How To: Replace MkIV Jetta Headlight Turn Signal Bulb
January 26, 2008 – 7:22 pm by Dan Volkens
Filed under Car Care, Featured, How-Tos, Volkswagen Jetta
Another simple fix for ‘99-05 Jetta owners out there is the headlight turn signal bulb. Yet another opportunity to save some cash and a trip to the dealer!
Step 1: Remove Headlight Sealing Cap
There are two plastic sealing caps on the back of the Jetta headlight. One covers the main headlight bulbs, while the other protects the turn signal and fog lamps. That’s the one we’ll be removing. There is a clip on the top end of the cap. Carefully push down on that clip to unlock the cap from the headlight assembly. I broke the clip off on mine when doing this (I can’t stand the plastic pieces in cars today lol). But the fragility of the plastic is probably due to the cold temperatures we have right now in Cincy.
Step 2: Unlock Bulb Holder from Assembly
Next, reach into the headlight assembly where you will find the holder containing the turn signal bulb. Rotate the holder counterclockwise to unlock it from the assembly. Carefully pull the bulb out, replace with your new bulb, and reverse your steps to complete the installation.
Step 5: Grab Your Favorite Beverage
Stand back and revel in your car repair prowess. The replacement bulb model number is 3357/3457 (amber or clear) View a photo with model number of all bulbs for reference.
How To: Replace MkIV Jetta Headlight Turn Signal Bulb
January 26, 2008 – 7:22 pm by Dan Volkens
I have a front right turn signal out on my 2005 Passat. Will these directions for the Jetta work in my case? Thanks!
Hey Nate, the Passat headlight may be similar, so it could get you part of the way there. I’m not sure however. I suggest you head over to the B5/B5.5 Passat forums on VWVortex.com and post your question. Guys over there have tons of info and are willing to help out. Hopefully Matt and I will be able to start doing how-tos like these on all the models, but for now, we’re restricted to our own vehicles. :D
I have an 01 jetta and the left blinker works as a blinker, but not as a marker light at night. Is it a double filament bulb or is there something wrong with my wiring harness?
Hi Austin, is it the turn signal bulb in the headlight assembly or on the side of the bumper?
Can anyone tell me how to replace the front (passenger side) turn signal bulb in a 1997 Jetta GLX?
Hi Scott, I didn’t find a specific how-to on changing out the bulb, but if you post your question over at VWVortex.com in either the Golf/Jetta MkIII Forum or the Lighting Forum, someone should be able to point you to the answer, unless of course one of our readers gets it to you as well. :) Hope that helps a bit!
hey vw guy who knows it all I have a question I have a jetta 05 and I just bought my blue turning signals do u know if these are illegal or not I don’t care but dey look really nice n also my headlights are not stock I have sum projector European aftermarket headlights n the process for the turning signal is irrelevant from this one do u know if I have to clip the bulb so it will stay in there or do I just put it in there because right now it is still a lil loose thanks guys
Hey John, legality of the bulb’s color is on a state by state basis *I think* (you should doublecheck with someone on that). And the bulb shouldn’t be loose in its socket. Make sure you have the right bulb design for that application.
Thanks for the instructions! I followed them too close though as I also broke off the plastic clip on the cover. Should I be worried about this? It seems to be held in place by some wires so I don’t think it will fall to the ground but will water get in there? Did you replace your cover and if not has anything happened?
Hey Kathryn, as long as the cover seems to seal well enough you should be ok. I haven’t noticed any problems with ours so far. We hope it’ll be ok!
I have a 99 Passat and the turn signal light and housing needs replaced. Where is the tension spring located and how is the best way to connect it?
Hey Rick, I apologize. I’m not really sure on that one. What I can suggest though is that you visit the B5/B5.5 Passat forums over at VWVortex.com and post your question there. Someone should be able to get an answer for ya. :]
Hello guys,
I also have a light problem with a Jetta 2001 GL.
