Audi TT Mk2 Rear Light Error Repair OEM Method Earthing Issue

[@Martin-A1]

Thank you very much for taking the time to produce this video, it's brilliant and very clear what to do. I wouldn't normally attempt any job like this, but felt confident after watching it. My daughter's 2012 Mk 2 TT had this problem about 2 years and I found a video on how to clean the terminal and that worked and lasted as I say 2 years. This time I wanted a more permanent solution and I found these instructions. I too went with the earth grounding posts in the bottom of the boot as mentioned below. I am happy to report I managed the complete the job in about an hour and the rear light is working perfectly - THANK YOU persistrich

[@jessicakorte263]

Just used this to fix my boyfriend's Audi. This happened to him 5 years ago, and Audi replaced the light/connector and sure enough it went out again. So with supplies I already had on hand, it was a free permanent fix! Thanks so much for making this video!

[@leeorphan]

Excellent video, I just finished following your instructions. They made the job easier. The main difference I made was to ground the wire to grounding posts in the trunk. You just need to remove the tray cover, lift the styrofoam pieces out, and then pull upward on the trunk sill. There are special purpose grounding posts on both sides of the car near the tail lights so less chance of corrosion. Mine were painted red. Thanks again!

[@robhills9769]

I have a much simplified solution that has worked faultlessly on my TT for the last 8 years. On the back of the light cluster is a breather hole capped off with a plastic cap. I passed a stout insulated stranded cable through the hole and on the inside soldered the cable to the earth strip just the other side of the hole. The earth strip is shown clearly in your video. The plastic cap can be pushed back to support the cable. I then cut the wire that goes to the burnt out pin on the connector block and joined it to the new cable using a chocolate block connector. No need to drill any holes in either the lamp or the car body.

[@eduardorenteriaruiz5081]

I shall try this, this coming Friday on my TT; hopefully it will work!

[@nolan879]

The ground rail inside of the tail lamp is not easy to get a solid solder connection to, as its requires a lot of heat (due to its size). I soldered to the rail, then passed that through the vent hole, through the wiring grommet behind the tail lamp, and then ran that wire to a chassis ground behind the trunk side carpet. Getting a good solder joint was the hardest part, I used 14AWG stranded wire with a green jacket (US ground color) from my local hardware store.

[@pianopete341]

You my friend are a bloody life saver. Spent an hour on this today and it's solved the issue, it was getting to be unbearably annoying, hopefully it's gone for good now. Thanks again. Legend.

[@mcojay203]

Thanks for posting this helpful video. My MkII TTS is fixed because I followed your advice and re-wired a new earth connection. Lights work and no warning alerts. Great job.

[@ergomedasa1362]

Great video. Sidenote: Got to love Audi`s choice of using one million screws to hold the tail light assembly together which you have to unscrew just to change a single lightbulb. Because why make it easy and fast by designing a solid clamp/latch system when you instead can make it really timeconsuming by using a ton of screws threaded in to plastic that gets easly damaged.

[@adamahmed9252]

Thank you very much for this video, on my way home the warning light came on and it toke me 20mins to do it quicker then I thought and now my light is all working again 🙏🏼

[@mackbrown958]

Just got done doing this to my TT. I had cleaned the contacts previously, but it didn't last long. It was a bit of a challenge since the bolt is in a tricky spot. Once I got the wire attached to the car, drilling through the assembly was nothing. It seems to be working like a charm. I just wanted to say thanks for putting this method out there!

[@persistrich]

+Mack Brown Awesome, glad it was some help

[@夏俊恒]

Mack Brown 中

[@fromallaspects5339]

Thanks mate for your repair method of this fault, I have had this problem for several months, your repair method worked, No more faults !! , you are a legend , take care mate.

[@YelpBullhorn]

Just used this video to revert the rear disco lights on my 8J back to lights more acceptable to the road. It was a big big help. I wouldn't have even attempted it without first seeing this concise demonstration. The only bit I found a right pig was undoing, and doing up, the bolt on the bumper bracket. Now I see why you didn't film that bit! Nightmare! Many thanks though.

[@briyan36]

hero's don't always wear capes. my right rear cluster had completely died which was leading to hairy situations whilst trying to change lanes etc. Thanks to this vid I now have a working light!

