HID Bulb Install

[johnnymkv]

After putting in the new bulb the license plate light is not working error message comes up. Any idea why this is?

[bazzle]

My alternate access method.

http://golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174495

Bazzle

[07emkayvee]

My passenger side bulb holder wont budge. I twist it and it stays pretty damn clipped onto it still. Any solutions? Not the red and black chip but the ribbed holder under it

[bazzle]

You have to gently push it in towards the light and turn anti clockwise from rear 1/8th turn.

Bazzle

[Citychicdc]

This thread saved me $450! The dealership wanted to charge me $310 for labor and $190 for a light bulb. Needless to say I paid $50 for two bulbs and replaced them myself. In addition, removing the bumper is part of the repair manual which doesn't make any sense! I am a girl who knows nothing about cars and changed the first bulb in 30 minutes. I couldn't get the light holder to lock in...once I shaved the three small bumps on light down it literally took 2 minutes. I have called Volkswagen of America about this because I don't understand why they say to remove the bumper when they give clear access to the bulb.

[Icey Hot Stunna]

I put my driver side bulb in upside down. Now I have a cutoff that looks like the bulb is smiling. \_/ like this.

Going to order new bulbs though, broke my aftermarket ones because I couldn't get them on.

[Natalie]

Does the bulbs life/longevity become affected if the bulb touches the metal housing at all while it goes in? I made sure not to touch it with my skin or hands but it was hard not to bump it into the housing.

[g60_corrado_91]

I doubt it unless you really jammed it in. The xenon gas is obviously sealed.

[Natalie]

One other question. The old bulbs, one phillips, one osram both 4300k were definitely white or blue. The new bulbs I installed are both osram 4300k.

I hope its just the burn in period but when they first turn on they are a nice white/blue but about a minute in they turn to a very yellow color and stay that way. I've been driving with them for about a week now. Is this normal and if so will they turn to the white color I had with my old bulbs?

[Natalie]

one other question, pre-install of the new bulbs the cutoffs on each headlight seemed to line up and was pretty much a straight horizontal line. It seems like now the cutoffs with each light aren't level and they arent as well defined (kind of spread out a little if that makes sense).

I didn't use much force at all to get these in. Could installing new bulbs really change the aim of the light/cutoffs or alignment? Maybe I should check out the leveling arms on the suspension? Thoughts?

[Rajini98]

Originally Posted by Natalie

one other question, pre-install of the new bulbs the cutoffs on each headlight seemed to line up and was pretty much a straight horizontal line. It seems like now the cutoffs with each light aren't level and they arent as well defined (kind of spread out a little if that makes sense).

I didn't use much force at all to get these in. Could installing new bulbs really change the aim of the light/cutoffs or alignment? Maybe I should check out the leveling arms on the suspension? Thoughts?

If the bulb isnt sitting in place properly, this can happen. Take it out and put it back in with the external wire facing down. Make sure that it stays sitting that way through the reinstallation of the igniter too.

[Voyles2]

My drivers side was a bit hard and had to access through the inner fender liner to get a straighter shot.

[Natalie]

Originally Posted by Rajini98

If the bulb isnt sitting in place properly, this can happen. Take it out and put it back in with the external wire facing down. Make sure that it stays sitting that way through the reinstallation of the igniter too.

I made sure that was the case and it was. Now the drivers side looks a little hazy at the cutoff where the right side is a nice crisp horizontal cutoff. I'll take out and put back in though everything seems to be nice and tight on that side when I checked.

[PRND[S]]

I just replaced my HID bulbs since the ones that came with the car had lost quite a bit of the light output and turned pink. I doubt the dealer would have replaced them unless they had failed completely.

It took me two freaking hours over two days to replace the bulbs. Getting the old bulbs out was trivial, getting the new ones in was a bitch. After an hour and a half on the first day my hands were cramped up and I threw in the towel. This morning I was determined to succeed, after having my morning coffee I went back to the garage. Somehow got the first bulb in after five minutes, but struggled with the driver's side for another half hour.

I have fairly small hands, I don't know how someone with big hands does it. For something that is a tool-less procedure, it sure is a pain -- literally. My hands and wrists are still sore.

[MYGTI07]

^ my hands are big and If I have to work on my headlights I always remove the bumper to save myself the frustration.

[bazzle]

Originally Posted by MYGTI07

^ my hands are big and If I have to work on my headlights I always remove the bumper to save myself the frustration.

http://golfmkv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=174495

[MYGTI07]

^^ Im gonna kill you. LoL

[gecko80]

One of my bulbs just burnt out. I removed the red&black box behind the bulb and now both lights dont work. Does this sound right? I just ordered a set of bulbs and plan on using this page as guidance. Thanks for the input.

[Icey Hot Stunna]

So I had my HID bulbs replaced at the dealer, and the tech changed the bulbs an entire different way. All he did was take off the front grill, loosen something and off came the headlights. Both sides done in less than 20mins.

[jojos15]

this was really helpful when i changed mine to 8000k, but somehow, the HID ignitor was burned a little, so now im changing the ignitor....