The bulb of the driver-side amber marker light –not the turn blinker– which is outside of the front wheel well is out. I cannot figure out how to open or remove the light to change the bulb. It seems impossible to do this from inside with the wheel there– any chance it pops out from the outside? I really would appreciate your help. Thanks!
Hey Fritz, if you mean the side marker light on the bumper, push in on the back part of the light housing, and that will angle the front of the housing outward so that you can then remove it from the bumper to replace the bulb.
im looking to replace the driver side turn siganl on a 02 Jetta
Hey Josh, which turn signal bulb is it? There is a bulb in the headlight assembly, one in the front bumper, and one in the side fender. Here are a couple links to how-tos for the bumper and fender ones.
- Bumper
- Fender
Hey Dan,
I bought my ‘01 Jetta used, and it has some kind of yellowish film on the inside of the clear plastic headlight cover. I want to pull the entire headlight assembly out so I can take it apart and wipe it out, and I’ve gotten the star-head screws off the top prongs and unhooked all the wires, but the assembly still won’t pull out. What am I missing?
Hey Josh2, sorry for the late reply, but this how-to outlines how to remove the headlights on Golf/GTIs/Jettas. Kinda sucks that you have to remove the bumper, but it’s not too terrible. :)
Blue turn signals are illegal in every state. There is a website that sells white LED turn signals that light up white but will flash the amber color. These are the only legal turn signals avialable that light up white, they are only legal because they flash the amber color and not the white color. Their website is http:www.beekonlights.com
Im having a problem with my signal lights in my ‘97 VWGolf
When I turn my right signal light on both signal lights come on, but the left ones blink dimmer, internally and externally.
When I turn on my left signal light everything is fine, as well as my hazzards.
I’ve changed all the bulbs and made sure they are in correctly
Any suggestions?
Hey Manada, that sounds like some sort of wiring problem. Given the model year of your car, something has probably worn out. If you have a local, independent euro car mechanic, I’d take it there to have it checked out. Otherwise, any other independent mechanic will do. I’d take it to the dealer last. :)
is it possible to replace the engine electrical harness on a Jetta without going to the vw dealership? If so where do I get help for it? Thanks
Hey Bob, I’m sure it’s doable, but that sounds like a big job to me. I would suggest heading over to the VWVortex forums and posting your question in the appropriate technical forum for your engine. Those guys should point you in the right direction.
How do I change the low beam light on my 2003 Jetta wagon?
Hey Dale, this how-to is for changing the passenger low beam headlight on a Golf, but it’s just about the same principle for your Jetta. Hope that helps!
Do you have any hints for changing a drivers side low-beam headlight on a 2006 Jetta? There seems to be some clip around the headlight and not sure how to get the bulb out to change it. Thanks!
Hey Katie, this how-to that Matt wrote for his Golf, changing a passenger side headlight, should get you pointed in the right direction. The Jetta and Golf are just about the same, with that clip that you mentioned that holds a cover onto the back of the headlight. Once you release the clip, you can remove the cover to gain access to the bulbs. The bulb should be replaced in pretty much the same manner as in that how-to. Be aware that the driver’s side is tough to do just because there’s not much space to work in there since the airbox is right behind the headlight. Good luck! :)
Hey Dan, firstly thank you for all you do to help people free of charge. You seem to be very knowledgeable in this area and we appreciate your help. Now, for my question! I took my 2006 VW Jetta to a body shop to have the bumper repainted (the paint was starting to peel off). They took off the bumper, painted it, and put it back on. However, the bumper wasn’t put on properly and is kind of jutting out and isn’t flush with the rest of the car body. In the process, they also busted the amber cover for my SIDE MARKER LIGHT. I ordered another ’side marker assembly’ online. I wanted to see if I could just install this myself without taking off the bumper. The body shop owner is no where to be found and a bunch of people are looking for him and it will probably end up in a small claims court…so I cannot get him to do it right now. Sorry, too much info, I know…thank you!
Thanks Michael, we appreciate that. :D That’s what we’re trying to do, just spread the knowledge! Changing out the side marker cover is a relatively simple job (here’s a how-to) but if you need to replace the entire side marker assembly in the bumper, not sure on that one. In that how-to, you basically push in on the backside of the cover, which will angle it out to remove. To replace, reverse the steps.
