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2019 Volkswagen Jetta: headlights failing or too dim

12 of the 553 complaints about the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta describe headlights failing or too dim.

owner complaints
12
of this car's complaints
2%
recalls
1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 8 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below

Headlights failing or too dim by model year

What owners say

Filed Jul 31, 2024 · Electrical · SC

Very similar to Recall #: 28H7 of VW. Was driving in hot temperature and dash displayed warning: "Starter system faulty. Please service vehicle" after a warning sound and message "Car Ignition Off. Please stop vehicle for safety." After this, all my electrical went out (from dash to blinkers to head lights to tail lights). However the car could still accelerate and brake.

Filed Sep 5, 2023 · Electrical, Engine · OH

Car stalled out while driving, restarted, car said, "check starter system". Restarted again, engine stayed running, no lights at all (brake, headlight or tail light), however the hazards still seemed to work.

Filed Apr 12, 2023 · Electrical, Lights · CA

Vehicle parked under the sun, temperature reaching 85 degree, hotter inside the cabin. Vehicle started with no issues but "Check starter system" warning comes up and all the electrical component shut off its power, including all the gauge in the dashboard and radio. Headlight is not working as well after few min. Car drives (manual transmission) with no issues. When the car is placed under the shade/cools down, shows no problems. Some of owners reported the faulty ignition switch, part number 5Q1-905-865-A. Google search of "2019 Jetta check starter system" results in multiple complaints. The part in question is in national back order, suggesting the issue is more wide spread.

Filed Mar 19, 2023 · Acceleration, Electrical · OH

While driving, the following warning will appear “Starter system faulty! Service vehicle.” The instrument panel will then shut down entirely, and brake lights, headlights, and blinkers will not work. This can happen anywhere—on the highway traveling at 70 mph at night, for example. When the vehicle is pulled over and turned off, it will restart as normal—but while driving it might shut down again. There are numerous complaints on the internet, in VW forums and elsewhere, and the dealers do not seem to know how to correct the problem because it doesn’t happen all of the time. It is unpredictable. This creates an extraordinarily dangerous situation, and the vehicles should be recalled and VW should correct the issue immediately.

Filed Nov 30, 2022 · Driver assistance, Electrical · TX

I was driving on a active snowing highway at 7pm when an alert appeared on the dashboard to “check starter system” and “pull vehicle over…”. During this time im on the highway going about 6mph and everything electrical turned off including my headlights and windshield wipers turned off. I was able to activate my hazards and pull off the highway but due to the snow and everything electrical cutting off my windows fogged up and almost caused me to crash into a semi-truck. I have googled this issue and it seems to be very common for this specific vehicle.

Filed Jun 21, 2022 · Electrical · IL

My car battery would not start, nor would the car click over. The system kept saying “turn off infotainment center” or “drive car to charge batter” but this did not allow for the car to be turned on. Prior to this issue, I had to reset the car infotainment center due to it not recognizing a cd or a Bluetooth connected device. This is in addition to me having to get work done, since purchase, to repair dimming headlights, window functions and other “electrical” aspects

Filed Apr 26, 2022 · Electrical, Engine · MD

Issue: 2019 VW Jetta, the problem first occurred at 46,000 miles and has occurred approximately 8 times while in operation both when at a full stop and in motion at speeds from 10 to 50mph. When this happens all electronics shut off, dashboard goes blank, to include turn signals, side and front warning indicators, head lights and brake lights. This appears to happen in elevated outside temperatures. The vehicle will still drive, however without any electronics, lights etc. Vehicle starts up again with full electronics after stopping and restarting engine, usually takes two or three attempts. This has put my safety and drivers around me at risk of accident. I took the vehicle to the VW dealership, they did not observe the problem to my knowledge but said diagnostics indicated the original battery was malfunctioning and needed replacement, which I had done, not by VW. After battery replacement and recoding of electronics according to VW specifications, same issue occurred again two days later. Dashboard warning message, “Please check starter system” appears when this failure happens. Also states pull over immediately and address problem. Research online indicates this is a common problem in VW’s and appears to be an electrical switch problem. See attached VW Dealership docs.

Filed Oct 8, 2021 · Lights · MA

The contact's wife owns a 2019 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact's wife started noticing that the passenger’s side headlight had started to dim while driving. His wife took the vehicle to a dealer where she was informed that the passenger’s side headlamp needed to be replaced. Upon investigation, the contact discovered the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 18V671000 (Exterior Lighting) which he linked to the failure; however, the dealer had informed him that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.

Filed Nov 27, 2019 · Engine, Transmission · 1,000 miles · MD

The wipers screech when operating headlights are not aligned properly wrong gear is displayed on the instrument cluster sometimes slight metal grinding noise when the clutch is depressed (can only he heard from the outside). Engine has soft hissing noise and shakes a little when the running cold (can be only heard from outside) . The dealership has failed to acknowledge this. Car shakes when reversing with gas.

Filed May 2, 2019 · Lights · NC

The car is equipped with an automatic headlight system that switches on the headlights under conditions of darkness. However, the car has no provision to provide the driver with feedback as to whether the headlights are actually on or off at any given moment. This leaves the driver uninformed. The driver is responsible for turning headlights on to comply with local laws, but the car does not provide feedback to the driver as to whether the headlights are actually on or off. This deficiency seems to be a design flaw. This is as yet unrelated to a specific incident.

Filed Mar 10, 2019 · Lights, Transmission · 100 miles · TN

Factory wipers result in streaking, replaced at less than 5k miles. Problem alleviated. Typical metallic grinding at low speeds, as described by other reports. Passenger LED headlight ring excessively dim. Multiple sources report open recall for this, however, no sources including dealer agree my vehicle is included. Several people have pointed out my faulty headlight ring. Review of photos containing vehicle indicate headlight issue was not present at purchase. Can not confirm.

Filed Sep 28, 2018 · Lights · 24 miles · VA

Tl* the contact owns a 2019 volkswagen jetta. The contact just purchased the vehicle and stated that the headlights were faulty. The vehicle was taken to sheehy volkswagen of springfield (6601 backlick rd, springfield, va 22150, (703) 544-2973), but after several repairs, the headlights were still faulty. The dealer informed the contact that he could not exchange his vehicle for another one. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that they would call the contact back if the vehicle could be exchanged. The failure mileage was 24.

Service bulletins that may apply

Related recalls

Exterior lighting: headlightsReported September 26, 2018 · 28 vehicles affected
What is wrong
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2019 Volkswagen Jetta vehicles equipped with LED headlights. The passenger side headlight may be incorrectly positioned, reducing the driver's visibility when it is dark. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk
A reduction in the driver's visibility can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side headlight, free of charge. The recall began November 2, 2018. Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1‑800‑893‑5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 94L1.

Recall number 18V671000 · Recall details

Questions about the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta headlights

Is headlights failing or too dim a common problem on the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta?

12 of 553 owner complaints about the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta (2%) mention headlights failing or too dim. The model year with the most reports is 2011.

Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta?

There is 1 recall and 8 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.

Other symptoms on the 2019 Volkswagen Jetta

Grinding brakes 102Stalling 79Check engine light 25Loss of power 14Sunroof shattered 14Wipers 12Jerking 10Oil consumption 10Coil spring 7Door locks 6Fire or smoke 6Harsh shifting 6Start-stop 6Engine failure 5Hesitation 5Shudder 5Won't start 5

All model years of the Volkswagen Jetta

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