Passenger Headlight (everything in assembly) is not working

[Volatile]

Hello all,

I'm working on my mom's 2007 beetle today.

Nothing in the passenger side headlight assembly is working (lows, highs or parking light).

I checked all of the fuses (unless I'm missing a fuse box somewhere), and bulbs. I also tried applying some extra pressure to the back of the harness as I pushed the assembly back in place, just in case it wasn't seating all the way in.

It's like there's no power coming from the harness that it seats into or something.

Any help/ideas are greatly appreciated.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

A multi-meter is in order to start tracking the problem. A test light (cheap) from the autoparts store will check for power at the plug, but not much can be done with it beyond that.

MORAV

[Volatile]

Originally Posted by MyOtherRidesAVette

A multi-meter is in order to start tracking the problem. A test light (cheap) from the autoparts store will check for power at the plug, but not much can be done with it beyond that.

MORAV

I have a multi-meter... I'll confirm power from the plug now... I'd be surprised if it's getting any power... if it is, the issue would have to be that it isn't making a connection to the headlight assembly, and I'm quite sure it's as plugged in as it could possibly be.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Could be a bad connection in the plug. But doubtful (a place to start). If there is power it could be a ground problem. To do it right you have to start working backwards from there. Do you have a wiring schematic for the headlights to determine the correct power feed wires and their respective sources?

MORAV

[Volatile]

Well, I figured out the issue... After testing the harness with a multi-meter and getting 12v, I pulled the tray that the headlight slides into out of the car, removed the harness, and plugged it into the headlight (this way I can get right behind the harness w/o that tray in my way and put some force into it.

Sure enough, the lights came on...

After about another hour of trial and error with the tray re-installed, I've determined that somehow, it's not allowing the harness to seat fully into the headlight... in fact, it's essentially pulling it out.

My best guess is that the solution would be to replace that tray... I'm going to start calling junkyards.

[Tico4Life]

Well I guess I am late but here it is anyway for future reference

HD Wiring Diagram.pdf

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Originally Posted by J.Arce

Well I guess I am late but here it is anyway for future reference

Attachment 78280

Thanks Buddy (I'll file it away); this resolved itself, kinda. Now to help the Newbie with the problem found!

GMorav

[Tico4Life]

My pleasure G.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Originally Posted by Volatile

Well, I figured out the issue... After testing the harness with a multi-meter and getting 12v, I pulled the tray that the headlight slides into out of the car, removed the harness, and plugged it into the headlight (this way I can get right behind the harness w/o that tray in my way and put some force into it.

Sure enough, the lights came on...

After about another hour of trial and error with the tray re-installed, I've determined that somehow, it's not allowing the harness to seat fully into the headlight... in fact, it's essentially pulling it out.

My best guess is that the solution would be to replace that tray... I'm going to start calling junkyards.

Okay, just as you jumped to the conclusion that you had no power, you're now jumping to the conclusion that it's the tray that is keeping the headlight from seating properly and the plug from making proper contact. You need to get away from it for a while. Don't know where you're at, but maybe warm up. Don't know what is involved with the tray, but perhaps it's not seating properly, a bent tab, something? If it's properly positioned, what is keeping the headlight assemply from seating into it properly. Perhaps, work with the two, unplugged, and out of the car. Look for something bent, or exactly how they mate with each other, may require a partial "turn" or something. Not familiar with how they go together but perhaps someone can help. I'm betting it some little thing, either a trick to it, or something slightly bent or misaligned. Even is something is broke, hence the initial problem, it should still go back into place, maybe not stay, but at least go back where it belongs and feels like it is "in", without you feeling it pushing back out. Relax, take a breathe, take another look at it and get back to us. Simply replacing a part with a like part, isn't the answer unless the first is broken or damaged, and if it is, you should be able to determine how or what.

MORAV

[Volatile]

I inspected the tray about as closely as I could... (removed it from the car, cleaned all debris away with an air compressor, and then test fit the headlight assembly into the tray a few times, examining all of the tabs, etc). It's obvious to me that the light is sliding in all of the way, the tabs are abs, and slide into each other as far as they could possibly go.