And I hope you get that body shop to cover all the repairs! Always inspect the work before you leave the shop, and if it’s unsatisfactory, they should/need to fix it right then and there. :)
hi
i would like to know how to replace the rer stop light bulb in the rear glass.
thanks
Hey BOB, this how-to shows how to remove the rear shelf on a Jetta to gain access to the bulbs. I’ll have to check when I get home, but either you will need to do this to gain access to the bulb, OR, it may be accessible through the trunk.
I’ve been able to get the cover off to change the driver side turn signal bulb but unable to turn the plastic bulb holder. It’s up against the battery so its hard to get a grip on it. Any suggestions? Thanks so much for the great tips and pics.
Yeah Steve, this is a very annoying problem on the driver’s side. If you can’t get it out with the battery still in the car, try removing just the battery cover first. That might give you enough room. If not, then you’ll need to disconnect the battery.
I have a 2001 VW jetta the problem i am having is with the head lights coming on when turning on the head light switch. When the switch is in the off position the head lights are on (running lights) but when the switch is turned on only the parking light work, when the high beam lever is pulled back the high beams work. I did change the switch but still the same results. Is there a relay some where that maybe defective
Hmm, that’s a strange one bill. Let me consult our in-house tech guy and get back to you.
* Ok, from our tech guy:
======
Update 1:
Yeah, there’s a relay in the control block behind the fuse panel that controls the low beams. Also, there may be a separate fuse for low beam vs. drl’s. Always check the fuses first.
Update 2:
He stated that if you’re positive it’s not the switch, then it must be a relay. But it sounds like the switch is still bad.
======
I hope that helps you track it down! :)
First, thanks for the great site with lots of very useful information. I have a headlight-related question. I have a 2003 Jetta 1.8T with 116K miles (I like driving it…). The headlight lenses have become pretty fogged, especially on the driver’s side. I found some replacement lenses on ebay, but the only how-tos I could find on the web were for removing the entire headlight assembly. If I remove the assembly, is it fairly straightforward to replace just the lenses, or should I be looking to replace the assembly itself (parts would be much more expensive).
Oohhh, that’s a toughy there Jim. I haven’t heard of replacing just the lenses, but it’s obviously doable. If you’re going to replace them, you will need to remove the assembly from the car. Once out, you’ll have to separate the lense from the assembly using a heat gun, or some people have even put their lights in the oven for a while lol. It’s a pretty particular process though to make sure the headlight assembly is properly sealed again to prevent moisture from entering.
Your other options are to replace the entire assembly, or go the route of polishing down the existing lenses to an OEM shine. Obviously the simplest and cheapest choice is polishing, and this can be done successfully.
Dan, thanks for the incredibly quick reply. Sounds like I will try polishing first, if that doesn’t produce the results I need it’s going to take a trip to the dealership…
Dan, I have a 2005 Passat. The daytime running lights don’t work, but they come on when I turn on the headlights. The low-beam headlights don’t work at all, but the brights do, fuse all seem fine. Any suggestions?
Hey Kirk, that’s an odd one. Outside of any wiring problems, the switch itself could be bad. Though you don’t hear about those going bad too often.
I’ve followed this procedure for my 2005 Golf TDI. It worked great. Very similar, just a different bulb number (3157). The only problem is that the signal is still out. When I turn on the signal, the rear and side flash rapidly, but the front is dead. This is the same as before I replace the bulb. Any suggestions? I’m I looking at a deeper problem? Thanks
Jeremy
Hey Jeremy, it’s very odd. I’ve had a couple other people post a very similar thing in the last week or so with the tail lights, but I apologize that I don’t know what’s going on there. My only suggestions are to check the fuse as well as making sure the bulb is seated in the socket well. Also make sure that everything is clipped back into place well. Let us know how it goes!
