Dash and license plate lights stay always on

[Tonio44]

Hi all,
We are currently traveling in Auvergne with the kids and something strange started happening yesterday evening.
My dashboard lighting and my license plate lights stay on. They stayed on all night. I tried switching the ignition in and off, turning the light switch, even turned the engine on and off once but no luck.
Of course we made a number of unusual actions yesterday, to make guessing the cause harder (swiveled left front -driver- seat, it rained hard, I used the audio when stopped...)
I believe it started when parked, I started the infotainment and noticed the whole dash was lit up. I then noticed about the plate lights a bit later when it was dark, that was what raised my concern.
Vw diagnostics shows error 6000 6001 but I have that for quite some time and vw didn't do anything about it in the servicing a couple weeks ago...
I have read quite a few similar problems but all seem different from my problem.
Could it be a fuse ? Or ignition switch failure ?
Any idea would be great because I do not trust a lot vw centers and I can't let my van several days unless I cut short our vacations

Edit : it is a 2007 T5 ocean

 

[Nick Stubbs]

Think they all do it, there was a thread on here some time ago, certainly the number plate lights always glow.

 

[Tonio44]

I may have been unclear. Even with ignition off the lights are on which is completely abnormal and was not happening 1 day before.

 

[Nick Stubbs]

Maybe misunderstood then, but I am fairly sure most of the T6 number plate LED’s glow continually sorry can’t help your issue.

 

[Tonio44]

Sorry I forgot to mention it is a 2007 T5 Ocean

 

[WelshGas]

Sorry I forgot to mention it is a 2007 T5 Ocean

Sounds like the Parking lights are On.
Try removing the Lights switch on the Dashboard. Easily done. Lights Off ? Possible faulty switch.
Replace Lights On. Replace switch.

How to.

 

[Tonio44]

Thanks. I tyed that but the wires are too short and it looks like some electrical connections were added.
I tried again and disconnected the switch and it changed nothing.
At least for now I removed the plate lights fuse when parked thanks to the forum resources.

I have to add the switch works for changing lights and on 0 it doesn't make the warning bell when I open a door

 

[WelshGas]

Thanks. I tyed that but the wires are too short and it looks like some electrical connections were added.
I tried again and disconnected the switch and it changed nothing.
At least for now I removed the plate lights fuse when parked thanks to the forum resources.

I have to add the switch works for changing lights and on 0 it doesn't make the warning bell when I open a door

View attachment 63815

So what addition has been wired in?

 

[Tonio44]

Hard to say. There is audio jack plug sticking out of the dash above the light switch that I have no idea what it is for. My suspicion is for a screen for a reversing camera.
I have that (see picture) behind that I haven't investigated yet

 

[Tonio44]

tonight no problem so far. Very strange

 

[andyinluton]

Did you leave the van in reverse whilst parked last night but not tonight?

 

[Tonio44]

I don't know but that was happening even parked on neutral. My plate light were almost burning hot
It's OK tonight again. Could it be water ingress in the afternoon (heavy rain) that took 24h and 1.5 hours of mountain roads to dry?

 

[WelshGas]

I don't know but that was happening even parked on neutral. My plate light were almost burning hot
It's OK tonight again. Could it be water ingress in the afternoon (heavy rain) that took 24h and 1.5 hours of mountain roads to dry?

Possible, but water ingress where?

 

[Tonio44]

I have no idea and no stain is visible anywhere. Also roof drainage seem ok.
I start to think this is the old school Bluetooth module that is the culprit.
If I am using a phone app that connects to bt, it seems to activate the entertainment system even if I am not actually using the bt connexion.
So maybe a background app on my phone was preventing the system to completely shut off