2008 Volkswagen Beetle

THE PASSENGER SIDE HEADLIGHT VERY FREQUENTLY ISN'T WORKING DUE TO THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY AND THE CAR'S WIRING. WE'VE TRIED MANY DIFFERENT TIMES TO IMPROVE THIS CONNECTION WITHOUT MUCH SUCCESS. ANECDOTALLY I HAD ANOTHER BEETLE WITH THIS ISSUE, AND SEE OTHERS ON THE ROAD WITH IT. I THINK IT IS A SAFETY ISSUE AS VISIBILITY IS AFFECTED AS WELL AS MY ABILITY TO SEE AT NIGHT.

WHEN DRIVING HER 2008 VW BEETLE AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH DURING A LIGHT RAINFALL, MY DAUGHTER HIT A BUMP IN THE ROAD (NOT A HUGE SIGNIFICANT BUMP, JUST A BUMP) THE ENTIRE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY HEADLAMP/BUCKET AND ALL CAME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY. THEY ELECTRICAL ASSEMBLY BECAME UNPLUGGED AND THE ENTIRE UNIT CAME OUT OF THE CYLINDRICAL COMPARTMENT THAT HOUSES THE HEADLIGHT. THE ENTIRE HOUSING UNIT, INCLUDING THE BULB AND ALL RELATED PARTS CAME OUT AND WENT CRASHING ONTO THE PAVEMENT WHERE IT WAS STRUCK BY A CAR BEHIND ME AND SMASHED INTO PIECES ALL DOWN THE ROAD. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. IT WAS A DANGER TO BOTH MY CHILD AND THE VEHICLE BEHIND HER AND ANY PEDESTRIANS NEARBY. IN FL THE LAW REQUIRES YOU DRIVE WITH HEADLIGHTS ON IN THE RAIN, SO ALTHOUGH IT WAS DAYTIME, SHE WAS FORCED TO DRIVE ILLEGALLY WITHOUT HER HEADLIGHT CAUSING HER TO BE LESS VISIBLE TO OTHER DRIVERS. THE CAR IS UNUSABLE IN THE EVENING OR EARLY MORNING NOW UNTIL WE GET IT FIXED. CLEARLY, AFTER READING THE MANY COMPLAINTS, YOU TUBE VIDEOS ON HOW TO "FIX" THE LOOSE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, AND MANY VW BUG DRIVERS' HORROR STORIES OF LOSING SOMETIMES JUST THE ELECTRICAL CONNECTION (BAD ENOUGH ON ITS OWN), BUT ALSO IN SOME CASES, LIKE MY DAUGHTER'S, THE ENTIRE HEADLIGHT AND IT'S HOUSING UNIT CAME BROKE AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE JUST FROM HITTING A BUMP IN THE ROAD. UNACCEPTABLE.

HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY ELECTRICAL CONNECTION HAS A DESIGN FLAW THAT ALLOWS THE REAR PIN CONNECTOR TO SLIGHTLY PULL-AWAY AND LOOSEN FROM THE HEADLAMP BUCKET RESULTING IN INTERMITTANT HEADLIGHT FAILURE, ESPECIALLY IN COLDER WEATHER OR GOING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES DURING THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, EACH TIME THINKING THE BULBS BURNED-OUT BUT IN ACTUALITY, IT IS THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VW DEALER SAYS THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED, BUT IT THE TOO-SHORT CHASSIS WIRING HARNESS THAT IS THE ISSUE. THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF HEADLIGHT ILLUMINATION PRESENTS A CLEAR & PRESENT DANGER WHEN TRAVELING AT NIGHT AND REASONABLY MUST BE ADDRESSES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