[@persistrich]

Awesome, so happy to have helped.

[@oliverl601]

I know this a like a year ago but I have done this but now my reverse light doesn't work. Which is weird because that always worked before

[@kjsrothie2990]

Well Done my friend. Seems to have worked a treat. Original contacts definitely damaged / dirty. Followed your lead but drilled directly through the earth circuit plate ( at widest part) and bolted a jumper wire directly to it, drilled and silcone sealed a hole in the plastic for the wire, to spade connector joint and just scotch locked the other end onto the earth wire. (Saved me going underneath looking for a suitable connection.) Great stuff. Thanks for your video.

[@Tarpey88]

Thanks for this buddy, saved me a fortune! Just done mine, but I was too lazy to clean up a bolt, so ran it straight down to the negative battery terminal ... fiddly to route, but no getting dirty!

[@DJRandolf12]

Thank you for this video even tho it's 7years old.my audi I have no lights on the drivers side cluster.so this answers why I don't have any lights

[@paulkeeton4025]

thanks so much for posting this, it saved me putting mine into a garage, I thought it was a ECU problem. Made a bolt connection into the Earth strap in the bulb holder but then cut it back into the Earth wire just to bypass the poor connector

[@CtRacerX]

Good show, my man… I tightened the connectors and made sure that they were mating properly to the spades, so far this is working, however an extra ground may be necessary in the future. Thanks for your research

[@OscarTangoAtc]

Thanks for the vid... Double left-hander here, and managed to attach an extra earth cable as shown in the vid. Immense sense of satisfaction when it worked :)

[@fluffycotton4683]

Appreciate the very clear step-by-step instructions, problem now solved, many thanks👍

[@erwininghelbrecht5245]

Thanks a lot for your extensive demonstration. This ghost is bothering me for the last year!! Fixed the problem thanks to you! Good show!!

[@jasons4932]

Awesome video! Just used this tutorial to fix my friends taillight. She had all the bulbs replaced several times because they kept blowing. So I assume the bad ground caused it. Repaired it, put new bulbs, now only time will tell if it goes out again. Thanks again for the tutorial!

[@craigbradshaw1543]

Nice one mate, my A6 left rear light cluster kept switching off perfectly good bulbs while driving, making it really dangerous when turning left. Your video helped me sort the issue in no time, with no extra cost. Top man!! thanks for taking the time to post the video.

[@timt-bone7221]

This repair is right on! I fixed it the "Audi" way and it lasted 2 years. I did this repair on the second one and it has lasted 5 and still going.

[@bambam4525]

Absolutely brilliant , simple , cheap solution , done in 20mins , great easy to follow vid , thanks

[@DCMPSaliva]

By the time I got round to trying this the pin to the light housing had corroded and snapped . So I just cut the ground wire from behind the female plug and wired it to the bolt I screwed into the housing . Job done

[@fruitloopy74]

Fantastic video, thanks for putting it together. The bolts you attached the earth to were rusted up on mine so I attached to a bolt holding the wheel liner in place. I used a hacksaw blade to expose more bare metal and tested with a multimeter.Did both sides just to be sure. Thanks again

[@andrewday4062]

I used this method except I didn't need (and perhaps you won't either) to fix a new earth cable under the car as shown. The brown earth cable running from inside the car to the block connector was good right up to the block, so I snipped it as close to the block as possible and stuck a female bullet connector onto it. Then connected the new wire coming from the headlight unit (as shown) to it and 'hey presto' - all good. Thanks for the vid:)

[@ATOMIKDOG23]

I have the exact same problem on my TT ... I'm glad that you posted this video.....but I think this is a problem of design by Audi and should not be a TT owner's problem .....the connections should not burn out....the amount of current passing through the earth connection can be much greater than the other connections ...yet they are all the same size...the earth connection should be bigger than the others as the brake light, rear light and indicators can be on at the same time....all passing through the same earth pin...

[@highcarbrider]

ATOMIKDOG23 yep it is Audi’s fault but they wouldn’t warranty it but instead will charge you ££££ to fix it 🤬

[@ATOMIKDOG23]

@@highcarbrider Just to let you know....I have done the repair on my TT now.... I did the repair in a slightly different way to your method. Instead of earthing the new cable to the underside of the car, I just cut the brown earth cable ( No 5 ) from the connector block and earthed the new cable from the lamp there by crimping on a bullet connectors. Works well. Cheers for the info in your video it helped a lot !

