I was driving my vw jetta 2004 tdi on a highway, I was using my high beam and low beam headlights to yield to incoming traffic when all of a sadden my headlights went off, I had to stop it was very dark and dangerous road, I moved and wiggle the lever to see if I could make it come on again, eventually it did, it did that about 4 times,every time it scared the ... Out of me could not see road. Took it to a mechanic, replaced the turn signal high beam low beam and cruse control lever, its all in one lever. I looked on line to see if someone else have the same problem and it seems that is a common problem with this vehicle.
2004 Volkswagen Jetta lights problems
11 complaints (5% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 72,790. 1 crash reported.
- owner complaints
- 11
- of this car's complaints
- 5%
- typical mileage
- 72,790
- crashes
- 1
- recalls
- 1
Which part fails
- Brake lights: switch2
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
0k-25k
25k-50k
50k-75k
75k-100k
100k-125k
125k-150k
150k-175k
175k-200k
200k+
Volkswagen Jetta lights problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta lights
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
Exterior lighting: brake lights: switch
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger, wagon, and convertible vehicles equipped with or without cruise control, a brake light switch may malfunction if it was installed incorrectly.
- Risk
- The brake lights could become inoperative, or remain on. Failure to provide the proper signal when braking could lead to a crash without warning.
- Remedy
- Dealers will install the newly designed brake light switch free of charge. The recall began on april 27, 2007, and will be conducted in several staggered mailings through september 21, 2007. Vehicles within the make, model, and model year of this population may be involved in either this recall or 06v‑183, but not both. The remedy is the same for each recall. Volkswagen dealers will apply the remedy based on the VIN number of the vehicle. Owners may contact vw at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 07V063000 · Recall details
What 2004 Volkswagen Jetta owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Headlights dimming- to point where you can not tell they are on. Engine light comes on despite all diagnostics stating all is ok with car. Periodically fails to start-despite diagnostics that state starter, battery, drain altenator all good and functioning properly. Car jumps easily with "boost".
We have a 2004 vw jetta, but this concern is with most 7 year old and older vehicles. The headlight construction is inferior to vehicles earlier in the 1900s ' never with cars I have owned from 1954 until the last few have I see headlights fog- turn opaque or yellow. The plastic used is inferior to the glass used on older vehicles and as such it is a safety hazard to all drivers. Since it is the use of an inferior material it is a defect and should become safety recalls by the manufacturer rather then a band-aid buff out kit that the vehicle owner, must bear the expense, and try to use or have a repair shop do at the owner's expense. Headlight surfaces should last the life of a vehicles, barring damage in accidents they should perform safely throughout a one's ownership.
Door ajar not working, along with interior light on drivers door, & cabin interior lights not coming on when door opens. Replaced drivers door lock actuator via dealer fixes problem. A very expensive fix for a $17 microswitch (approx) part on the door lock actuator that fails very often. Many vw owners experience this.
2004 jetta tdi 4 door sedan, it's a turbo diesel. The stalk have to goes to high beam in order for the cruise control to work. This is a defective part, it have been with this car for many years but we do not have time to fix this and it's cost lost of money to replace. When click on the turn signal the cruise control when off, it's very dangerous on the freeway. I believe this parts of the car should be recalled, it's dangerous. Thank you for listening.
My car's signal light switch malfunctions periodically leading to the signal light becoming stuck in a left or right hand turn position blinking at a fast speed. This is occurring about 25% of the time while driving. As a consequence I have to make unsafe lane changes (eg. When changing into r lane the signal light be stuck in the left hand blinking sequences from the previous left turn). To correct the failure the signal light arm has to be replaced.
Rear lights go out- tail lights, brake lights, turn signals, etc... Have replaced the bulbs numerous times. Was told by people following me that they tend to flicker on and off and then just off. Also was pulled over by police officer in sept. Bought this used @ vw dealership in june, it had approximately 52,000 at that time.
I own a 2004 volkswagen jetta wagon tdi. The original owner sold the car to me and complained of poor lighting. I have repeatedly brought the vehicle to dealership and the problem has not been resolved. There is no peripheral lighting and the lights do not project far enough to see and have dark spots. I hit a bear 6 wks. Ago and directly blame the lights for an impaired ability to react. The plastic lens are also a problem as they yellow and scratch over time diminishing visibility by approx 50%. A problem that does not occur with glass lens and is particularly bad in places like colorado where magnesium chloride is applied to the roads in winter.
Dt*: the contact stated while applying brake pressure at various speeds, the rear brake light and turn signals failed to illuminate without warning. The vehicle was inspected by a dealer who determined the brake light switch malfunctioned and needed to be replaced. There was a the federal safety agency recall, # 06v183000, regarding the exterior lighting. The vehicle was not included in the recall due to the VIN. Additionally, the driver side window glass stuck within the window retainer, and would not roll up. The dealer determined the window glass needed retainer clips installed. Afterwards, the problem persisted. The manufacturer was notified.
Brake light kept on going on intermittently causing the car to stall.
Questions about the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta lights
Does the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta have lights problems?
Owners have filed 11 complaints about the lights of the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta, 5% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2004 Volkswagen Jetta lights problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 72,790 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2004 Volkswagen Jetta lights?
Yes, 1 recall: 07V063000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Volkswagen Jetta have the most lights problems?
The Volkswagen Jetta model years with the most lights complaints are 2001 (80 complaints), 2002 (51 complaints) and 2011 (42 complaints).
Other 2004 Volkswagen Jetta problems
Engine 48Fuel system 37Electrical 36Transmission 35Seats 22Airbags 21Brakes 12Visibility 11Body 8Acceleration 7Seat belts 6Locks 4Steering 4Tires 4Driver assistance 3Suspension 3
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