Dan, I have a 1994 Jetta GLX. Earlier this week I left the headlights on all day while at work, and the battery died. I got a jump (it started right up), but since then the headlights do not come on anymore (both sides, low or high beams are dead). The switch seems to be working, since the running lights do come on. All the fuses look okay as well. I have driven home with only my fog lights for the past two nights – they work fine, but they shut off when I pull the stalk that would switch to high beams (?). I am loathe to bring it into the dealer if it is something simple, but I do need to get the headlights working again. Any advice would be MUCH appreciated!
Thanks,
Doug
Hey Doug, is it possible the jump could have fried some wiring somewhere? This doesn’t usually happen, so I’m skeptical, but since the switch and fuses are ok it’s very strange. How about checking the relays?
Hello Bill
I have a 2001 Jetta, how did you corrected the problem?
Thanks
Richard A
I have the same problem 2001 jetta
how I tried relay and fuse
Please help
Thank you
Richard
What’s the number for relay that control the low beams for 2001 Jetta?
Richard
Hey Richard, here’s an illustration of the fuse layout for Jettas:
Fuse Diagram
Unfortunately, I’m not finding a relay list for it. I hope someone else can chime in, or you can also search the forums at VWVortex.com. Good luck!
What type of bulbs are in the 2006 Jetta? I’ve been calling to find someone beside the dealer to replace my headlight and was asked if it was “Zenon”??? Or is it “Xenon”? Need some help please. Thank you.
Hey Carolyn. Here’s a quicky explanation of the two types of headlamp bulbs you might have in your Jetta.
Xenon, or H.I.D. (High Intensity Discharge)
- These headlights are those really bright, white lights you may see on luxury cars and the like.
Standard Bulbs
- For these bulbs, you want to purchase the “H7″ model bulb.
I hope that helps! :D Good luck.
how do you take out the whole head light assembly out? i’m trying to press out a dent in the quarter panel right beside it, so i need some access. the wiper fluid tank was in the way, but that has been removed. i have the same generation jetta that is shown in the pictures above.
thanks
thom
Hey Thom, to remove the headlight assembly, you also need to remove the bumper and grill parts. I know, that’s a lot of work to remove a headlight. :)
Is it possible to find out how to change the front left turn signal light for a 2008 EOS?
Hey thom, we don’t have any how-tos on the Eos yet. I’ll look into that for you.
Hey Dan, i appriciate what you do here because i see theres alot of good information. I have a question, i have a Vw golf 4 and i wanna changer the bulb on the side blinker. How do i do that?
thanks
Hey Arianit, thank you. We appreciate it. :) Changing the side blinker bulbs is a how-to I need to tackle soon. If you’re talking about the side blinker in the bumper, not in the fender, just push in on one end of the bulb assembly, towards the car. This will angle out the other end and allow you to slide it out of the bumper. You should then have access to change the bulb. To replace, just reverse the steps.
I hope you can visualize what I mean there. The bulb in the fender should work the same way, I believe. Hopefully I’ll get a write-up done soon!
Hey Dan. Thanks for sharing but how did you remove this cover. I almost tried to break it but i almost broke my finger. I am trying to replace right turning signal but i couldnt open it is there any other way to open this cover? if not, i will break it completely
No probs Mike. Yeah, I ended up breaking the clip unfortunately. You have to carefully release a clip on the top of this cover. If you’re reeeeallly careful, you may be able to release it by pushing down on it with a screwdriver.
These directions worked perfectly on my 2000 Jetta TDI GLS! A two-pack of bulbs cost about $5.50 at Advance Auto Parts. Thanks for sharing your expertise!
thanks for the response. I have fixed the light. I will keep on looking on this site, I also own an 06 TDI diesel, great car. I have heard that VW has a Golf TDI Hybrid, although not available in North America. That would be a great here.
Hey Justin, glad it worked for you. :D
Awesome thom. Yeah, a TDI hybrid would be ridiculously great here. I’d have to buy one in a heartbeat if they brought it over.