[@alejandrocervantes4896]

Hey Brother Just stopping by to say you helped me tremendously and Im genuinely very thankful for your efforts on putting this video up . It worked like a charm . I'm surprised how it actually worked after taking it to mechanics and it keep messing up . You saved me an arm and a leg. Once again thank you !!!!!!!

[@persistrich]

Alejandro Cervantes glad it helped

[@dannykennedy4310]

Well done mate ,all fixed now. I up graded the earth wire to a larger size , Audi`s earth was always underdone .Nice video

[@1983hodgy]

Brilliant, followed your advice and sorted my back light in about 30 mins

[@paulbaker7675]

Great walk though vid as only had pictures before. Will be doing this tonight as both sides of mine are playing up now. Like you say can just strip some household electric cord and crimp on some ends to the green/yellow earth part. Hopefully there's nut or something under the car to attach the NS light too.

[@visualpoet76]

You saved me $300!!! Thanks! From Los Angeles, California.

[@ianryder7249]

Just followed the approach in this video- worked a treat.

[@olivhe]

Hey.. So many thanks to you.. I have exactly the same problem! Regards from Mexico.. Thank you Bro !

[@persistrich]

Hope it helps

[@philglos]

Thanks very much this seems to have worked, you have saved me from a big repair bill as I'm sure the garage would have just replaced the whole unit and plug in.

[@andrewhedgecock3438]

THANK YOU !!! Brilliant simple solution , well described / shown and sorted my issue of indicator and rear right light fault

[@Wobbywulez]

Thanks for the vid, worked out perfectly with som spare cable, nuts and bolts!

[@dalebanham5076]

Thank you for uploading this video just fixed my girlfriend tt using this method

[@tonybeadle8392]

Many thanks for making this video, I have this exact issue, cleaned all the corrosion today and its working, but this is a better fix, will be doing this tomorrow.. cheers

[@martinbratfisch5487]

Got this exact problem at the moment and me and a friend are going to give it ago 👍 Thanks so much

[@AlexMartinez-by5bo]

Did you replace the connector ??? If you did where do you find the part online ??? Or what’s it called??

[@garybladen7218]

Great video, I’m going to do this shortly, one question I have is do you leave the original earth connection unplugged completely as it is burnt out?

[@merijohnston9533]

Just wanted to say thank you for posting this video... the light is gone :-). Best wishes

[@tomhan6404]

Really appreciate this video mate. I connected it to the earth wire at the back of the plug though. Wondering if I'll encounter any problems that way. Thanks for the help

[@onmygrownshit496]

what colour is the wire please

[@rizla2000]

Hey, do you mean you cut the earth wire on the back of the plug and connected the new earth to it? I want to do it that way also. Did you encounter any issues. Do you recall what colour the wire was that was for the earth. Thanks

[@tomhan6404]

rp200020 did this along time ago no issues up till now 👍

[@M.Maile147]

Thanks for the upload! I've just got the dreaded light come up on the dash so I'll see if this solves it. I'll let you know how I get on at the weekend :)

[@RollingCinemar]

Very informative Straight to the point Really appreciate your work keep it up 👍

[@atwalker30500]

Great video, thank you for putting this together. Would you by chance happen to remember the gauge of wire you used for this?

[@persistrich]

No I don't, I used some spare I had knocking about. You can always strip a main lead and steal the earth lead from that as it will be more than ample

[@atwalker30500]

Went with some 12 gauge solid wire I had laying around. Worked very well. Thanks again for the video.

[@jeniecelinan4522]

hello is there any way I can ask you some questions! I have had this issue for a while and need a way to fix it! I have read a lot on audi forums and yours is the only video I have found that actually shows the whole process. I would greatly appreciate it! this is genius! A lot of people have this problem!

[@jeniecelinan4522]

Youre the guy who made the video right?? Can you tell me how you made the cables ad what I need. Also where I could get them would be great!

