2006 Jetta center brake light out

On Oct 9, 5:20*am, Mark > wrote:
> @w13g2000prm.googlegroups.com>, says...
>
> > Yeah, I was hoping the center light was covered because it looks like
> > an LED, is a bitch to get to, and looks expensive. *I'm going to try
> > changing around the non functinal bulb to see if it is actually burned
> > out or something larger. *Both going at almost the same time makes me
> > think larger electrical problem. *On Sunday it was just the Center
> > light, and like I said, last night the right rear went south. *Who
> > knows what today will bring...
>
> Your instinct that it's not coincidence could be right, not just the way
> you may be thinking. *I always seem to notice more lights out when the
> weather makes a big change. *Usually in the spring as it warms up or in
> the fall when it cools down. *The change in temps sometimes causes
> marginal parts to finally fail.
>
> If the weather has changed recently, you HAVE checked your tire air
> pressures, haven't you?
>
> Mark

The adventure continues.

Ok, so after work swapped the L & R rear bulbs to see if it was the
bulb or the socket. Right bulb was dead. But then the LEFT bulb
burned out a few min later (after switching to the right socket).
Lovely. Oh yeah, center light still out on top of all this.

Went out and bought two new bulbs and replaced them. Bulb-defekt
indicator on the dashboard went out but still no center brake light.
The L & R are working again. We will see how long that lasts...

So, could be that both bulbs failed around the same time, but not too
likely in my book. (By that thinking the rest of the rear cluster
will die this week. Then again...) I'm guessing there's something
electrical tied to the center one going kaput. Hopefully VW 1) can
figure it out and 2) it's covered under warranty.

Stay tuned...

And yah, I check the air pressure about once a month. The weather has
changed? Here in SoCal? I don't think the weather ever changes down
here!

-Chris

Chris wrote:
SNIP
>>
>> If the weather has changed recently, you HAVE checked your tire air
>> pressures, haven't you?
>>
>> Mark
>
> The adventure continues.
>
SNIP
>
> And yah, I check the air pressure about once a month. The weather has
> changed? Here in SoCal? I don't think the weather ever changes down
> here!
>
> -Chris
>

Car is booked in to the dealership for service later this month, and I
hope they remember to put winter air in the tires this time! <GRIN>

Stuart

2006 Jetta TDI with all lights working.

Up here in Canada where the weather really DOES change! (From -40C last
winter to +38C this summer)

Almost all the lighting in the car is controlled by the J519 module which
has the ability to store faults for failures.


"dave AKA vwdoc1" > wrote in message
...
> Thanks LG!
> Could it be one fuse that controls the center brake light and the right
> brake light too?
>
> "LG" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Incandescent bulbs are only covered for 12 mo, 12000 miles.
>> It is not unusual for 1 of the 2 bulbs in the rear to blow.
>> I believe the high mount brake light is an LED, if so it would be covered
>> in the B to B.
>>
>>
>> "dave AKA vwdoc1" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> Check the bulb holder to see if it is coming out of the light.
>>>
>>> A Bumper to Bumper warranty should be that! AND it should include the
>>> bulbs and wiper blades. ;-)
>>>
>>>
>>> "Chris" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>> On Oct 6, 7:31 pm, "dave AKA vwdoc1" >
>>> wrote:
>>>> should be under warranty......call them!
>>>> might be a wiring issue at the left rear light maybe.
>>>> I can not imagine all of the bulbs going bad at the same time!
>>>>
>>>> Do you have a hitch installed on this Jetta?
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Update: Called and taking it in on Saturday. They'll have to look at
>>> it to see if it is under warranty. Great.
>>>
>>> No hitch installed. No mods of any type done since purchase.
>>>
>>> A further development last night though. Now in addition to the
>>> center brake light being out, half of the right rear tail light is out
>>> (inboard half...bizzare. Rather than a round circle, now it looks
>>> like a half moon) but when the brake pedal is pressed the entire light
>>> lights up.
>>>
>>> We shall see...
>>>
>>
>>
>
>

