The title actually is only for idiots like me uninitiated with the very basic workings of a Volkswagen (VW) Beetle specifically the parts of the VW instrument cluster and what the warning (commonly termed as “idiot“) lights mean. |
| '79 VW Bug Instrument Panel from samba.com |
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| Volkswagen Beetle 1971-1979 from volkszone.com |
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| Vintage Original VW Volkswagen Beetle Type 1 Speedometer-1965 w/o Fuel Gauge |
The "instrument cluster" is the
big circular dial in the dashboard in front of the steering wheel which
consists of the following:
· Odometer is a
series of wheels with numbers on them that rotate as the car travels indicative
of the cumulative distance the car has travelled.
o
earlier models-
the right-most number is miles (or kilometers), and so-forth to the left.
o
later models- the
extreme right number is 10th of a mile (or kilometer); next to the left is
miles, tens of miles, hundreds of miles, and so on.
· Fuel gauge needle
moves across a series of marks and indicative of the amount of fuel remaining
in the tank. Not all VWs have this.
·
Lights- a sample ‘65 Beetle speedometer have 5 lights in it:
o
Top
§
high beam warning light (blue)
§
Speedometer light (clear) - provide instrument cluster face illumination
at night. Note: On
later-model cars there is a rheostat switch (right of the headlight switch) that
controls the brightness of the light.
o
Bottom middle
§ turn signal indicator (green)- a two-headed arrow which blinks timed with the directional signals
outside the car.
o
Bottom left and right
§ 2 Warning (idiot)
lights are found on either side of the turn signal indicator.
With the ignition turned ON, both lights should turn ON. Both should
go OUT when the engine is running. No "Gen/Alt" light when you turn
the ignition ON means that circuit is incomplete and you'll get no battery
charging. This may be okay to get you home, but you can't leave it like that
for very long at all.
§"Alt"
(or "Gen") light- left light (red) indicates the function of the
generator or alternator. If this light goes on and stays on, stop the car
immediately as there is something wrong in the electrical system. Following are
the most common reasons for this :
· A broken fan belt
-is the first thing to check. If broken or loose, the
alternator is not working and you're running entirely on the battery which
won't last long. More importantly, if the generator/alternator belt is broken
the fan inside the fan housing (on the other end of the generator/alternator
shaft) is not turning with no cooling air provided to the engine, this can
cook your engine in a few miles. In either case, drive the car NO FURTHER until
the generator/alternator belt can be replaced. Replace and retension the fan
belt.
·
The
generator/alternator itself is defective. You may be able to still drive the car
safely with this for a short while on the battery but this will rapidly drain –
(6-8 hours with the headlights off and at most 2-3 hours with the lights on. Note:
With a bench charger, you can charge the battery up overnight and then drive
the car the next day (you won't harm the alternator even if it's not working). Get
the alternator fixed/replaced as soon as possible, as you won’t be able to
drive far on the battery alone!
§ "Oil"
light- right light (green in earlier models, red in later). If it goes on or flickers at speed, STOP! This may indicate:
·
Low oil condition
(more likely) - Stop and check as it may just need a quart of oil. Note: "Oil" light may also go ON temporarily with
hard cornering, as oil sloshes in the sump to the right or left. This also
indicates a low oil condition, but NOT as critical to stop immediately and top
it off but can be done the following day.
· You may be in for an
engine overhaul- extreme.
NEXT:
Volkswagen Beetle Mods Throughout The Years: Part I
Volkswagen Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): Part II- 17 character VIN
Volkswagen Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): Part II- 17 character VIN
Volkswagen Vehicle Identification Number (VIN): Part I- Pre-17 character VIN requirement
VW engine cooling system components.
VW engine cooling system components.
Tags: Volkswagen (VW) Beetle, Volkswagen, VW, Beetle, VW instrument cluster, instrument cluster, Speedometer, Odometer, Fuel gauge, generator, alternator, fan belt, sump
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