Common Problem? Headlights Fit Like Crap.

[SMG]

My headlights have become more annoying to install lately and they don't seem to fit in place. I'm not a newb to cars in general, or my NB (which I've had 6 years). I've adjusted the sliders, everything is clean and nothing appears to be broken but still when I tighten down the headlight lever the headlight seems to pull in as normal and then once it's slid all the way down the headlight pops back out again as if it's coming out of track somewhere, but the annoying thing is it is still jammed in there and won't come out. It's just has a lot of play and is crooked in the headlight bucket.

I have it jerry-rigged in there to look normal as I've been forced to do for well over a year but is there something specific that might need replacing? The levers look 100% ok to me but maybe they get worn out?

I wish VW hadn't used such a crappy headlight mounting system.

[AbuNigel]

my driver side headlight just always fit like crap after taking it out and putting it back to do my eyelids. I took it out and put it back in several other times and it was always the same, one day it just went in right, idk.
They are pretty crappy though...

[from Margaritaville...]

This is proof that after all these years, the Germans are STILL effing us.

There's NO reason that these headlamp units had to be designed this way...

[kcfoxie]

First I wanted to say I was listening to Deadmau5 when I read this and for a moment, because it's very early, I felt I was having a hallucinogenic experience because your avatar's head was bobbing to the music. I swear it took a few minutes to realize it was animated and not in my head. This is why I tend not to post before 10am -- when I'm awake

Now, I had my passenger assembly FALL OUT of my car a few weeks ago. It just fell out on the road. I didn't get the chance to save it.

I found that the internal bracket had a screw that came lose. On my 98 and I assume 99+ with the 3 track bracket (mine has just two), there are two 10mm bolts at the front of the track at a third at the back of the bracket. The one in back was about to fall out and I'd lost the bolt closest to the hood up front on the passenger side. MIGHT want to check those for torque...

But yeah the headlamp design is special. If you think that's bad try their convertible top mechanisms sometime

[connieray]

I just yesterday put two new headlights in my 02. For some reason, I had more trouble than I usually do. They felt like they were in, put when I locked them the bottom kept popping out. After much profanity and sweat, I took a couple hours off to cool down. I went back out and after a few tries had both locked in correctly. After I got them almost in, and while holding it in, with my other hand messed around with the bottom on the lens pushing and trying to turn, and in they went.

I have 3 NB's and I don't ever remember having this much trouble.