I am in the middle of installing the Podi Boost Gauge, but cannot find a wire that connects to the dimmable instrument light (so that the boost gauge dimms with the main instrument lighting). The Podi instructions only show to connect to the rotary light switch (which does not exist on my B5).

What is a convenient wire and location to splice in?

Urgent help needed.

 

if you figure it out i need to hook up my headunti to dimm

 

I haven't been able to find one either; I have a Podi boost gauge I have yet to install and my B5 doesn't have the rotary switch either. I looked for a while to try to figure out what wire would do the trick - I had everything necessary apart, then couldn't figure out where to route the boost line through the firewall and couldn't find the correct wire so as of now mine's still in the box in the trunk.

 

i knw theres a way maby we can figure out what plugs into the back of the ac or maby like a normal switch and use that wire to dim the pod and also my headunit for the stero

 

It's possible - I know it's got to be close because the dimmer's the same switch/button/****/whatever as the trip meter. I just figured with my luck I'd choose a wire to test it and set off all my airbags simultaneously or start something on fire.

 

haha, well you try it first and tell us how it went

 

I might try to tackle it on Saturday - although I REALLY don't want to have to drill a hole in my firewall to route the vacuum line for the boost gauge, it's starting to look like I'm going to have to unless the grommet I need is staring me right in the face and I just don't see it somehow.

 

I just used the wire for the rear license plate lights. Right in the fuse box. Nice and easy.

 

42 DD has some instructions for the install. Dont know if its exactly what you're looking for, but my gauge lights up with the cluster. Basically I just stuck the ring terminal onto the post with some others and it works fine. I believe its the headlight post. Messed up first try and got the turn signals lol. My gauge was flashing with them. Please do yourself the favor though, and disconnect your negative battery terminal when doing electrical work on the car! I unhook it for most work actually, I dont want to pay for the airbags blowin up.
Also, there's a small round rubber thing in the firewall that the brake booster runs through. It has like two or three other rubber nipples. Cut the tip off one and route the line through there.

 

Thanks for the tip. On models that have a separate (rotating) headlight switch (on the dash) its easy. But mine (B5) has a lever on the steering column as the light switch! the wire that I COULD access (it is TOTALLY packed in there) all had non-dimmed power.

Taking the negative battery terminal off is good advice, and I ALWAYS do that on 'normal' cars. But with Audi screwed up 'safety mimmics', I already sit on a radio that is 'logged out for safety' and powerlocks won't work with the key remote! Obviously, constantly making customers run to the stealership is a good revenue source. But yes, not disconnecting is taking a big risk (a blown airbag may finally be a good reason to suit Audi for forcing customers to NOT do the right thing with their 'security' policy?).

I received some feedback (late night right after contacting them by email!) from Podi, see next post.