That's the section of the flex circuit that leads to the DOPS
(Dynamic Oil Pressure System) "L-board" buried inside the
speedometer.  '85 didn't have it but they set up ahead of time on the
flex circuit.  In '86 those pads would have had connector pins
crimped through them and there would be a hole in the speedo case
with a female connector for the pins.  If your OIL light works
normally you're all set.

Yrs,
d

At 10:37 11/10/2016, Dan N wrote:
>hi all,
>
>I notice something odd with my 1985 van instrument cluster (compared to my
>1988 van)
>
>there's a section of the blue foil that goes nowhere...
>
>http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=1574203
>
>1. did the previous owner replace the odometer with the wrong one?
>
>2. did the previous owner upgraded the blue foil with an earlier one?
>
>thanks for any help
>
>dan