NHTSA Complaint #11064304 — 2008 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

WHILE CHANGING THE PASSENGER-SIDE LOW-BEAM BULB, I FOUND WIRING TO ALL THREE BULB HOLDERS MISSING INSULATION, HAVING EXPOSED WIRES. EVEN THE INTACT INSULATION IS VERY BRITTLE WHERE THE MINIMAL MOVEMENT OF THE WIRES, NECESSARY TO REPLACE ANY OF THE BULBS, CAUSES MORE INSULATION TO BREAK AWAY FROM THE BULB WIRING. THERE IS NO WIRE WRAP, ELECTRICAL TAPE, NOR HEAT SHIELDING ON ANY OF THE WIRES WITHIN THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, LIKE WHAT I SEE ELSEWHERE WITHIN THE WIRING LOOM UNDER THE HOOD. WHETHER THE DAMAGE TO THE WIRES IS INITIALLY FROM HEAT BUILD-UP WITHIN THE HOUSING OR ABRASION AGAINST ANY OF SEVERAL STAMPED METAL PIECES INTERNAL TO THE HOUSING, THE RESULT IS UNSAFE. IF EACH LIGHT WERE INDIVIDUALLY FUSED, THEN THE WIRE GAUGE USED WOULD BE SUFFICIENT FOR A 55-WATT (HALOGEN) BULB. HOWEVER, THE WIRE GAUGE IS NOT ENOUGH TO SURVIVE ANY SHORTING OF THESE WIRES, EITHER DIRECTLY AGAINST EACH OTHER OR THROUGH ANY METAL WITHIN THE HOUSING, BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE TO PASS ENOUGH CURRENT TO BLOW THE COMMON FUSE. LOSING A LIGHT SEEMS PALE IN COMPARISON TO THE RISK OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. 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. I HAVE NOW EXPERIENCED THIS ON BOTH HEADLIGHTS ON MY 08 TOUAREG, WHICH I COMPLETELY REWIRED, AND NOW ON BOTH SIDES OF MY 08 PASSAT. VOLKSWAGEN DOES NOT HAVE ANY SUPERCEDED PART FOR THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES, WHICH MEANS THEY HAVE NOT FIXED IT. AS OPPOSED TO BUYING A REPLACEMENT HOUSING (~$340 EACH) WITH THE EXACT SAME SPECIFICATIONS, I WILL REWIRE THESE HOUSINGS WITH LARGER WIRE, HEAT-RESISTANT SHIELDING AND LOOM WRAP TAPE, JUST AS I HAD TO DO ON MY TOUAREG. ANY OTHERS NOT SO MECHANICALLY INCLINED ARE TRAPPED WITH A POOR DESIGN THAT HELLA, VALEO, AND VW HAVE NOT RESOLVED.