RHS FRONT INDICATOR INTERMITTANT

[RUM4MO]

As per subject line, front RHS indicator lamp is not lighting sometimes and so makes the flasher speed up for a few seconds. All other bulbs on both sides work okay. Replaced front RHS indicator bulb - still the same (but guessed it would be but needed to try the easy things first).

Has anyone had this problem and if so were is fault - ie within the headlamp assembly or wiring to that bulb external to headlamp assembly?

[fonzooorooo]

I had issues with the bulb holder coming loose in its mounting. No obvious solution, and ended up with aftermarket headlights on.

[chewy_]

I've had exactly the same problem for 2 years. When you replace the bulb it seems to work and then after a few mins driving goes off again. If you bang the headlight with your hand it works again. I've also found no way of fixing it so far

[88rsr]

Mates old one did this, after him trying countless bulbs I cant remember how I went about doing what I did to resolve it but anyway....
I took the lamp out, then took the indicator bulb out. You can see there's 2 contacts that the bulb holder touches to make the circuit, it was one of those contacts inside the lamp that was either loose or not making much of a connection. It was fiddly as hell and swearing may be advisable I prized it so the contact held in better and also so it made better contact with the bulb holder (you can feel a little more resistance as you put the bulb back in and twist it)
Never caused him a problem again.

[RUM4MO]

Mates old one did this, after him trying countless bulbs I cant remember how I went about doing what I did to resolve it but anyway....
I took the lamp out, then took the indicator bulb out. You can see there's 2 contacts that the bulb holder touches to make the circuit, it was one of those contacts inside the lamp that was either loose or not making much of a connection. It was fiddly as hell and swearing may be advisable I prized it so the contact held in better and also so it made better contact with the bulb holder (you can feel a little more resistance as you put the bulb back in and twist it)
Never caused him a problem again.

Thanks for that, I'm kind of thinking that that is my problem, as these contacts are well down into the headlight assembly, I might try to attack these contacts with a long hook thing (for removing oil seals). The lazy way might be to try to build up the removable bulb holder contacts with solder.

[88rsr]

Its much easier than you think to take the bumper off to get the lamp out.

[RUM4MO]

Right, after easing out the bulb holder's external and internal sprung contacts, its now back to working/not working again! Slapping the headlight assembly sorts it for a short period - but that will not be too easy for wife to do while she is driving!! Using a mirror and torch just ends up with a lot of swearing as I try to get a long thin screwdriver to the correct points. I'm guessing that unscrewing the bulb holder will end up with screw/screws falling down into the front of the headlight.

So, as Haynes says its an easy job - except that I'll need to do something with the headlight washers and unplug the foglights, I'll just need to do as you suggest and get the bumper off.

[chewy_]

removing the bumper is quite easy really. Especially if you've got a haynes manual to guide you. Watch out for the temp sensor as well as that's attached to the front bumper if I remember correctly

[88rsr]

All the screws are Torx bits, cant remember the two sizes you need though but I'll refer to them smaller or larger

4 screws in the front of each wheel arch (smaller of the two sizes), 2 holding the grille in (larger of the two sizes), 3 screws once you remove the grille (larger of the two sizes), remove the two lower corner or fog lamp grilles and theres one screw behind each (larger of the two sizes), theres some clips at the bottom of the lower splitter of the valence, iirc you have to prise them out (I used side-cuts and pliers) Disconnect fog lamps if they are fitted (they dont have to be unscrewed from the bumper) then from the wheel arch tap (well a bit harder than a tap but just reasonable force with the palm) the bumper forward and it should pop forward a bit, repeat at the other side but dont knock it all the way off until youve got hold of it as i think you need to disconnect that temp sensor once youve nudged it forward.... in true Haynes fashion, re-fitting is the reverse of removal.

Pretty sure I've covered it... oh yeah the lamp itself is 4 torx screws (smaller of the two sizes) and the plug for the wiring is one of those dodgy ones where its easier if you push it on a bit more while prising against the little tab and then pulling it.

[RUM4MO]

Well, I've finally gone and taken the bumper off! For anyone with headlight washers AND foglights this is a bit challenging - I just removed the O/S foglight and stored it behind its fixing points, but, the N/S one - well you just can't unscrew it and ease it out as there is NO free length in its cable, likewise if you wanted to you would never be able to unplug it as access behind/below/side is non existant - all this is due the larger washer fluid tank and twin horns. So the foglight was unscrewed and left to fall forward once the bumper was off. Outside temperature sensor is easy to deal with - I just tapped back its bracket off the bumper mounting point. The light washers trim covers, getting them off was easy, I just used old rags and plastic trim removal tools to ease up the washer pillars, grab them, then unclip the cover from each one - don't worry if they fall apart as they are build by clipping together two parts. Next problem to work out was why the bumper would not move - still connected to the car at the mounting point for each light washer pillar, after getting the bumper off, I needed to remove the washer pillars mounting bracket as the washer still blocked getting the lights out.

Now, as to why these indicator assemblies fail, well in my mind its down to pathetic/stupid VW design, or Valeo lights design accepted by VW. What you have, for those that do not know, is an indicator mounting, complete with power lines screwed to the headlight cluster, into this is fitted a bulb mounting adaptor - which tends to float around quite a bit due to its design. What makes this worse is, these bulbs have bayonet fixings that are almost ninety degrees apart, and the bulb mounting adaptor also has its contact (adaptor to powered mounting) also almost ninety degrees apart, this final bit is significant as the float between the two parts can lead to the adaptor "walking" diagonally away from the contact to contact "side", I cut my losses and modified the bulb adaptor to carry the power lines and removed the contacts from the powered mounting - I don't expect any more trouble from that side.

[88rsr]

Never really thought about headlamp washers as hers doesn't have em

[RUM4MO]

Never really thought about headlamp washers as hers doesn't have em

Well the potentially nasty part sounded like it was going to be removing the headlight washer covers in a way that allowed them to be reused! Haynes and Elsawin just imply that you slide/push the covers off, the reality is that you should be advised to gentle ease up the washer pillars - or get someone to operate them and grab them after they have been driven up by water pressure - but you would need to be quick! Then Haynes and Elsawin garbbled on about unbolting water pipes etc - probably one copying the other's text without actually looking into what needed to get done - I just cut to the chase and left them connected up and unbolted their mounting brackets - two bolts per side.

Well that indicator is still working and its still possible to replace the bulb, I probably should have just mod'd the other side while I was in there but I don't like bodging things until there is no other way out of trouble!