2005 Volkswagen Jetta Lighting Problems

I NOTICED THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE IN THE "ON" POSITION AFTER MY VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND ALL LIGHTS WERE IN THE OFF POSITION. I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY LEFT IT OVERNIGHT AND EXAMINED IT THIS MORNING. THEY NOTED THIS WAS A FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND INDICTED THE HOUSING HAD MELTED OVERNIGHT. THIS SEEMS LIKE A FIRE HAZARD. ALSO, VOLKSWAGEN HAD A RECALL ON THIS ISSUE COMPLAINT # [XXX]. WHEN I SPOKE WITH VOLKSWAGEN THEY SAID THEY ARE ONLY COVERING VEHICLES WITH THIS ISSUE THROUGH MANUFACTURED YEAR 2003. MY CAR IS A 2005. OBVIOUSLY, THIS ISSUE PERSISTED BEYOND THE YEARS THEY INDICATED, AND THEY EXPECT THE OWNERS NOW TO FOOT THE BILL FOR A FAULTY BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH AND DAMAGES CAUSED BY THIS ISSUE. I THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW THIS ISSUE EXTENDS BEYOND THE PERIOD THEY INDICATED AND I HOPE YOU WILL CONSIDER MAKING THIS A RECALL ITEM. PLEASE CONTACT ME IF THIS ISSUE BECOMES A RECALL ITEM. I FEEL, AT A MINIMUM, THE DEALER SHOULD COVER THE COST OF THE REPAIR. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RIGHT REAR BRAKE LIGHT WAS DEFECTIVE; WHEN HE WOULD TURN THE VEHICLE OFF, IT WOULD STAY ON. THE FAILURE WAS INTERMITTENT. THERE WAS ALSO A RIGHT REAR BRAKE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 77,936. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 77,740.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 VOLKSWAGEN NEW JETTA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 60 MPH WHEN THE POWER WINDOWS AND TURN SIGNALS FAILED TO WORK PROPERLY. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTING FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT BOTH A WIRING AND CRASH HARNESS WAS NEEDED TO RESOLVE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 54,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 69,000.

OVER THE PAST 11 MONTHS OF OWNING MY VEHICLE, I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE HEADLIGHTS (LIGHTBULB ONLY) SEVEN TIMES. ALSO, OTHER VARIOUS BRAKE AND RUNNING LIGHTS HAVE GONE OUT. THE FIRST TIME, I HAD THE VEHICLE FOR 1 DAY OFF THE LOT (USED). THE FIX IS OBVIOUSLY GOING TO PURCHASE NEW HEADLIGHTS. I'VE TRIED HIGH QUALITY SYLVANIA H7 LIGHTS, AND ALSO TESTED THE LOWER QUALITY TO SEE IF IT WOULD LAST LONGER, OR HOLD OUT AT ALL. VW (VIA A DEALERSHIP, NOT CORPORATE) HAS INDICATED THAT IT COULD BE AN ELECTRICAL PROBLEM, A SEAL IN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, OR THE OBVIOUS POOR VENTILATION TO RELIEVE THE HEAT BUILD-UP. THERE IS A PLASTIC CAP INSIDE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT ON EACH HEADLIGHT THAT IS REQUIRED TO BE REMOVED TO ACCESS THE SOCKETS. IT DOES GET VERY HOT IN THERE. VW DID INDICATE THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM, BUT DOES NOT COVER BULB REPLACEMENT UNDER WARRANTY, AS FREQUENT OR INFREQUENT AS IT MIGHT HAPPEN. ON A SEPARATE NOTE, AUTOZONE (LOCAL PARTS DISTRIBUTOR) HAS MADE COMMENTS INDICATING THE TYPE OF BULB (H7) IS OF POOR DESIGN ON ANY VEHICLE. ANOTHER ACQUAINTANCE HAS ADVISED ME ON HER VW, THERE ARE SIMILAR LIGHTING ISSUES. I AM SEEKING A RESOLVE, AS THE LIGHTS ARE RATHER EXPENSIVE ALONE, AND LETTING THE DEALERSHIP FIX THEM EXTREMELY COSTLY. THE INCIDENT DATE LISTED WAS THE FIRST TIME IT OCCURRED TO MY VEHICLE, AND THE LAST TIME WAS 2 WEEKS AGO. TO NOTE, THE HEADLIGHT USUALLY BLOWS OUT WHEN I START THE VEHICLE, NOT WHEN IT'S RUNNING. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE ALWAYS ON, DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS. I AM EXTREMELY CAUTIOUS AS TO NOT TOUCH THE BULB DIRECTLY, AS I KNOW THIS TO CAUSE DAMAGE. *TR

FAILURE OF BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH LEADING TO UNSAFE OPERATION OF VEHICLE. IMPROPERLY DESIGNED BRAKE SWITCH FAILED AT 19,000 MILES CAUSING REAR BRAKE LIGHTS TO NO LONGER FUNCTION. *JB

AUTO HEADLAMPS MALFUNCTION INTERMITTENTLY WHEN THE AUTO ENGINE IS STARTED. ALL INCIDENCES HAVE OCCURRED AFTER AUTO WAS IN CONTACT WITH WATER, SUCH AS DURING A RAIN STORM OR A CAR WASH. THE AUTO INDICATOR LIGHT FOR HEADLAMP MALFUNCTION IS LIT AND DIFFERENT HEADLAMP BULBS ARE OUT, INCLUDING THE DAY RUNNING LIGHTS AND HEAD LIGHTS. ON ONE OCCASION, ALL HEADLAMPS MALFUNCTIONED AT ONCE. AUTO WAS PURCHASED ON 4/26/05. FIRST INCIDENT WAS REPORTED ON 5/20/05. THE ELECTRONIC CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED BY THE DEALER ON 5/26/05, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUED SINCE THE REPLACEMENT. THE DEALER SERVICE CENTER HAS NOT ATTEMPTED TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM SINCE 5/26/05. THE DEALER REQUESTED THE AUTO BE RETURNED WHEN THE PROBLEM WAS VISIBLE TO THEM. I RETURNED THE AUTO TO THE DEALER ON 9/25/06 TO SHOW THE SERVICE ADVISOR THE PROBLEM WHICH WAS DOCUMENTED. THEY DID NOT ATTEMPT TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM ON THIS DAY AND MADE AN APPOINTMENT TWO WEEKS LATER. ON 10/10/06 THE AUTO WAS RETURNED FOR REPAIR, HOWEVER, I WAS INFORMED ON 10/12/06 THAT BECAUSE THE TECHNICIAN COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM, THEY WOULD NOT ATTEMPT TO FIX IT. I CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN CUSTOMER CARE CENTER TO MAKE A COMPLAINT (REFERENCE NUMBER 60370228) AND WAS ASKED TO TAKE THE AUTO TO ANOTHER DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR. I CONTACTED THE RECOMMENDED VW DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE TECHNICIAN WOULD NEED TO SEE THE PROBLEM AS IT WAS OCCURRING, HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DIAGNOSED WITHOUT AN APPOINTMENT. *NM