GOLFMK8
GOLFMK7
GOLFMK6
GOLFMKV

How to add a fuse to the cabin fuse box in a couple of minutes

ZERO815

Autocross Champion
Location
Köln Germany
Car(s)
2017 GTI SE DSG
The cabin fuse box has multiple empty cavities with terminal 30 and terminal 15. For my tow hook wiring and headlight washers wiring I started looking into adding fuses w/o braking stuff or removing the dashboard. Looking at the fuse box from the backside, some of the cavities have the VW typical purple secondary locking feature. Fuses 32 - 53 don't look like they have that secondary locking feature.

20200420_Fuse_box2.jpg
20200420_backside.jpg


You can use it, but it’s at your own risk!

First of all remove the following parts:
- Driver Side Footwell Cover. Remove 1x (MT) / 2x (AT) screws and pull footwell cover out of the bracket
- Driver Side Storage Compartment. Loosen from upper retainers and remove

In my workshop I found a rectangular steel strip with 3.8mm width and 1mm height. Used a pair of side cutters to cut it to approx 300mm. Don't deburr the cutted end. The burr will actually help you to install the terminal.

1. Select an empty fuse cavity you want to use and stick a tooth pick/zip tie, ... into the empty cavity
2. Double check the occupied side w/ a multimeter if it's a terminal 30 (Battery) or terminal 15 (Switched)
3. Double check the empty cavity from the backside (smartphone camera, mirror, or put your head under the dashboard) and make sure there's no secondary locking feature. As of today I can successfully confim that 38, 41 & 48 don't have the secondary locking feature
4. Turn off the ignition and all electrical equipment. Remove the ignition key, if equipped. Loosen (10mm wrench) and remove your battery ground cable clamp
5. Select the correct fuse terminal depending on your wire size. Strip end of wire, crimp terminal to wire. I have used N90732703 terminal. See table below
20200420_Terminal.jpg

6. Check the orientation of the new terminal your going to use against the empty cavity
7. Gently push the steel strip in the same orientation through the selected empty cavity. Make sure you don't damage already installed wires
8. If you can see the steel strip in your footwell area, slide the new terminal with the crimped wire on all the way on
9. Gently pull the steel strip out of the fuse box while you push the wire into the fuse box in the same motion
10. As soon as the terminal reaches the empty cavity of the fuse box the steel strip slides out. Keep gently pushing the wire until you hear the terminal clicking. Double check by pulling at the wire that it is securely locked
11. Install battery ground cable clamp by hand on battery negative terminal and tighten the nut
- Turn on the ignition
- Window, open and close all the way. Then, with the windows closed, pull the power window switch until the relay audibly switches
- Check the window regulator convenience switch. While comfort switching is operated, window must close without holding the power window switch
- After connecting the power supply, the ASR/ESP Indicator Lamp may only go out after the vehicle has been driven a few meters
12. Insert appropriate fuse into added slot and check functionality

Reassemble interior of your vehicle.

20200420_Fuse_box.jpg


Terminal table
Part #Wire size [mm²]
928990-10.2 - 0.35mm²
N907326030.5 - 1.0mm²
N907327031.5 - 2.5mm²
N906966034mm²
N904221026mm²

Enjoy!
 

Cuzoe

Autocross Champion
Location
Los Angeles
This is pretty sweet... adding fuses in this panel is... not fun. I used a large zip tie in the same way you're using the steel strip to guide my pin for the reverse camera. It was in a section with the secondary lock though. This is great though; I'll be trying a few of them as I work through some retrofits. Eventually I'll move them all to their OEM locations but this will save a ton of time not having to get in there multiple times.
 

KyACRASH

Autocross Newbie
Location
Fort Walton Beach, FL
Car(s)
2015 GTI 6MT, 04 R32
nice writeup, thanks I will definitely be trying this.

I am missing how you can reach/access the backside of the fuse panel though. Is it visible from under the dash after you remove the footwell cover?
 

ZERO815

Autocross Champion
Location
Köln Germany
Car(s)
2017 GTI SE DSG
Once you remove the footwell cover the backside of the fuse panel in my DSG is visible. Although it requires some acrobatic talents. The most comfortable way for me is to slide the driver seat to the back, lay on the back on my floormat in the driver footwell area, put my head between brake pedal and footrest. I'm not sure if it works on MT cars though.
 

Cuzoe

Autocross Champion
Location
Los Angeles
It was able to see back there on my MT. Just make sure you're hydrated, caught quite a few cramps while contorting my body to get in there. Might be worth it to pull the front seat, or at least unsecure the harnesses/bolts and move it to the back.
 

milktree

New member
Location
North America
Car(s)
’15 sportwagen TDI
(snip)

5. Select the correct fuse terminal depending on your wire size. Strip end of wire, crimp terminal to wire. I have used N90732703 terminal. See table below
View attachment 170681
(snip)

Terminal table
Part #Wire size [mm²]
928990-10.2 - 0.35mm²
N907326030.5 - 1.0mm²
N907327031.5 - 2.5mm²
N906966034mm²
N904221026mm²

Do you know if these clips are the same for the mini-ATO fuses as the regular size fuses?

It looks like the only terminal 30 empty slot in my car is a mini-ATO form factor.
 

ZERO815

Autocross Champion
Location
Köln Germany
Car(s)
2017 GTI SE DSG
I haven't added those so far but according to my notes it should be the 2.8mm Junior Power Terminal (JPT).
Part #Wire size [mm²]
N906844050.5 - 1.0mm²
N906845052.5mm²
 
Last edited:

sterkrazzy

Autocross Champion
Location
United States
Car(s)
Turbo. Blue.
Seems like a lot of work when you could just use an add-a-circuit fuse tap?
 

milktree

New member
Location
North America
Car(s)
’15 sportwagen TDI
Seems like a lot of work when you could just use an add-a-circuit fuse tap?

Maybe, but it's way cleaner, and doesn't look like a hack.

Plus, the "add-a-circuit" things block a couple more circuits, so you can't replace any of the four fuses (two in the add-a-circuit, two blocked by the add-a-circuit) without removing the add-a-circuit thing.

This isn't really a huge deal, because fuses rarely blow, but it's worth more than zero.
 

milktree

New member
Location
North America
Car(s)
’15 sportwagen TDI
While angsting about which connectors to buy for my fuse panel, I came across some repair wires I bought for my Mk-4's tail lights (wagon "5-brake-light' mod)

I can't find the order from when I got them, so I have no idea if they're useful for the mini-ATO fuse positions in my dashboard fuse panel.

I might have bought them at ECS Tuning, but for some reason they can't reset my password so I can't check previous orders :(

Any of you able to identify this connector?
 

Attachments

  • connector-measurements.jpg
    connector-measurements.jpg
    269 KB · Views: 580

sterkrazzy

Autocross Champion
Location
United States
Car(s)
Turbo. Blue.
While angsting about which connectors to buy for my fuse panel, I came across some repair wires I bought for my Mk-4's tail lights (wagon "5-brake-light' mod)

I can't find the order from when I got them, so I have no idea if they're useful for the mini-ATO fuse positions in my dashboard fuse panel.

I might have bought them at ECS Tuning, but for some reason they can't reset my password so I can't check previous orders :(

Any of you able to identify this connector?

Is it just a trigger wire?
 

sterkrazzy

Autocross Champion
Location
United States
Car(s)
Turbo. Blue.
Top