[Phaedra]

So I'll start off saying I don't know a lot about this car even though I've had it since '09.

The issue is that my passenger side headlight started to work intermittently. Sometimes the DRL will come on, sometimes it won't. Sometimes the light will stay on while I'm driving, sometimes it will stay on for a little bit and then go out. Not entirely out, but I'll have some really dim action going on in the lower half of the light.

I took it to the local dealership (cause that's the only place where I live that will work on a VW of any kind), and first they said it was pinched wiring. Which they unpinched, told me the issue should be fixed, and then charged me $56 for the whole ordeal. Yeah...that didn't fix it. Left the dealership, light came on. By the time I got home, it was completely out again.

So I took it back to them, cause I really have no other choice. Now they're telling me that its probably the ignitor for the light, cause the headlights are gas powered etc (oddly enough something I did already know LOL), and that I'd need a whole new assembly if thats whats wrong...and that the part and labor would cost me $800 plus to fix...depending on if they could find an alternative. Which I'm doubting they will primarily cause they know they have the market cornered in this area.

I went online and think I may have found the part that I need to possibly fix this issue, for way less than what the dealership wants to charge for the part. However, I'm unsure if its exactly what I'm looking for. If someone could tell me if this is the part I need for replacing the assembly I'd be so thrilled. I don't have the money to spend $800 to fix this and if I can get away with less my life would be a lot easier.

This is the part I found...

98 05 Volkswagen Beetle Headlight Headlamp Right RH New Lens Housing | eBay

Feed back would be MUCH appreciated!

 

[Tytan]

That link is for the headlight housing, if your headlamp is not damaged then it sounds like you need a new lamp or ballast.

I have no experience with an 05 Beetle but it sounds like it has HID lamps which require a ballast to fire the lamps. Normal incandescent lamps are directly connected to 12V and they work, HID lamps are connected to 12V through a ballast which fires the lamp. My Father has an 06 Audi with HID headlights and when he took the car in for a replacement headlight bulb they told him they replace the lamp and ballast as a set other wise there was no guarantee it would not fail again, the lamp and ballast from Audi was over $300.

$800 sounds like a very high price for just a lamp and ballast, you can get an aftermarket set of HID lamps and ballasts on Ebay for $50 to $150.

 

[jfoj]

Not sure if he wiring is better for the HID systems, but the right side is slight further from the headlight switch and you can have issues if there is too much Voltage drop between the switch and the ballast.

The easy was to check if the problem is the wiring/switch is to swap the ballast between the sides (assuming they can be swapped, most can be swapped). If the problem follows the ballast, then it is a issue, if the problem stays on the passenger side with the swapped ballast, you likely have too much Voltage drop to the ballast and I personally would be a $25 HID rely harness in the car after I checked the headlight switch and it appeared to be in good shape!