[Dochere195]

Hey guys. We have an 04 V6 with the standard headlights (I believe H7 and H9 bulbs). Last week my drivers side DRL/Headlight stopped working. I figured it was the bulb. I pulled it apart and the bulb was fine. Checked the fuse and it was also fine.

So I decided to try the housing on the other side and sure enough, everything works as it should. When I put the passenger side housing on the driver side, it has the same problem.

I checked the voltage and it seems that the pin leading to the running (parking) lights is putting out 14.6 volts give or take. The pin for the headlight/DRL is at 13.3 but what is strange is it isn't showing it as positive voltage. Typically it will light up positive or negative and show the current. On the other side it shows 14.6 and the positive led lights up. Here it is almost as if it is grounded out though I have never seen this tester not identify the line being tested as either positive or negative??? So I am puzzled.

So my question would be how likely would it be that the headlight switch went bad, or is there something else I should be looking for like a control module, etc? Or any other ideas? I figue with the basic lights that there wouldn't be anything fancy but who knows on this thing.

Also, if someone has a Bentleys or other manual outlining the electrical system I would love an email.

Finally, will vag-com software be able to help me with this? I have yet to purchase the cable or software, any advice on this would also be appreciated.

Thanks allot!

 

[Yeti]

VAG Com may give you an idea on what is going bad with a scan. Then you can at least tell the dealer or whoever so they can fix it. VAG Com its self won't fix the issue, but is a great diagnostic tool to have.

 

[touregg]

Hey guys, I have the same problem, but with HID lights. One of the lights is blinking and weakens after few seconds. Sometimes it turns off completely. Do you think it has to do with the light bulb or a wiring issue. If it's a light bulb how much do they cost?

 

[tanner_sis]

about the same:
I have my lights on auto and a setting in the conf for leaving home..so when I unlock the car the headlights come on. last night when I unlocked it the drivers didnt come on..I started it no problem with the light warning..turned it off locked and unlocked the light came back on as normal. Im going to pull the light out again and make sure it was hooked in right.. hope this dont happen again

 

[touregg]

is it easy to unhook the light bulb or replace it??

 

[ekloc]

Sorry Dochere195 for hijacking the thread a bit, I have no answers for you but I can comment/relate to Touregg's problem. I have HID lights and same flickering light problem. Well, it flickered, it would sometimes go off and now it's off most of the time. I read here that it's most likely not the bulb but the connection/wiring problem. I also read somewhere that when HID lights die they die suddenly.

Bulbs are crazy expensive.

Detailed instructions on how to replace the bulb are here on this site.

 

[ekloc]

And I found the link to HID replacement manual: http://www.clubtouareg.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=2605&d=1187725258

 

[Vegas Matt]

I also read somewhere that when HID lights die they die suddenly.

Not necessarily true. Mine got dimmer over time, and changed to a pinky color. Then, the flickering/spontaneous going out started happening. They were both replaced under warranty as per the headlight flickering TSB.

Matt

 

[Touaritup]

Resurrecting an old thread......I had the HID blink on and off a few times yesterday, then the light code lit up on my dash. I shut the lights off and continued home, turned off the car, and this morning the code is gone and the HID works perfectly. Is there any real answer to this problem or more of just a weird happening?

 

[LocoLobo]

One of your bulbs is probably going out. Mine did that on and off for two weeks before it completely died. Sometimes shutting the car off and restarting it will bring it back to life for a day or two.

 

[Touaritup]

Sad! Good to know, thank you for the response. Right when I posted on this thread I re-searched under a different keyword and noticed there was alot of coverage on this topic already, oops!

 

[noobytoogy]

I always replace both bulbs whenever one of a pair goes since experience tells me that doing just one usually signals the death knell of the other a few days later.

And bang on cue to support my theory, I replaced one headlight bulb in my wife's car on Monday thinking I'd do the other at the weekend, but when she came home tonight, Thursday, that other bulb had already blown!

 

[Bgoldberg]

One of your bulbs is probably going out. Mine did that on and off for two weeks before it completely died. Sometimes shutting the car off and restarting it will bring it back to life for a day or two.

VW dealer is telling me that to fix the problem with my headlight, he sees that the housing is cracked and that is causing intermittent failure with one light. Also says to replace both at same time. Big question-do you really have to remove bumper to replace housing. He quoted me $550...yikes!