[@persistrich]

+Jeniece Linan Yes I did, the cables you need are just a basic cable you can get from Maplin's I actually cut an earth lead out an old mains leadI had knocking about. The connecters are also available from Maplin's but you'll need crimping pliers to fit them. Bolts were M5 Cap head socket screws.... Hope that helps

[@calumsmith9191]

Can you tell me what the green end part is on the wire at 7:00 please?

[@lanceflanagan]

Instead of the bolt technique, you think i could just rough it up and solder onto it?

[@jeniecelinan4522]

I would like to know where you get your cables or how you make them I don't know much about it. Also if you could tell me which screws and bolts to use that would be great. Essentially a list of what you used and where I can find the materials for the cable. Thanks! Also, After you have connected everything do the two bolts connect? like snap together? Thank you!!

[@lyndonhudspeth4915]

Cheers sorted mine out- Excellent vid👍🏻

[@Wolborgfan]

Thanks for the great vid! It seems like I'm the only person so far for whom this hasn't worked. I'll double check all of my connections and that the bolt mounting points are well sanded. If that doesn't do it, do you have any suggestions on what else it could be? When I turn on my car it doesn't always specify which light is causing the malfunction, just the dead bulb symbol pops up.

[@andrewwallace5214]

Did this yesterday to both sides, seems to have worked a treat. Just used earth wire stripped out of some domestic 3 core cable. Just need to know if I need to test anything as I see some people use multimeter to check (haven't got one) also can this fix cause issues elsewhere in the car electrics and finally is this a permanent fix? Many thanks

[@nobesER]

This is excellent. Saved a lot of money. Thank you.

[@Gwynwills84]

Great vid! Hoping to do mine this weekend as i have the earthing issue. Where can i source the new earth cable and ends? Cheers.

[@DeeJayAdverb]

great vid! going to try to clean the contacts tonight if not ground wire it is!

[@joesworldphysicaltherapyan5850]

Thanks so much but the car used and they never fixed this problem. Make more videos this was a good one

[@kevlock6282]

going to try this soon -if it saves the costs of new lampholder worth a try -why does it only happen on right turn though?

[@BOSS836]

I've literally order a new lamp holder for 50 quid and only now just seen this video :(

[@PhillipParr]

If the terminal is melting then it's a design flaw... Sale of Goods act gives you six years for this to happen. My TTS's six year anniversary was last week, so knowing my luck this'll happen to me shortly :')

[@colinperry112]

Brilliant,thanks you have saved us a lot of money.top man.

[@danielmoser4277]

This right here is good stuff! My A7 is popping on both rear lights! SMH! I hook my OBD11 up hoping to just clear codes thinking maybe they would clear after I shut off my side markers.. No such luck. The one thing I didn’t see in this video (and maybe I missed it) did you cut the original ground wire once you bypassed it? Or did you just leave it?

[@persistrich]

left it and added the extra one

[@Tinsby]

I am puzzled why a bad ground causes the condition you show in the video. The Mercedes SLK brake lights have a similar problem but it's not caused by a faulty ground. The fact is that people replace the brake light with a bulb that draws too much current and it burns the flimsy contacts that supply power to the bulb. The correct bulb is a P21W not an 1156 they are both double filament bulbs but the 1156 draws more current than the P21W. Other than replacing the bulb socket there is no need to run another ground wire, it's not a ground problem. I wonder if the same thing is true with the Audi, could a substitution be made for the bulb and choose one with a lower current draw? Simply changing the bulb wattage solved the problem with no extra wires needed.

[@ubersticks]

The TT ground pin is common as he shows -- the current from all the bulbs combined (when they are on) will flow through this one contact. If it gets a little corroded then it is has more resistance than it should, which generates heat in the contact, which encourages more corrosion, which makes more resistance, which generates more heat, etc. Over time the ground connection drops enough voltage across it that either the bulbs won't turn on or the computer senses something wrong with the ground voltage and stops trying (not sure here). The connection seems very flimsy. By bypassing it straight to chassis ground, the current through the pin is drastically reduced.

