Odd Headlight problem

[ryankalel]

I recently bought a 2000 TDI, so far I love it. Family loves it, great gas mileage, etc, etc.

Anyway, I got pulled over driving it home because my right headlight is out. I purchased a couple of H1 bulbs and went to change it. When I changed it it sparked a bit, the old one as I was taking it out accidently touched the ground. I put the new one in and put the assembly back in and turned the lights on and nothing. The left still came on, but the right is still out. I tried another bulb, same issue. Fuse is good, I can't understand why just the right low beam is out.

High beams work on both sides.

any thoughts.

[slpopp]

I hate to say it, but it is probably the headlight wiring.

When my car had 35,000 miles on it the passenger side headlight assembly had to be replaced, same issue as you are having. The light would come on if I hit the fender with my hand near the headlight and it would stay on after that.

The dealer said there is a short harness that runs from the main wiring harness to each headlight assembly, the wiring in the short harness was getting to hot and the conductors or connections broke or burned through. They replaced the entire headlight assembly (headlight lense assembly, bulbs and short harness) because it was under warranty.

The dealer must have been correct in thier diagnosis because it wasn't more that 2,000 miles later and the driver side headlight was doing the exact same thing and they replaced that headlight under warranty also.

So far the car has 75,000 miles on it and both headlights are going strong, the dealer said something about there being a change in the short harness design.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

I'm sure someone will pop on here, but I believe I read that is a replaceable "short" harness and that www.esctunig.com sells them reasonable. Reasonable? Go there and then shop some other sites. This is what the problem sounds like.

MORAV

[TDI_bubble]

There's a writeup on how to replace the wires yourself and save the $40 something ecs wants for the harness. It's a pain but worth it if you can diy.