Hi everyone, I'm a Vanagon owner living in Germany, and before you say "spare parts galore" think again. Having an American Specs Water-Cooled Vanagon and getting it serviced here--at a reasonable price is worse than having a Saab in rural Georgia. It has been a nightmare cross referencing part numbers for small items like filters and hoses. Some German mechanics have simply stared at that bundle of wires on the left having to do with the emissions and all that computerized jazz and shrugged their shoulders. You would never believe they created the thing. The first thing they want to do is haul out the wasserboxer and throw in an aircooled engine--used of course for about $2000. Here's my latest Vanagon maitenance mystery: This happens about every 12 hours of operation: If I switch off the ignition with my headlights on, and then turn the headlights off at the toggle when I then restart the engine and go to turn on the headlights they will not work. All other lights work fine and even the headlights come on when I do the "flash to pass" pull on the directional control handle--but the headlights will not illuminate. Only if I then turn the ignition off with the headlight switch in the off position and then restart and then swith the lights on will they work. I tried just turning the ignition on instead of a full start to try and trouble shoot, but it seems that it requires a full start everytime. Simple solution: Never turn the ignition off with the headlights on. I can live with that--but does this indicate a problem somewhere? Is there a massive short circuit on the horizon? Has anyone experienced similiar occurances? Appreciate any useful replys Brian Curtis 1980 Vanagon with 140K (2nd waterpump) Trier
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