[@kjonezey43]

This was my problem just bought 08 TT turbo was getting brake light message come to find out they had a 1156 bulb which should be 0756 bulb switched it out & problem solved. Thanks for this comment..( Tinsby ) it saved me

[@fakhrurraziabdulrahim8308]

where can i buy the 2 earthing earthing connectors? and you didnt make the video on how to apply the second earthing connector to the audi... not the ones on the rear light

[@theequaliser8026]

Excellent upload, will do mine Saturday thanks. 👍

[@louisenaylor3566]

Just wanted to know what size cable did you use or doesn't it matter. Thanks

[@69lol69]

I just sprayed DW40 on the plug and its still working until today

[@MattEssex33]

I have the same problem, why would WD40 work for this? do you mean you spray it all inside the plug and then reconnect it all?

[@69lol69]

@@MattEssex33 prety much

[@timw5548]

Thanks for taking the time to video and post this.

[@stevesas632]

Hi mate, thanks for vid, very informative. Don't you actually need a new bulb holder & wiring connector if the earth pins already burnt? I tried my a different way but didn't work lol. I cut the brown earth wire & attached a second earth wire into it using bullet connectors and earthed to bracket nearby cluster (mine was nearside cluster with problem) so not having to drill through bulb holder. I say, didn't work, but is that because earthing before connector was wrong or maybe pins too burned? Thanks

[@rizla2000]

Hi mate, I was going to do it this way also, did you get it to work and if yes how did you fix it. Thanks

[@cierrakirkwood3125]

Awesome video. I have tried it but im going to now. Thanks!

[@eileenbrodie7686]

Just did this on 2005 A4 Avant turbo wagon. Ran the ground wire under wagon hatch's threshold and riveted an eyeletted terminal to sanded body hole. (running below as in video on Audi TT was not for this car a good option; with exhaust pipe interference & no nearby bolts or good places to drill and tap a grounding screw either.) The fix is working great. I cut off the burned brown wire flush at the socket plug, the one that brings power and ground via a female terminal, 4-pin socket plug. The brown earth/ground wire was going to a thoroughly burned-out terminal spade hole, with terminals burned both in the female socket plug and also in the molded-in tail light base. So, the 3 switched power wires that feed the running/ brake light, the back-up light, and the turn indicator lamp now continue to connect via the OEM socket plug, but the ground ('earth') wire is now separately routed to the chassis in very much the same way author persistrich has done in the video.

[@danielgaskell5490]

Love your purple MK II TT. Mine is a 2012 Dakota Gray and looks gold/gray in the sun. What year is yours?

[@sime641]

Great video thanks... did not have drill handy do just cleaned contacts with end of screwdriver. That worked fine for quick fix to get home. 😉

[@aronhyde]

Can the same problem happen on the rear left side of the car?

[@oliverl601]

I know this a like a year ago but I have done this but now my reverse light doesn't work. Which is weird because that always worked before. Any ideas?

[@triniwarrior16]

so i can't just polish up the bolt and re-use the same stuff?

[@jessslattery3540]

Don’t fancy doing mine do you? Mines now doing it but the left light 🤦🏽‍♀️ sometimes it will say turn signal, sometimes just the rear left light

[@persistrich]

Jess Slattery I would but I’m not a professional so no insurance if it anything happens. It’s dead simple to do, you can do it 💪

[@husaic]

Hello, It didn’t work with me I tried to connect to different wires but no help... Any other advice

[@chrise723]

How do i locate whitch one of the pins i need to solder direct on to the cable?

[@TheWomble666]

Super video, got me out of hole, many thanks

[@alunwilliams6118]

I did this to fix the indicator and reverse lights..... now the brake and rear light message come on!! Any ideas???

[@excessro]

can i use the ground on the female connector? the brown one i supose.

[@Sendrin1]

I have the same problem! I watched your video but I don't understand how you made the cable go from under the car to the headlight and how did you build the earth cable?...

[@persistrich]

Basically all you need to do is attach another cable (earth) from the earth on the light to a good earthing point on the cars chassis.

[@persistrich]

2:25 attach a cable to this

[@persistrich]

6:00 drill hole and attach cable to the light

[@Sendrin1]

Done and...it works!!! Thank you very much, I saved more than 250 euros!👍🔝

[@joescott6469]

Would it work as well if you took the new wire back to the ground wire of the car and just bypass the bad pin ?

[@HansRo4ming]

That's what I'm doing and using a power connector plug from Maplin.

[@Polopro911]

Thanks for saving me money excellent advice. :)

[@stevebuckley5633]

I presume the same can happen with the left light cluster? I get intermittent issues with that side :/

[@persistrich]

+Steve Buckley Yes indeed, its just an earthing issue with the lights that fails eventually. Hope you get it fixed.

