Headlamp issue please help..98 Jetta Diesel
 

Last night while driving my 1998 VW Jetta TDI everything was fine. But this
morning something funny happened. Ok let me explain a bit. The way the
headlamps work is when you turn the key the parking lights go on and if the
emergency brake is on (which it was as my car is a standard) when you release
the e-brake the headlights go on automatically so you dont have to worry about
turning them on ever. Well this morning I start my, car release the brake and
no lights. I am miffed. The parking lights are on but both low beam headlamps
are out. Well plan B comes to mind just use the high beams for the time being.
Well I drove to work with no problem but when I drove home from work I arrived
to my parking area and I noted the drivers side high beam has also gone out. So
now I only have one light, the passenger side high beam that is working. Any
ideas, thoughts, or fixes for my situation?????
If you want to respond to question feel free to write to my email at
or just reply back to the group. thanks for your time!

AlanH70 wrote:
>
> Last night while driving my 1998 VW Jetta TDI everything was fine. But this
> morning something funny happened. Ok let me explain a bit. The way the
> headlamps work is when you turn the key the parking lights go on and if the
> emergency brake is on (which it was as my car is a standard) when you release
> the e-brake the headlights go on automatically so you dont have to worry about
> turning them on ever. Well this morning I start my, car release the brake and
> no lights. I am miffed. The parking lights are on but both low beam headlamps
> are out. Well plan B comes to mind just use the high beams for the time being.
> Well I drove to work with no problem but when I drove home from work I arrived
> to my parking area and I noted the drivers side high beam has also gone out. So
> now I only have one light, the passenger side high beam that is working. Any
> ideas, thoughts, or fixes for my situation?????
> If you want to respond to question feel free to write to my email at
> or just reply back to the group. thanks for your time!

Did you check if the bulbs were burned out? Excess voltage will reduce
bulb life dramatically. If your voltage regulator is bad and your
voltage is too high, it could explain 3 bulbs burning out in short
order.

Measure the voltage at the battery as you gradually raise the engine RPM
from idle to 3000 RPM. On my '87 the spec. is 14.0 V +/- 0.5V, I think
this is what VW uses (although some other cars use 14.5V +/- 0.5V). See
if your voltage is too high. If it gets over 18V, abort the experiment
immediately.

AlanH70 wrote:
>
> Last night while driving my 1998 VW Jetta TDI everything was fine. But this
> morning something funny happened. Ok let me explain a bit. The way the
> headlamps work is when you turn the key the parking lights go on and if the
> emergency brake is on (which it was as my car is a standard) when you release
> the e-brake the headlights go on automatically so you dont have to worry about
> turning them on ever. Well this morning I start my, car release the brake and
> no lights. I am miffed. The parking lights are on but both low beam headlamps
> are out. Well plan B comes to mind just use the high beams for the time being.
> Well I drove to work with no problem but when I drove home from work I arrived
> to my parking area and I noted the drivers side high beam has also gone out. So
> now I only have one light, the passenger side high beam that is working. Any
> ideas, thoughts, or fixes for my situation?????
> If you want to respond to question feel free to write to my email at
> or just reply back to the group. thanks for your time!

Did you check if the bulbs were burned out? Excess voltage will reduce
bulb life dramatically. If your voltage regulator is bad and your
voltage is too high, it could explain 3 bulbs burning out in short
order.

Measure the voltage at the battery as you gradually raise the engine RPM
from idle to 3000 RPM. On my '87 the spec. is 14.0 V +/- 0.5V, I think
this is what VW uses (although some other cars use 14.5V +/- 0.5V). See
if your voltage is too high. If it gets over 18V, abort the experiment
immediately.

AlanH70 wrote:
>
> How do you check the voltage? Do you need some sort of special equipment,
> electrical knowledge for this? Also as a worst case scenario how much would a
> new voltage regulator cost?

You need a voltmeter of some sort. Any multi-meter you can get your
hands on will have a DC voltage range that can be used. Touch one probe
to each battery terminal.

On earlier Golfs / Jettas the voltage regulator could be replaced by
itself, I don't know if this is still the case on your '98. Worst case
you need a new alternator, which would set you back somewhere between
US$ 120 and US$ 200 for parts.

Several bulbs burning out in short order could be caused by a broken
voltage regulator, but it is by no means conclusive. I would check it
out sooner rather than later, as a broken voltage regulator and
consequent wrong system voltage can be harmful for the battery and a
number of expensive electrical devices in the car.

AlanH70 wrote:
>
> How do you check the voltage? Do you need some sort of special equipment,
> electrical knowledge for this? Also as a worst case scenario how much would a
> new voltage regulator cost?

You need a voltmeter of some sort. Any multi-meter you can get your
hands on will have a DC voltage range that can be used. Touch one probe
to each battery terminal.

On earlier Golfs / Jettas the voltage regulator could be replaced by
itself, I don't know if this is still the case on your '98. Worst case
you need a new alternator, which would set you back somewhere between
US$ 120 and US$ 200 for parts.

Several bulbs burning out in short order could be caused by a broken
voltage regulator, but it is by no means conclusive. I would check it
out sooner rather than later, as a broken voltage regulator and
consequent wrong system voltage can be harmful for the battery and a
number of expensive electrical devices in the car.

Just a simple voltmeter/multi-meter from Radio Shack works fine.


"AlanH70" > wrote in message
...
> How do you check the voltage? Do you need some sort of special equipment,
> electrical knowledge for this? Also as a worst case scenario how much
would a
> new voltage regulator cost?

Just a simple voltmeter/multi-meter from Radio Shack works fine.


"AlanH70" > wrote in message
...
> How do you check the voltage? Do you need some sort of special equipment,
> electrical knowledge for this? Also as a worst case scenario how much
would a
> new voltage regulator cost?