The only obvious issue I can see is that a small piece is broken which once helped to stabilize the harness in the tray. My best guess is that with this piece being broken, it does not allow the harness to be firmly inserted into the headlight.

I got a price for the part... $62 from the dealership. With that in mind, I decided to cut away the harness mount from the tray which allows me to plug the harness into the light, then slide the light assembly into place.

This works well for now, and a professional solution is only $62 away, (or less if I find one at a junkyard).

I appreciate all of the help.

[MyOtherRidesAVette]

Excellent Buddy,

Glad it all worked out and you got it up and running. And thanks also for letting us know, and not leaving us hanging. Just as it may have been preventing you from getting the plug in firmly, it may also keep it there firmly. You should be able to see if that's the case. Probably also why you lost all lights in the first place. Now that you've replaced all bulbs in one side, how do they match the other side. The rule is to replace halogens in pairs, as their light output deteriorates with usage.

Come back and visit anytime.

MORAV

[Judee]

My passenger-side headlight has a similar issue. Every 10k miles or-so it works itself loose and I lose all the lights over there. The issue lies in the carrier (the part that stays in the car after you've removed the headlight module).

The carrier is extremely flexible where the headlight connector mounts, so when you push the headlight module back in, instead of pushing the connectors together, the carrier flexes and prevents you from applying adequate force to push the two connectors together.

My solution has been to use the tire-iron from the trunk and jam it behind the carrier/connector as I push the headlight module in.

I never thought of cutting the connector off the carrier. Great fix.

[Palmettoguy]

Originally Posted by Volatile

I decided to cut away the harness mount from the tray which allows me to plug the harness into the light, then slide the light assembly into place.

Seems like that is the "typical" fix for that issue. There was a DIY on here somewhere that showed how to do it, I believe NBM was the author of it.

[notahappyVWowner]

Very frustrating! When I pull out the headlight and plug it in it works; then I put the headlight back in it doesn't work. So should I cut the harness mount? Was that a good fix?

[MeisterMan]

Hi everyone,

I need to know if there is any additional suggestions to the headlight assembly not properly "seating" into the connection on the harness.

Are we still at the point of removing the connector from the harness and manually pushing it in? The reason I ask is that I am one of those 2006 VW Beetle owners having the same issue. Recently I replaced both bulbs. Now the headlights will go out intermitantly, then all I have to do is "hit" them and they come on.

This thread died about a year ago and I am hoping that someone has the "miracle fix" once and for all since then.

Please help.

MeisterMan

[psaboic]

Had the same issue on our 2007 awhile back. The design is good, just the final product is crappy. Best bet (for me at least) was to cut away the plug mount and manually plug the harness into the light.

Definitely don't want that connection to come apart on a dark, rainy road at 2 in the morning!!

[Bron]

Thanks all for the info. My wife's 07 conv. had the complete right side not working after changing the bulb.
It is the connector; after locking the light package into the housing, with a knee against the light, I use a long screwdriver, against a screw for the body assembly, directly above, and levering the connector tight. (Gently, it is all plastic)

My wife hates it when I start hacking away at stuff, so the lever system works, and no need to remove housing, which is a pain.

[gforrest2]

Originally Posted by Bron

Thanks all for the info. My wife's 07 conv. had the complete right side not working after changing the bulb.
It is the connector; after locking the light package into the housing, with a knee against the light, I use a long screwdriver, against a screw for the body assembly, directly above, and levering the connector tight. (Gently, it is all plastic)

My wife hates it when I start hacking away at stuff, so the lever system works, and no need to remove housing, which is a pain.

I tried the same thing (knee on the light and long screw driver to seat the connector) and thought it solved the problem. It worked for about a week so today I took the thing apart and removed the male connector from the tray as suggested above. Just enough slack to firmly connect the two connectors together. Problem is, the bucket would not go back in the tray. Had to get the Dremel tool out and cut away the back of the tray that used to hold the connector. Took about 5 tries before I cut enough away so that the headlight would go all the way back. No going back now. Hope that's the last time I have to deal with this.