I drive a 2008 VW GTI. Yesterday the driver’s side headlamp suddenly went purple. The passenger’s side is still bright white. In the old days I’d head down to the local NAPA for a replacement headlight, but with this lamp, I’m not so sure that this is something I’m meant to fix. I can’t even find anything about it in the manual.
I’m reasonably proficient with a screwdriver and a wrench (plastic fiddly bits are not good to me), but is this still something I’m going to have to go to the dealer for? What might this cost me? (Now I’m actually wondering if this might be a warranty item…)
If you haven’t done so already, you may want to check out some of the VW enthusiast sites, such as VWVortex.com – you could probably find some info there.
I know I’ve seen info on replacing Xenon and HID lights for some VW/Audi models there – I drive an Audi A3, which is very similar to the Jetta Sportswagen.
I don’t know anything about your specific model, but I replaced the Xenon bulbs on our Saab myself, with no problem, despite an ominous warning in the manual that I should not attempt to do so. They were expensive to someone accustomed to replacing standard headlights – I think around a $100 per bulb.
Be careful not to touch the glass (or whatever the clear part is made of) of the bulb with your fingers. Oil residue from your skin will cause the bulb to heat unevenly and fail.
In my brief research, I came across several sites that recommended changing both bulbs at the same time. To save a few bucks, I ignored that advice. The second headlight failed within a week of replacing the first. Fluke or not, I don’t know.
The bulbs are very expensive but not that much more difficult than changing a regular bulb, at least on my 2003 Maxima. There are much cheaper bulbs available but apparently they are much lower quality and light output. If you buy them from the dealer you will probably pay a lot more than you have to.
It’s no more difficult to change a xenon bulb than an ordinary one. Which in itself is usually a very simple job. With the big proviso that Kyrie already mentioned - do not touch the bulb with your bare hands. Personally, I just use a piece of paper towel to handle the bulb while seating it in the housing, nice and easy.
I’ve never done anything on a VW before, but most cars you’ll only need to undo maybe 2-3 screws and probably apply a small modicum of force to pop out the headlight assembly. Easy as.
The voltage in the system is deadly, make sure the key and the lights are off before you go mucking around in there.
Secondly, the ballast runs hot. Real Hot. like 3rd degree burn hot, so be careful not to pull the headlight assembly out and lean it against your polyester slacks. :eek:
Yeah and don’t touch the bulb either.
Thank you all very much. I will get on this ASAP. Interestingly, the death throes of a xenon bulb goes in stages, sort of like the death of a star. Apparently purple is only the first stage. The bulb then was pink for a few days (red giant), now it is completely out, like a little brown dwarf.
Do the new headlights still have the adjustment screws to line them up?
My state eliminated the state inspections about 10 years ago. There’s no service stations left that align headlights any more. They all pulled the equip or don’t keep it calibrated.
First time I changed a headlight (age 16) I turned one of those alignment screws thinking it held the lamp. Had to get them realigned. Don’t know what someone would do now if they trashed the alignment.
It is pretty easy, i converted my car to the purple HIDs for only 20 for each light and I had to install capacitors, if yours came stock just buy the bulp.
Yeah, all cars (IME) have at least one adjustment screw per headlamp to set the beam angle.
If you accidentally maladjust one of your headlamps, the simplest thing to do is to park a few feet off a wall, switch on the headlights and simply line the beams up. If you manage to mess up both, and thus have no point of reference, you could either park another car next to it (that you know is correctly set), and use that as a guide; set them by trail and error to somewhere that looks about right, then go for a spin in the dark and see how they look; or you could look up the local regulations for how they are supposed to be set. Even if your state doesn’t include it as part of the inspection (which seems FUCKED UP to me, but wth) there is bound to be a standard set so new cars don’t go around dazzling everyone with their dipped beams.