Hello,
I have a 2008 Jetta 2.5 that has the daylight bulb on the right front side of my car. I got the bulb to replace it but we are having a hard time getting the bulb out. Do you just pull the bulb our or is there something you have to do in regards to turning it etc? Thanks
Hey Ricardo, the bulb is locked into place with a plastic retaining ring that wraps around it. You need to rotate that ring, oh about an 1/8 turn counterclockwise to unlock the bulb, then you can pull the bulb out. Hopefully that helps you out. I’ve got a write-up on this coming soon with photos!
how do you replace turn signal bulb on 01 jetta fender not bumber?thanks
Hey Harold, I’ll be writing up a how-to on this one as well soon, but it’s simpler than it appears to change the bulb. You need to push the bulb assembly towards the front of the car and pull it out of the fender at the same time. Here’s a link to a quick video on how to do it. good luck!
I have a 01 passat all lights seam to be working except the headlights will only work on highbeam is this common
Hey Lance, that doesn’t seem to be a common problem. The first spot to check are the fuses and go from there. There should be a little diagram on the panel according to this post. Looks like the low beams are 20 and 21?
Fuse Diagram
had that prob before turned out to be the hazard swith
those are ok mabe the switch?
yeah checked the fuses and replaced the bulb could it be the headlight switch itself? thanks
Hey Lance, it could be, or a relay along the lines, or wiring problem at the worst end of it. Good luck!
Trying to change a “Low Beam” light for a late model 2006 (2007) Jetta TDI. The bulb is an H7 style not the gas filled.
I can easlily remove the pickel jar cover from the light housing on the Driver’s side. However once I get to the light access it has an ‘S’ shaped thum screw to turn it and remove the bulb. When I try it only moves a fraction of an inch and seem to make no difference in the ‘looseness’ of the assembly. I don’t want to force it. I took a look at the How to at (http://www.volksbloggin.com/2007/05/25/how-to-replace-a-passenger-side-head-light/) but mine is not clipped in. It is held in place with a plastic cover that looks like it twists out… only it doesn’t.
Any ideas?
I have a 2001 jetta and the drivers side headlight went out last week. ( I still have a high beam on that side) I have replaced the light bulb, but I noticed on the plug for the light it seemed like it shorted out and was a little melted. I couldn’t remember if it was like that before when i previously did it, so i didn’t pay it much attention. Well a couple of days later the light went out again so I’m assuming that it’s that bit of wiring and the plug. Is this a common thing with 01’s or is it just me. I was planning on going to a junkyard to get a “new” one, or is that just masking a bigger problem? Any help would be great.
Hey Mikka, it should turn counter-clockwise to remove the cover. As you mentioned, try not to force it too much if it’s difficult to loosen.
Kristine, there’s definitely a wiring problem if a wire is loose or its cover is melted. I recommend you take it to someone who can determine if the problem is with the headlight itself, or somewhere else down the line.
It’s not a common thing thankfully, but you have the right idea heading over to a junkyard. You should be able to score a new headlight pretty cheaply that will function just fine!
I have both headlights burned out on my 2006 GLi Jetta. The dealer wants $250 per headlight to replace them. How do I do it myself and where can I order the bulbs? Thanks
Jolene
Sorry I miss-typed my email. jolene46@gvtc.com
I forgot to add the bulb is a D2S blue 8000K HID Xenon blub and from what I have been reading it is filled with gas? Is this correct? Thank you.
Jolene
Hey Jolene, yeah, those HID headlights are excellent in everyday life, but replacing the bulbs can get pricey. The bulb models for the HIDS are:
low beam = d2s
high beam = h7
Turn Signal: H21W
Parking Light: H6W
Replacing the bulb is pretty similar to the regular ones. Check out the first post in this link for some details. Sorry I can’t find anything more detailed than that though! :)
I have a 2008 Jetta 2.5L and my left brake light is out. I can’t seem to find instructions for changing it that apply to that model. Any suggestions? All other lights are operating properly.
Actually, my better half and I just got it! Nowhere near as difficult as it seemed.