[@eugenelee9096]

+Steve Buckley Yep... I've had the mk2 TT since 2007, and it happens for both sides. Hopefully grounding will make the problems go away forever!

[@jeffyoung8012]

Brilliant mate was so easy after watching this A+++

[@grahamp69]

Short wire good, long one to bumper bracket not necessary. Just snip the wire to the bad pin behind the plug and connect to it.

[@ricardocarvalho2742]

Can I just replace the bulbs holder?

[@stevejung5404]

This tip worked awesome!!! THANK YOU!!!!

[@nathanmcdonald483]

Hi I have the same problem as you did... just a quick question where did you get all the parts from to fix the light .

[@persistrich]

Nathan McDonald hardware shops like screw fix or maplin if you live in the UK

[@nathanmcdonald483]

Ahh ok mate is it called a earth strap by any chance.

[@nathanmcdonald483]

Could you tell me what you used so I can take the list and get them all please I dont know the name of the things you used lol not familiar with electrical stuff.

[@zenlove5940]

Did you earth both tail lights or just one?

[@cheeseont0ast]

What kind of wires are you using? What amp? (Assuming the correct unit as I don't really know what I'm talking about lol)

[@persistrich]

this sort of thing cpc.farnell.com/lms-data/earth-kit/single-35cm-earthing-cable/dp/EN85228?mckv=sKtvgz4ep_dc|pcrid|491034915808|kword||match||plid||slid||product|EN85228|pgrid|47836417355|ptaid|pla-557909763816|&CMP=KNC-GUK-CPC-SHOPPING-945655906-47836417355-EN85228&s_kwcid=AL!5616!3!491034915808!!!network}!557909763816!&gclid=CjwKCAjwpuajBhBpEiwA_Ztfha8JYY7wADb3EHcX-KjTevTLnrQ46eBt6MAfpCCJ-VuYKuw2Ffug-RoCVrwQAvD_BwE

[@gawfshot]

Whoa! I've been chasing this one for YEARS! The mechanics at the dealership must be having a good laugh over this one...Witnessed the melted plastic, seen the blackened contact...I've replaced the bulbs, the connector, the housing... and it keeps coming back. Lately I've found unplugging the connector and plugging it back in "resets" the ground and it starts working again...like a capacitor discharging or something. A disabled turn signal is a SAFETY issue, ... c'mon Audi!

[@persistrich]

+gawfshot Yeah its a more earthing wire in the loom, audi often replace the loom at a large cost which fixes it for a short period but it eventually comes back. The only way to fix it is to improve the earth like have done in the vid. Hope it helps

[@designer-garb572]

Hi Guys, just wondering if there is anybody who has an answer to my problem, I watched this video a couple of years ago and successfully fixed my earth problem with my lights using the method in this video, (so many thanks for the video) now my drivers side has the same problem, this time rather than getting under the car to find a good earth I cut the brown wire that goes into the plug (the one with the burnt out pin) and connected it directly to the earth inside the lights , it all works as it should except now when I turn my lights off one bulb remains lit even with the keys out of the car and the lights switch off, I am baffled because all I have done is bypass the burnt pin, any help would be much appreciated.

[@chtayyab3392]

Hi my audi a4 2013 give me same problem front right indicators working fine but warning light still on what i need to do please

[@persistrich]

Well I made this video for the TT and the chances are they are the two cars are similar so try doing the same thing as in this video but apply it to the front lights. It will be slightly different but what you need to look for is a bad earth, corrosion, burn etc around the terminals. Join an Audi forum and ask some questions too. Good luck

[@eydrianbiehl6980]

Awesome! I will definitly try this solution ;). Thanks buddy!

[@JasonSturgess]

I have this symbol but it does not tell me what light ?

[@Gustavo-kg5mb]

So i have a rear left fog light issue, will this fix the problem?? btw its located in the taillight itself i guess. Its an 02 audi a4 quattro

[@persistrich]

most likely and if you do add an earth it won't do any harm

[@mikelechler399]

What gauge was the ground wire you used for this?

[@highcarbrider]

Mike Lechler I just used some 30A flex I had lying around.