Concerning light in auto gear shift box.  Yes there's one but don't
point first to the bulbs.  Mine didn't lite up from the time I bought it
in Jan. 95 until about 1 month ago.  All of a sudden (I think after I
cleaned negative battery connection to van) it lit up and has been on
for the last month.  Stays on as long as the engine is on (doesn't
depend on headlights) but it's hard to tell its on in daylight.

Could have been cleaning that connection (bolt and where it comes out
under van where kinda corroded), taking the radio out and shoving it
back in (maybe shook up a loose wire just right), or fate.  Who knows
but it wasn't the bulbs themselves.

I didn't know about the lights on the fan switches--mines all dark.  Are
just the fans supposed to have lights or are the levers lit too?

Another interested quirk--when the light came on the gear shifter, my
automatic door locks began to work regularly on sliding door too!?!?

Tonya
87 Vanagon GL
74 S. Beetle