Comments on: How To: Replacing a Tail Light Bulb

By: Jourdan

Jourdan — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 02:43:02 +0000

Hey!
So I have a 2002 VW Jetta Wagon with both tail lights out. I thought I had all down by the photos but when I went to change the bottom light (that’s the one right), I think I had the wrong bulbs. The end didn’t fit in right. So tomorrow I am getting the correct bulbs. But my problems continue — first of all how do I do the bulbs on the drivers side? there is a Styrofoam block there (I think for a first aid kit) and I can’t get to the light area. Secondly. what about the top third break light — that one has one of the lights out too! Please help! THANK YOU!

By: apple j. kiss

apple j. kiss — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 23:33:36 +0000

thanks, helped me. don’t know why they gave me such a thick owner’s manual, when every entry says “see a volkswagon dealer”

By: Zach

Zach — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 01:18:33 +0000

Hi –

I have a 2002 VW Golf. brake lights in tail light housings don’t work, screen brake light DOES work. Fuse 13 is not burned out and since the screen light is working, I don’t think it can be a brake light switch (in brake cluster) issue, can it? Please help!

Zach

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 17:39:28 +0000

How do you change the brake light on a 2010 Golf? I can’t find an easy way to get into the casing and I really don’t want to have to pay labour to get it done….

By: Cesar

Cesar — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 22:06:53 +0000

Hi, I couldn’t have time to read through all comments, so I’ll just ask you right away….I have one of the bulbs not working on the left side tail light of my ’02 Jetta, the one not working is the one of the “lights on”…I have checked the bulb and replaced it with the new and it still does not work. Is there some way that you know of for me to fix this, without taking it to the repair shop? If not, I will have to, but I want to avoid beeing with a car and paying extra for something that I might do myself. Thanks

By: Chris

Chris — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 18:42:16 +0000

Thank you so much for this! It helped us replace the tail light bulb on our 08 Jetta!

By: Sean

Sean — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 01:57:21 +0000

I have a 2004 Jetta, may I inquire when releasing the tray from the tail light to replace bulb. How do I replace the tray, securing it back to the tail light?

By: Scott

Scott — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 20:39:49 +0000

Thanks so much for these instructions! Over the past couple of months, I had both tail lights on my ’04 Passat Wagon burn out on me. I’ve been putting off heading to a mechanic to get them fixed because I knew it would be a rip-off, but I had assumed from older (non VW) cars that I owned that it would be too much of a hassle to do it myself.

Well, I finally got a fix-it ticket last week which forced me to take action.. and after 2 mins of internet searching I found this site and saw just how simple it was. I feel like an idiot for waiting all this time, but am very thankful that I was able to do it myself in about 10 mins.

The only trick worth noting for a Passat Waon like mine is that the driver side compartment is very, very tight. I had to disconnect the wires from the assembly in order to fully get it in & out. But aside from that, it couldn’t have been a simpler thing to do… thanks again!

By: Ariel

Ariel — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 15:32:56 +0000

So my tail lights went out (brake, turn and reverse work) so i checked the fuse and its good….. i check the bulbs and they both poped the filament but werent discolored. the driver side socket had no power going to it and the passenger side did when i put the new bulbs in….. so i took a 12v tester, ground it, and test both sockets, then i accicently short the passenger side which was the only one working!

I checked the fuse and it was good, but i have no tail lights!!!! someone please help me!

By: Chrissard

Chrissard — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 23:33:21 +0000

I want to thank you all so much, I have 2002 Passat Wagon, and last right I was a cursing at that darn light. Then I went and google and found this site and within 10 minutes had it all out, replaced the bulb and back in.

Amazing, thanks you all

By: terri

terri — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 17:15:02 +0000

Helllooo Dan,

my son has a 1999 jetta.at first one signal light was not working. when i was checking the bulb i realized The rear indicator lights,and brake lights are not working…i checked the fuse box and they are not burnt out.. can i fix it myself?!

By: Melissa

Melissa — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 19:12:32 +0000

Hello: Someone broke all of the plastic/glass on the lights for the rear drivers side of my 2002 Volkswagen Jetta wagon. They smashed all the glass/plastic and took all of the bulbs. So, now I need to replace the whole thing from top to bottom. Is this something I can do myself and do you know where I can gt replacement parts that are not so expensive?

Thank you so much!

By: Mike

Mike — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 17:53:44 +0000

Hi Dan,

I have a 1999 Jetta ( New Jetta body style). I tried to fix the rear left driving light. I put a new bulb in and still nto working. What can I do here??

Thanks
Mike in CA

By: Latv

Latv — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 22:40:44 +0000

Thanks, helped me a lot.

By: Gino Panepinto

Gino Panepinto — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 03:01:15 +0000

When I turn on the headlights on my 2005 Passat wagon I get headlights and dash lights, but no running lights front or back. I doubt if all the bulbs went out at once. I have checked fuses and all seem to be fine. Is there any way to troubleshoot the circuit, or is it some high-priced computer chip or other electronic part that I need?

By: Justin

Justin — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 03:27:18 +0000

Great instructions. Took me hardly no time to find this blog. Appreciate your effort.
Justin

By: Colette

Colette — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 20:07:44 +0000

Excellent! Been almost two weeks with my rear light out and the husband saying, “he’ll fixi it”….i looked up changing it and found this sight and did it myself!!! Reminds of back in my single days when I did this stuff myself!!

Thank you!

By: Jon Melusky

Jon Melusky — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 19:13:01 +0000

To the person who could not find 5008 bulbs…. I used 5007 bulbs and they work fine…. so far anyway…

By: Jerry

Jerry — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 00:06:49 +0000

This is a later update/response to replacing a driver’s side brake light on a 2003 Passat 1.8T. I, too, had an issue with the emergency kit box and at first, wasn’t surre I could get at the white bulb tray holding the bulbs. First, I pulled back the carpet, wrestled with my options on removing this tray and felt defeated i.e. thinking I needed a dealer to do this. But after 4 or 5 attempts here’s what worked for me. Not paying a dealer to replace bulbs was a big motivator!! First after seeing DAX’ procedure I released the tabs for the tray, I felt I could be somewhat rough with the tray to find the right twists and turns. What was successful for me was to release the tabs, work the top of the tray first, tilting it toward the front of the car, next pull the bottom of the tray free. If the tray is loose in the space available, you are almost there. Next I rotated the bottom of tray toward the outside of the quarter panel to give me room (the tray is now able to tilt) to bring it straight out into the trunk area.

After doing it once, I repeated this process 4 times and was able to easily remove the light bulb tray. So just don’t give up!

By: seb

seb — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 23:12:16 +0000

i have a goft 2002 2.0 and i change my parking light back right and my doors wont work and inside light, i chaeck all my fuse they all ok….anyone know what the fuck happend