On Thu, 9 Oct 2008 09:08:47 -0700 (PDT), Chris
> wrote:

>On Oct 9, 5:20*am, Mark > wrote:
>> @w13g2000prm.googlegroups.com>, says...
>>
>> > Yeah, I was hoping the center light was covered because it looks like
>> > an LED, is a bitch to get to, and looks expensive. *I'm going to try
>> > changing around the non functinal bulb to see if it is actually burned
>> > out or something larger. *Both going at almost the same time makes me
>> > think larger electrical problem. *On Sunday it was just the Center
>> > light, and like I said, last night the right rear went south. *Who
>> > knows what today will bring...
>>
>> Your instinct that it's not coincidence could be right, not just the way
>> you may be thinking. *I always seem to notice more lights out when the
>> weather makes a big change. *Usually in the spring as it warms up or in
>> the fall when it cools down. *The change in temps sometimes causes
>> marginal parts to finally fail.
>>
>> If the weather has changed recently, you HAVE checked your tire air
>> pressures, haven't you?
>>
>> Mark
>
>The adventure continues.
>
>Ok, so after work swapped the L & R rear bulbs to see if it was the
>bulb or the socket. Right bulb was dead. But then the LEFT bulb
>burned out a few min later (after switching to the right socket).
>Lovely. Oh yeah, center light still out on top of all this.
>
>Went out and bought two new bulbs and replaced them. Bulb-defekt
>indicator on the dashboard went out but still no center brake light.
>The L & R are working again. We will see how long that lasts...
>
>So, could be that both bulbs failed around the same time, but not too
>likely in my book. (By that thinking the rest of the rear cluster
>will die this week. Then again...) I'm guessing there's something
>electrical tied to the center one going kaput. Hopefully VW 1) can
>figure it out and 2) it's covered under warranty.
>
>Stay tuned...
>
>And yah, I check the air pressure about once a month. The weather has
>changed? Here in SoCal? I don't think the weather ever changes down
>here!
>
>-Chris
Now that is just silly. Why should one bulb last any longer than the
other? Both are made the same way, see the same service. They should
fail more frequently at the same time. Personally I have seen them
fail at the same time 3 times on my vehicles. I wasted plenty of time
looking for something bigger than burned out bulbs. That is like
replacing one set of brake pads because they are rubbing metal but not
on the other side. Of course I do not replace both bulbs at the same
time. Frugal me trying to save a dollar or 12 in the case of a
headlight.

says...
> Now that is just silly. Why should one bulb last any longer than the
> other? Both are made the same way, see the same service. They should
> fail more frequently at the same time. Personally I have seen them
> fail at the same time 3 times on my vehicles. I wasted plenty of time
> looking for something bigger than burned out bulbs. That is like
> replacing one set of brake pads because they are rubbing metal but not
> on the other side. Of course I do not replace both bulbs at the same
> time. Frugal me trying to save a dollar or 12 in the case of a
> headlight.

A mechanic once told me it seemed to him that right side components,
suspension particularly, tend to wear out faster. His 'reason' was
that, in the US anyway, the outside of the road tends to be bumpier and
shake things around and otherwise stress them more.

<shrug> FWIW,
Mark

HA
We try to miss those potholes on our side! <g>

"Mark" > wrote in message
.. .
> says...
>> Now that is just silly. Why should one bulb last any longer than the
>> other? Both are made the same way, see the same service. They should
>> fail more frequently at the same time. Personally I have seen them
>> fail at the same time 3 times on my vehicles. I wasted plenty of time
>> looking for something bigger than burned out bulbs. That is like
>> replacing one set of brake pads because they are rubbing metal but not
>> on the other side. Of course I do not replace both bulbs at the same
>> time. Frugal me trying to save a dollar or 12 in the case of a
>> headlight.
>
> A mechanic once told me it seemed to him that right side components,
> suspension particularly, tend to wear out faster. His 'reason' was
> that, in the US anyway, the outside of the road tends to be bumpier and
> shake things around and otherwise stress them more.
>
> <shrug> FWIW,
> Mark

On Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:08:10 -0500, Mark > wrote:

says...
>> Now that is just silly. Why should one bulb last any longer than the
>> other? Both are made the same way, see the same service. They should
>> fail more frequently at the same time. Personally I have seen them
>> fail at the same time 3 times on my vehicles. I wasted plenty of time
>> looking for something bigger than burned out bulbs. That is like
>> replacing one set of brake pads because they are rubbing metal but not
>> on the other side. Of course I do not replace both bulbs at the same
>> time. Frugal me trying to save a dollar or 12 in the case of a
>> headlight.
>
>A mechanic once told me it seemed to him that right side components,
>suspension particularly, tend to wear out faster. His 'reason' was
>that, in the US anyway, the outside of the road tends to be bumpier and
>shake things around and otherwise stress them more.
>
><shrug> FWIW,
>Mark
Roads are fairly good where I live. I guess maybe a tiny bit more
rough on the right side but I can ride my bicycle on the right side
without issue almost all the time. But the stat DOT is running a half
billion shy this year so roads may get a bit rough.

On Oct 10, 5:08*am, Mark > wrote:
> says...
>
> > Now that is just silly. Why should one bulb last any longer than the
> > other? Both are made the same way, see the same service. They should
> > fail more frequently at the same time. Personally I have seen them
> > fail at the same time 3 times on my vehicles. I wasted plenty of time
> > looking for something bigger than burned out bulbs. That is like
> > replacing one set of brake pads because they are rubbing metal but not
> > on the other side. Of course I do not replace both bulbs at the same
> > time. Frugal me trying to save a dollar or 12 in the case of a
> > headlight.
>
> A mechanic once told me it seemed to him that right side components,
> suspension particularly, tend to wear out faster. *His 'reason' was
> that, in the US anyway, the outside of the road tends to be bumpier and
> shake things around and otherwise stress them more.
>
> <shrug> FWIW,
> Mark

Wonder if it has to do with right turns being 'tighter' as a rule than
left hand turns. More stress on that side perhaps?

My SWAG.

(The two replacement lights are still working, but center one still
dead. We will see what VW says tomorrow...)

In rec.autos.makers.vw.watercooled, Mark wrote:

>
>A mechanic once told me it seemed to him that right side components,
>suspension particularly, tend to wear out faster. His 'reason' was
>that, in the US anyway, the outside of the road tends to be bumpier and
>shake things around and otherwise stress them more.

More curbs to hit on the right?

On Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:32:10 -0700 (PDT), Chris
> wrote:

>On Oct 10, 5:08*am, Mark > wrote:
>> says...
>>
>> > Now that is just silly. Why should one bulb last any longer than the
>> > other? Both are made the same way, see the same service. They should
>> > fail more frequently at the same time. Personally I have seen them
>> > fail at the same time 3 times on my vehicles. I wasted plenty of time
>> > looking for something bigger than burned out bulbs. That is like
>> > replacing one set of brake pads because they are rubbing metal but not
>> > on the other side. Of course I do not replace both bulbs at the same
>> > time. Frugal me trying to save a dollar or 12 in the case of a
>> > headlight.
>>
>> A mechanic once told me it seemed to him that right side components,
>> suspension particularly, tend to wear out faster. *His 'reason' was
>> that, in the US anyway, the outside of the road tends to be bumpier and
>> shake things around and otherwise stress them more.
>>
>> <shrug> FWIW,
>> Mark
>
>Wonder if it has to do with right turns being 'tighter' as a rule than
>left hand turns. More stress on that side perhaps?
>
>My SWAG.
>
>(The two replacement lights are still working, but center one still
>dead. We will see what VW says tomorrow...)

My friend replaced his brake light switch in his Passat because the
lights were doing weird things. He described the problem and it sounds
like classic bad ground. Maybe yours is just a loose wire. Waiting
for your report from the mechanic.