THIS CAR HAS HAD MANY ELECTRICAL ISSUES. THE FIRST TIME IT WAS IN THE DEALERSHIP DUE TO LIGHTS, TURNING SIGNALS NOT WORKING. THE SECOND TIME ABOUT 2 YEARS LATER I LOST ALL ELECTRICAL CONTROLS. NO LIGHTS, WIPERS, AC FAN, AC ADAPTER, RADIO, TURN SIGNALS. NOW JUST 5 MONTHS LATER I AM NOTICING HEADLIGHT ISSUES. I HAVE TAKEN IT BACK TO THE VW OF OCALA, THEY CLAIM THERE IS NO ELECTRICAL ISSUE THAT I JUST NEED BULB REPLACEMENT. AFTER DRIVING OVER AN HOUR TO GET MY CAR, I GET IN TO FIND MY WINDOWS ARE NO LONGER WORKING NOW.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE DRIVER'S SIDE HEADLIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO GERALD JONES VOLKSWAGEN (4022 WASHINGTON RD, MARTINEZ, GA 30907, (706) 228-6900) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BULB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL AND FAILED TO RESPOND. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 49,600. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY ELECTRICAL CONNECTION HAS A DESIGN FLAW THAT ALLOWS THE REAR PIN CONNECTOR TO SLIGHTLY PULL-AWAY AND LOOSEN FROM THE HEADLAMP BUCKET RESULTING IN INTERMITTANT HEADLIGHT FAILURE, ESPECIALLY IN COLDER WEATHER OR GOING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO MY VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES DURING THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS, EACH TIME THINKING THE BULBS BURNED-OUT BUT IN ACTUALITY, IT IS THE WIRING HARNESS. THE VW DEALER SAYS THE ENTIRE ASSEMBLY MUST BE REPLACED, BUT IT THE TOO-SHORT CHASSIS WIRING HARNESS THAT IS THE ISSUE. THIS SUDDEN LOSS OF HEADLIGHT ILLUMINATION PRESENTS A CLEAR & PRESENT DANGER WHEN TRAVELING AT NIGHT AND REASONABLY MUST BE ADDRESSES AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ACCORDING TO THE VW ONLINE FORUMS, THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT VW HAS IGNORED FOR YEARS.

BOTH HEADLIGHTS EITHER BURNOUT OR LOSE CONNECTION. IT HAPPENED 4 TIMES DURING WARRANTY AND AN ADDITIONAL 8 TIMES AFTER WARRANTY PERIOD. NUMEROUS CONTACTS AT THE DEALER RESULTED IN CONVERSATION THAT VW WOULD NOT RECOGNIZE THIS PROBLEM. IT IS CLEARLY EVIDENT TO ME AS AN AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEER AND A REGISTERED PROFESSIONAL ENGINEER THAT THE LOCKING ASSEMBLY IS NOT ADEQUATE TO LOCK THE ASSEMBLY INTO THE REQUIRED POSITION.

THE 2008 MODEL FOR THE VW BEETLE APPEARS TO HAVE A DESIGN FLAW REGARDING THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES. WE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE BOTH ASSEMBLIES BECAUSE THE "HEADLIGHT BUCKETS" COME LOOSE FROM THE POWER SUPPLY INSIDE THE FENDER WHERE THE HOUSING UNITS ARE CONNECTED. THIS ISSUE MEANS THAT WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP, THE LIGHTING ASSEMBLY COMES LOOSE AND HEADLIGHTS FAIL TO OPERATE. AT NIGHT, THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS! I HAVE CONTACTED VW ABOUT THE ISSUE AND I AM SUPPOSED TO HEAR BACK FROM THEM. I HAVE HAD BOTH ASSEMBLIES REPLACED WITH BRAND NEW UNITS AND THE SAME ISSUE OCCURS. MOST PEOPLE PROBABLY BELIEVE THEIR HEADLIGHT BURNED OUT AND HAVE IT REPLACED. WHEN THE HEADLIGHT IS REPLACED, THE UNIT IS REMOVED AND PLUGGED BACK IN AND CAN EASILY MASK THE REAL ISSUE. THERE IS A FLAW IN THE DESIGN AND A CONTINUOUS CONNECTIVITY ISSUE WITH THESE PARTS! VW NEEDS TO ISSUE A SAFELY RECALL AND FIX THIS SO OUR HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES REMAIN PLUGGED INTO THE POWER SOURCE! *TR