NHTSA Complaint #11064291 — 2008 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG

WHEN CHANGING ANY OF THE THREE BULBS IN EACH HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, WIRING TO THE BULB HOLDER(S) WILL BE MISSING INSULATION AND HAVING EXPOSED, OR BARE, COPPER WIRES. EVEN WHERE THE INSULATION IS STILL INTACT, THE INSULATION IS VERY LIKELY TO BE BRITTLE AND JUST THE MINIMAL MOVEMENT OF THE WIRES, NECESSARY TO REPLACE ANY OF THE BULBS, WILL CAUSE ADDITIONAL INSULATION TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE WIRING INSIDE THESE HOUSINGS. THERE IS NO WIRE WRAP, ELECTRICAL TAPE, NOR HEAT SHIELDING ON ANY OF THE WIRES WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES, LIKE WHAT YOU FIND ELSEWHERE WITHIN THE VEHICLES' WIRING LOOM AND ESPECIALLY THROUGHOUT THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THESE WIRES WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES ARE FULLY EXPOSED TO THE HEAT BUILD-UP WITHIN THE HOUSING WHILE ALSO BEING SUSCEPTIBLE TO ABRASION AGAINST ANY OF SEVERAL STAMPED METAL PIECES INTERNAL TO THE HOUSING. THE WIRE GAUGE USED SEEMS SUFFICIENT FOR THE CURRENT REQUIRED TO RUN THE 55-WATT HALOGEN BULBS USED FOR HIGH AND LOW BEAMS IN THIS PARTICULAR MODEL OF TOUAREG, ALTHOUGH THE LIGHTS ARE NOT FUSED INDIVIDUALLY, MEANING PER-SIDE, SO THE LARGER VALUE FUSE IN COMMON FOR BOTH HEADLIGHTS IS HIGHER THAN THE CURRENT-CARRYING CAPACITY WIRING WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES. ANY SHORTING OF THESE WIRES, EITHER DIRECTLY AGAINST EACH OTHER OR THROUGH ANY METAL MAKING UP THE STRUCTURE OF THE REFLECTORS, WOULD HAVE TO PASS ENOUGH CURRENT TO BLOW THE COMMON FUSE. THIS WOULD CERTAINLY RESULT IN SMOKING THE REMAINING INSULATION WITHIN THE HOUSING AND POTENTIALLY FURTHER UP INTO THE ENGINE BAY HARNESS WHICH PLUGS INTO THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, POSSIBLY RESULTING IN A FIRE BUT MINIMALLY CAUSING A LOSS OF HEADLIGHTS, IF NOT ALL LIGHTING AND OTHER ELECTRICAL LOADS. A QUICK GOOGLE OR YOUTUBE SEARCH REVEALS THIS PERSISTENT ISSUE OVER MANY MODELS AND YEARS OF VW, AUDI, AND OTHER MANUFACTURERS USING SIMILAR HELLA OR VALEO LIGHTING COMPONENTS.