach's to the lock and tapers down into a circular shape. It re-directs any water that might leak past the rubber sealing gasket around the medallion past the latching mechanism avoiding short circuits in the locking sensor. Zip ties work great for securing this channel to the main assembly. The rear hatch warning light can also be triggered if the hatch is not completely latched. It may appear to be closed all the way but it may not be. When pushing down and pulling up a latched hatch there should be little or no movement of the hatch. The two adjustment buffers at each side might need to be re-adjusted to allow the hatch to close more securely. This may fix the problem if the latch is in good working order. The sensor connected to the hatch is scanable through the comfort module via the main data link connector. Good luck..JK

[dixiechicksdreambig]

I have read all of the posts, however my situation is a little different. The trunk warning light stays on but my trunk actually is popped and open. I can get out and shut the trunk and then it will automatically just pop open again on its own. Shut it and the same thing again. I have replaced the trunk latch and stayed shut across town and then open again. Replaced the switch and it stayed shut for about a day and then again the same thing...the trunk won't stay shut. Anyone had this problem. I have only owned my beetle for about 3 months and love it but don't want to spend a fortune at the dealer to fix this problem.

[analbumcover]

i just spotted this thread and i'd like to say...we have trunk warning lights? I've never seen mine, i don't even know where it is on the dash, that, and my seatbelt light is out too, and door ajar light...

[dixiechicksdreambig]

Originally Posted by Turbomania

Besides the third brake light, water can also get in through the key lock/ VW medallion. Early cars had this back-up key release for manual unlocking and releasing of the hatch. Attached to that circular plate inside and below it is a water re-direction tube that is rectangular at the upper end where it attach's to the lock and tapers down into a circular shape. It re-directs any water that might leak past the rubber sealing gasket around the medallion past the latching mechanism avoiding short circuits in the locking sensor. Zip ties work great for securing this channel to the main assembly. The rear hatch warning light can also be triggered if the hatch is not completely latched. It may appear to be closed all the way but it may not be. When pushing down and pulling up a latched hatch there should be little or no movement of the hatch. The two adjustment buffers at each side might need to be re-adjusted to allow the hatch to close more securely. This may fix the problem if the latch is in good working order. The sensor connected to the hatch is scanable through the comfort module via the main data link connector. Good luck..JK

I put in a new latch and switch but my trunk hatch is still popping open. You mention the hatch is scanable through the comfort module via the main data link connector...what is this??? I need help trying to figure out why my hatch keeps popping open on its own. Thanks

[dixiechicksdreambig]

Originally Posted by noR

Sounds like no one's actually fixed the leak.

"Water gets in around the 3rd brake light. Causes this problem."


Sounds like they repaired the corroded latch, and did nothing to keep it from happening again.

Pop the black cover off the hatch (2 phillips head screws, then pull). Silicone that 3rd brake light into place, not like your LED's are going to ever burn out. And then reassemble. If that doesn't fix it, then find the cause of the leak, and patch it.

My situation is a little different. The trunk warning light stays on but my trunk actually is popped and open. I can get out and shut the trunk and then it will automatically just pop open again on its own. Shut it and the same thing again. I have replaced the trunk latch and stayed shut across town and then open again. Replaced the switch and it stayed shut for about a day and then again the same thing...the trunk won't stay shut. Anyone had this problem. I have only owned my beetle for about 3 months and love it but don't want to spend a fortune at the dealer to fix this problem.

Do you think this could also be a water problem?

[mostasz]

Originally Posted by Smileybug

Mine would stop once everything dried. It hasn't done it in awhile. I think it has something to do with water getting into the 3rd brake light area but I don't remember.

Originally Posted by noR

water gets by the 3rd brake light. Causes this problem.

Usually just goes away once it's dry.

Originally Posted by usmhuslwl16

hey guys, so i have been having the same issues with my 2006 NB! first my alarm just randomly goes off and now my trunk open warning light is staying on and when i leave and lock my car the horn does not sound. So what the consensus seems to be is that there is water in the third brake light? Have any of you had continuing problems (this thread is a couple months old) and/or gone to a mechanic/dealer to have it fixed? (or fixed it yourselves?)

It did rain a lot last night, so that seems like it may be the cause of my trunk problem, however the alarm sounding happened three days ago (and hasn't happened since, but it happened twice that day) so i am nervous it may happen again soon!

Originally Posted by adisman

I have this same problem (random alarm going off, then more recently, the trunk light saying the trunk is open when it is not) and just like everyone else, it seems to only happen when it rains. The really strange thing is that it indicates the trunk is open with only a dim light in the dash, but when I actually open the trunk the light is fully bright.

Anyway, I popped off the plastic cover and saw signs of water getting in there. How do I access that third light (it is behind the metal frame of the trunk that doesn't look to be removable) to seal it?

All this happened to me. It was raining very hard. It never happened before. I'll take a look at this when it gets warmer.
Anybody had luck fixing it?

[Smileybug]

Mine stopped on its own Seriously. I figured out what the problem was and it hasn't happened since. My car has sat in days worth of rain and the problem hasn't returned. I think I just got lucky though.

Replacing the seal on the 3rd brake light is usually the fix though. Its a common problem.

[mostasz]

Originally Posted by Smileybug

Mine stopped on its own Seriously. I figured out what the problem was and it hasn't happened since. My car has sat in days worth of rain and the problem hasn't returned. I think I just got lucky though.

Replacing the seal on the 3rd brake light is usually the fix though. Its a common problem.

Smiley: Has it happened again to your bug?
After last few days of rain it happened again to our bug.
I just pulled it all apart. I have found that micro switch has some problems. When I disconnect wiring from microswitch, alarm arms, and everything seems to be ok. Then when I connect it alarm goes off (trunk latch is in locked position so switch should be in in correct position too. I can see it being pushed by latch, I guess it must be corroded or something.

I am going to auto zone, buy spray to clean it, I'll spray it inside and see if it improves.

Alarm has bee going off many times since wednesday.

Mario