Nice Karen, glad you got it patched up! :)
question, 2006 VW jetta, 2.5, sensor indicates the left break light is out, wondering if this is something I could change or is something for the dealership, just concerned everything that everything is computerized.
thanks
There is no difference in brightness between my day running lights and low beam head lights on my 2006 Jetta. What could be the problem?
Hey Abel, changing the bulbs is very easy. Here’s my how-to on changing it for the MkIV generation VWs. It should be very similar for the new generation Jettas as well. Good luck!
Hmmm, strange one there Devin. Do you mean that there is no brightness difference, that the Daytime running lights are at full strength? It is the same bulb that is used for both, which is controversial in itself since it uses up the life of the bulb faster than if there were no DRLs. Maybe it’s a wiring problem, or a computer-related problem? I do know that you can disable the DRLs using a VAG-COM and the related software.
I noticed that you said the plastic clip broke on the cap. The same thing happened to mine and i was wondering how you could replace it. I live in Oregon where it rains a lot so it would be nice to fix it. Also my headlights will not turn on. When I turn the switch to on the brights indicator turns on and will not turn off and, the interior lights, brake lights, and side markers all work but for some reason the headlights will not turn on. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
I agree Johnny, would definitely be nice to fix it rather than leave as is. I don’t know if maybe you could bond the piece back to the main part somehow? Your best bet may to replace the whole part, which I haven’t looked into myself, but I’m sure you could find the part number for.
Hmmm, that one could be caused by a number of things. Possibly the switch itself, fuses, wiring, bulbs. Maybe start with the switch?
oops! My left front blinker (headlight blinker) will not work, however the running/parking light still comes on…. what gives?
Hey billy, hmm. Could be a problem with the turn signal relay. Her’s a how-to on replacing it. Not sure if you can track down whether that’s the problem or not before actually doing the replacement. Oh, just saw at the bottom of that how-to that there was a recall out on this for some Jetta models. Maybe drop by the dealer about it and you could score a free repair. Let me know how it goes!
I have a 2000 Jetta 2L gas and the daytime running lights don’t work. to make it even harder I don’t have a O/M.
Where do I start???
hello Dan, I have a jetta 2001, but I’m not sure if it is normal for the headlights to be on during day time, even when my switch is off they are still on, is the way they supposed to be? Thanks!!
Holy crap this a lot harder on a 1.8T version, there is like no room to work at all on the right side.
I have Jetta 2009 with rear turn signals blinking red. I need them blinking yellow. How to get it done?Replace the bulb and/or the tail lights set?Thanks in advance!
Hello! I’m trying to figure out how to replace the highbeam light bulb on my 2001 VW Golf on the passenger side. Any advice? Thank you!
Daniela
I have an 86 Jetta GLI. When I turn the headlights or parking lights on, the lights come on but the instruments all go off. The high beam indicator glows, but the high beams are not on.
After a while (about 10 minutes of driving this morning) the tack comes back on and the instruments are normal again.
Any ideas?
Michael in CA
I have the same problem, but it’s both the front yellow bulb, and on the side.
Any insight / instruction on replacing the front parking light (small bulb W5W)? Can I pull it from behind of do I have to take the assembly off?
Thank you!
The replacement of the parking light is on a 2006 VW Jetta TDI by the way!
Mikka – I recently replaced both low beam lights on my 2006 Jetta TDI with no problems.
Once you undo the outside cover (pickle jar cover) grasp the “S” shaped post and turn it slightly to the left (as you are standing in front of the bumper / facing the light). You should feel it give (it doesn’t take much – maybe 1/8 turn). Once you have it loose, pull it out, replace bulb, re-insert and turn slightly to the right (you will be able to tell it is snug). Replace outside cover and you are good to go!
I own a 2001 Jetta GLS and wanted to put colored bulbs/LED lights in the side fender lights. How could I do this?
I have a 2006 VW Jetta. Everything was fine with my headlights and then all in one day my lights quit working. The DRL and the bright lights work fine, but my normal lights don’t. Do you think this is the bulbs, fuse, or something electrical