Volkswagen Beetle headlights problems

Filed Feb 2, 2023 · Visibility · 85,000 miles · MO

The contact owns a 2014 Volkswagen Beetle. The contact stated that while attempting to activate the high-beam headlights, the lever failed to operate as designed. The contact stated who is an independent mechanic, diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the multifunction lever switch failed to operate in the forward position as designed, and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 85,000.

Filed Jan 2, 2023 · Lights · CT

Headlamps do not stay illuminated regardless of speed. This issue occurs each time the car is used. This is a hazard when driving in low light conditions as others cannot see the vehicle and lack of lighting impairs ones ability to see the road. This issue has not been investigated by a service center. There are no warning indicators that the lights are not functioning. The issue was present when the used vehicle was purchased in 2020.

Filed Jul 6, 2022 · Lights · TX

Purchased this vehicle on 05/19/ 2022 no prior issues all service requirments completed from prior corporate owned company. Since my purchase both headlights have sporadically fallen out of their brackets while I'm driving leading to loss of visibilty during the daytime and nightime. First incident occuring on 05/20/2022 and the second incident occuring 07/05/2022. Major safety issue and concern. No safety warnings or lights came on once these incidents took place.this has lead to the headlights being damaged and dents placed on the exterior over my beetle when there was no prior damage.

Filed Jun 24, 2021 · Lights · CA

headlamp connecters fail to connect at this time passenger side headlamp is not working, headlamp assy, fall out of their buckets in fenders.

Filed Jan 29, 2021 · Lights · 100,000 miles · MN

Low beams both stopped working, bulbs and fuses are fine.

Filed Sep 15, 2020 · Fuel system, Lights · 30,000 miles · IL

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.

Filed May 21, 2020 · Lights · 78,700 miles · TX

Just purchase a used 2009 vw convertible beetle for our 16 year old daughter. This is her dream car and so excited. The driver's side headlight fell out while driving on the highway on our way home from the car lot. The entire housing unit just gone. We purchased the car as is, so we ordered 2 new headlights housing units and had them installed yesterday. Today, the first time driving since getting back from shop, the passenger head light housing fell out while driving on a major thoroughfare only 3 miles from leaving our house crashing all over the road behind us where other vehicles had to swerve out of the way. We did not even hit a bump. This is a major safety problem for anyone and especially a new teen driver. It is not safe! Our mechanic told us it was a known problem. Researching several threads have concurred his statement of lights falling out or connections frequently coming loose so the lights go out at the slightest bump while driving. Vw beetle lights are garbage. So very disappointing vw has not issued a recall on the headlight issues for the more safety concern as well as the continuous expense owners incur having to replace entire units, or bulbs, or connections and the labor costs that go along with it. This is ridiculous, we've had the car a week and have already spent $500 replacing lights and the labor and then the dang thing falls out again. I certainly don't feel my daughter is safe if the headlights fall out every time she drives it.

Filed Feb 8, 2020 · Lights · AZ

The headlights are frequently out. They become disconnected easily and then don't work. I have gone in multiple times to get them fixed and I am always told it is a problem with the model. My headlight even fell out when I was driving once! The bulbs seem to dies quickly as a result and I have spent a lot of time and money trying to fix them.

Filed Nov 2, 2019 · Lights · 400 miles · TX

The front headlight beam has a distinctive blind spot on the left side and a double notch on the right side. Volkswagen refuses to address this as they say it's by design though I have seen another beetle, same model year with the same hids, have a completely normal headlight beam. With the beam like it is, it makes driving the car at night unsafe, especially on black asphalt roads. I've escalated this to volkswagen of america and they insist this is by design and is due to the shutter that comes down when using the normal headlight beam. Our other vehicle is a gmc acadia with the same system and it does not do this. On the beetle the if I switch it to high beams the blind spot and notch go away. Also volkswagen claims that the left headlight is aimed lower on purpose as to not blind oncoming traffic. The car sits so low I don't see how that's needed, especially when our acadia which sits up higher doesn't do this. I did take a look at a couple of other 2019 beetles at another dealership and the headlight beams were all different; still a blind spot and notches but in different spots. The blind spot and notches are seen both stationary and in motion. I have pictures and video of both. I feel this is a design defect that will lead to an accident at night as it hinders the drivers view on the left side. Volkswagen has ignored my concerns and refuses to address this. I'm very concerned for our safety and my wife and I refuse to drive the car at night because of this. Volkswagen's 'remedy' is to trade it in. We love the car, just not the headlights at night. Please investigate. I have attached two photos; one low beam and one high beam so that you can see the difference.

Filed Oct 9, 2019 · Electrical, Lights · 90,000 miles · FL

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.