Headlights constantly go out while driving, have been pulled over by the police many times due to no lights or having to drive with high beams on. This past time had to park the car and have someone take us home, could not drive car until the next morning. Repair bills are becoming rediculous.
1998 Volkswagen New Beetle: headlights failing or too dim
9 of the 30 complaints about the 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle describe headlights failing or too dim.
- owner complaints
- 9
- of this car's complaints
- 30%
- recalls
- 1
Is there a fix? There is 1 recall and 6 service bulletins for this area of the car. See below
Headlights failing or too dim by model year
- 20041
- 20031
- 20021
- 20013
- 20002
- 19991
- 19989
What owners say
Headlight malfunctions, burns out. Upon replacement, wiring harness melted. Car no longer under warranty.
I have a 1998 vw beetle. I bought the beetle new. The headlights have been a problem since the car had 15,000 miles. The first time I took it to the dealership they said they could not get the light to remain out, however since I had reported it they would honor the warranty on it if it went out again. It did the month the warranty ran out. They refused to honor the warranty. I filed a complaint with vw and they said settled it with the dealer. After going back and forth I finally paid 80.00 to get it repaired. Two months after the first headlight went out the other headlight quit completely. I took it back with the same complaint. They told me they are aware of the problem with the headlights and vw would address the problem later. Being stubborn, I have not repaired the headlight. The car now has 52000 miles on it. I think they should pay me for the first repair and also repair the second headlight. Vw is very aware of the issue as I have spoken with numerous other owners with the same problem who own 98's and 99's.
Left headlamp bulb burned-out. I had to replace the driver's side headlamp at least 5 times over the life of the vehicle. The passenger side headlamp bulb has only needed replacement once over the same time period.
Consumer states upon starting the vehicle, one or both headlights do not always turn on, consumer has replaced the bulbs about 5 times each, consumer can lightly tap the headlight assembly and the lights will turn on until the next start up, consumer has checked the connection and cleaned them, however the problem still exists, he thinks it may have to do with the current flow to the bulbs or be a grounding problem, consumer also states that the lights have never gone out or flickered while driving.
We noticed the headlight was out. The right side had already gone out and we were able to replace the bulb with no problems. When we tried to replace the drivers side bulb, the bulb had exploded inside the headlight assembly and we noticed that the metal end of the halogen bulb was melted to the connector. We made an appointment with the dealer for repairs. The dealer showed us the wiring harness which was completely melted. Additionally they said the headlight assembly connection was also melted. The dealer commented that they were surprised there was not a fire in the vehicle.
Low beams fail must take apart and reset bulb to correct 3 times in one year owning it.
First bulb out on 10/2000 on driver's side, on 1/17/01 replaced wire harnesses as recommended by volkswagon dealer on both head lights. Also replaced both bulbs at this time. On 6/29/01 both bulbs burnt out again and both replaced. Volkswagon refuses to refund, because work not done at certified vw dealer. This is a dangerous problem... One went out while driving in fog and visibility was bad. I wanted to report this problem, to inform others that this part should be recalled and may not be designed properly. I feel I should also be refunded the money spent on replacing these defective parts. It is a safety issue! Sincerely, [xxx] parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
Headlights will blow out unexpectedly, consumer has had 10 sets of new headlights, and paid to have new wiring, and problem still occurs. Mostly happens in dark.
Service bulletins that may apply
- New style brake light switch requires care during installation to prevent damage to switch
- Safety recall - wt - brake light switch
- Safety recall - wt - new beetle brake light switch
- Malfunction indicator light on with diagnostic trouble codes (DTC) P0410, P0411, or P1423 stored in DTC memory
- Technical information on replacing / adjusting the brake switch
- Information regarding the repair of the headlight electrical connection
Related recalls
Exterior lighting: brake lights: switch
- What is wrong
- On certain passenger vehicles, the brake lamp switch may malfunction.
- Risk
- If this happens, the brake lamps could become inoperative; or the lamps could come on and stay on, even though the vehicle is parked.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the brake lamp switches. Owner notification began september 26, 2003. Owners should contact vwoa at 1‑800‑822‑8987.
Recall number 03V265000 · Recall details
Questions about the 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle headlights
Is headlights failing or too dim a common problem on the 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle?
9 of 30 owner complaints about the 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle (30%) mention headlights failing or too dim. The model year with the most reports is 1998.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle?
There is 1 recall and 6 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
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