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Corroded rear lamp multiplug, are these available to buy?

Oct 5, 2024
3
1
Hi all, hope you're having a lovely Saturday so far.

Sadly, my 2018 Arona has just failed an MOT. Very unexpectedly, as I should have checked it over thoroughly beforehand. My bad.

The failure is in both rear lights; the position lights are not illuminating. The garage stripped off the inner tailgate cover and found that the wiper motor seal has failed, allowing water ingress, and this has corroded the rear multiplugs that connect to the lights on each side. I'll strip it down myself a little later today to confirm, but they have sent me some helpful photos which I'll embed here. I can only imagine that somehow, water has been making its way down the looms themselves and gathered on the plugs. Unfortunate.

As you can see from the photos, there is corrosion on the multiplugs themselves. This has resulted in pins on the lights themselves corroding away, and it looks like in removing the plugs some of the remaining pins have become detached.

Testing this last night, some of the lights still work correctly; the outermost position/DRL lamps, the brake lights, the indicators. The innermost position lamps (the arrowhead shaped ones) are not, although I do see a dim flickering on the O/S one. Reverse is intermittent.

A quote to repair was given, in the region of £600+. This was for: 2 new rear lights, new wiring, labour. This is a lot of money for me at the moment, and I had to decline and take the vehicle home to my driveway.

Anyway, thats the background. I'm reasonably competent with wiring, soldering, cutting and crimping and electronics in general. I will try a fix with contact cleaner etc later today, as I have that to hand, but my questions were as follows:

1)can the multiplugs be sourced from Seat or elsewhere?

2)could I repin the missing pins from the lights?

Many many thanks to you all
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Seriously?

Active Member
Apr 20, 2018
1,309
895
That's a bit of a mess! :confused:
I'd guess the connectors are used across the VW range, not just on the Arona platform, but the issue will amost certainly be how to repair the cluster side of the connection. To get at the pins you'll need to split a light unit that wasn't designed to be split. The best option may be replacement, either with used units or pattern parts if new genuine units are beyond the budget.
 
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Seriously?

Active Member
Apr 20, 2018
1,309
895
That's a bit of a mess! :confused:
I'd guess the connectors are used across the VW range, not just on the Arona platform, but the issue will amost certainly be how to repair the cluster side of the connection. To get at the pins you'll need to split a light unit that wasn't designed to be split. The best option may be replacement, either with used units or pattern parts if new genuine units are beyond the budget.
Edit:
Here's the plug you need by the looks of things, so they are available:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/395230177126
I'd be tempted to have a word with your dealer though; eBay prices aren't necessarily the cheapest these days. Or, ping forum sponsor Cox Motor Parts a message to see if they can help
 
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Reactions: Tell and theknack
Oct 5, 2024
3
1
Many thanks, thats extremely helpful.

Yeah, thats what I've just been thinking about. I've some experience with removing the covers on sealed units, albeit years ago now. And: it wasn't easy, or straightforward. And a lot of resealing thereafter. Frustrating!


2 new (or used) lights would seem to be the way forward, and 2 new plugs from the Ebay seller you pointed to up above. I'll ping Cox a message, very many thanks.
 
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