How to Replace Headlight 1993-99 Volkswagen Jetta
Created on: 2013-03-11
This video shows you how to replace the headlights on your 93-99 Volkswagen Jetta. Learn how to save money with parts and knowledge from 1A Auto!
-
step 1 :Opening the Hood
- Pop the hood and, reach under and push the little hook to the side.
- Secure the hood with the rod.
- (If you are replacing the bulb, continue to Step 2)
- (If you are replacing the entire headlight, skip to step 4)
-
step 2 :Removing the Bulbs
- Reach in behind the headlight, and disconnect the wire from the light.
- Then you’ll see a black ring around the back of the bulb. Turn the ring counterclockwise and the bulb will come out.
-
step 3 :Replacing the Bulbs
- To replace, simply follow the removal instruction in reverse order-place the new bulb into the back of the headlight, put on the ring and turn clockwise, and reconnect the wire.
- (If you were simply replacing the bulb, you may stop here.)
-
step 4 :Removing the Grille
- Disconnect the headlight.
- Remove the four Phillips screws along the top of the grill.
- Looking down behind the grille, you'll see a number of clips.
- Use the flat blade screwdriver, and push down on the clips and pop them out.
- Pull the top of the grille down a bit, and you can reach the clips located on the backside of the bottom of the grille.
- Reach under the headlight from inside the hood, and you’ll feel a tab. Push up on the tab, and that will release the grille.
- Repeat for the other side.
-
step 5 :Removing the Bolts
- With the grill off, you can see that there are four 8mm bolts-one on the upper outside, one in the middle of the inside, one at the bottom left, and one at the bottom right. Using the 8mm socket and extension to get to them easier, remove the bolts. It's usually best to take the top one out last.
-
step 6 :Removing the Headlight
- The light is loose, but there is a mounting clip underneath that may give you some problems
-
step 7 :Installing the New Headlight
- Before installing, adjust the headlight up or down, and left to right, with a 10 mm wrench on the white bolts.
- When placing the headlight, make sure to place the topside first, then the bottom.
- When replacing the bolts, start all four with just a couple of turns before you put them all the way in. That way, you make sure they are all going in correctly.
- Tighten the bolts just so they arm firmâ€"not too tight.
- Reconnect the harness.
-
step 8 :Reinstalling the Grille
- This is really a matter of hooking things back together.
- You clamp you bottom one's first and pry the top ones carefully into place.
- Do the same for the side one and make sure everything is going in correctly before pushing the grille back into place.
- Finally, you can replace the four Phillips screws, but make sure the screws go in straight. If they get off course, they can break the tabs.
- Again, tighten the screws only until they are firm. There is no need to tighten too much, which, again, can break the tabs.
Tools needed
-
Socket Extensions
Flat Blade Screwdriver
Phillips Head Screwdriver
8mm Socket
10mm Wrench
This video is brought to you by 1AAuto.com your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the internet.
Hi I'm Mike from 1A Auto. I hope this how-to video helps you out and next time you need parts for your vehicle, think of 1AAuto.com. Thanks.
In this video we are going to show you how to service the headlights on this 1997 VW Jetta.
We show you both; if you are just looking to change the bulbs or if you want to replace the entire headlight assembly because it is broken or damaged or sandblasted or faded. At 1A Auto we sell a great set of replacement headlights with the glass lens and everything for these vehicles and the only tools you'll need are a Phillips screwdriver, a flat blade screwdriver, and an 8 mm socket with a ratchet and extension.
Open up the hood reach right in, pull this handle, pop the hood and then you reach underneath here and you should feel a little hook that you push aside and lift up. The support rod goes here.
If you are just looking to replace your bulbs, reach back in here and pull off the connection. There is a ring here, turn it counterclockwise and your bulb will come out. The new bulb just goes in with a reverse of the procedure. Put the bulb in, put your locking ring on, and reconnect the harness.
If you want to replace the entire assembly because it is sandblasted or broken, disconnect it back there. There are four Phillips screws here that you are going to remove first.
I am just going to speed up as I remove those four Phillips screws. With those screws out, you can look right down in and you will see clips down there. Just use a small flat blade screwdriver and push down on the clip, pull out and down on each clip and the top pulls out. You pull the top out a little bit and you can reach down in here and there are some clips down at the bottom and usually you just kind of lift up on the grill a little bit and release them. The most difficult part, I can't really film it, but you want to reach in behind here underneath your headlight. Actually if you feel with your finger you will feel a slot right down here that you want to reach on the back side and there is a tab, let's see if I can find it here ... there is a tab that you push up on the back side and that releases there.
Same thing on this side. Reach in here and underneath the headlight and you'll feel a tab. Push up on it and release it and as you can see, it comes out. You can see right here, these are the tabs and that is what you are feeling for underneath. Push up to release it.
With the grill off, there are four 8 mm bolts holding on. One there, one there, one down here and one over here. The best tools for the job: 8 mm socket. I've got a ratchet and an extension to help me reach in there. I take that one out last.
I'll just speed up here as I remove those four bolts. With those four bolts out, the light is loose. You may run into some problem down here with this mounting. If you don't care about your light, obviously you can just kind of break it up a little bit and then you might find out it does have a locking pin and it seems to be sticking as well. Your light comes out.
A new light from 1A Auto. Nice, clear, and you notice before you put it in, here are your two adjusters. You can use a 10 mm wrench on them to adjust it. One of them will adjust it up and down; one of them will adjust it left or right. To put this light in, you have got to put the topside in first and then right into place.
I am going to speed up here as I put those four bolts in. Notice I start them all in first. Just start them, get them going a couple of turns, make sure they are all seated in there correctly and then tighten them up. When you tighten them up, tighten them up firm but you don't want to over tighten them because you can break the tabs on the light if you over tighten them.
Reconnect the harness. Reinstall the grill. It's just a matter of locking things in. You can clamp your bottom clamps on first, then pry these top ones in carefully. Make sure they are all going in and then hold back, make sure your side ones are going in correctly.
I am going to speed up here again as I grab the four screws and my Phillips screwdriver. Put them back in carefully. You want to look down in there and make sure that the screws go into the hole in the tab. They can get off course a little bit and go into the slots of the tabs and sometimes break the tabs so just make sure you put them down in there correctly. When you tighten them, you don't have to get them too tight, just in there firm. If you make them too tight you will break the tabs.
We hope this helps you out. This video was brought to you by www.1AAuto.com your source for quality replacement parts and the best service on the internet. Please feel free to call us toll free 888-844-3393. We are the company that is here for you on the internet and in person.
How to Replace Headlight 2002-06 GMC Envoy XL
Learn how to change the headlights or headlight bulbs on your 02-09 GMC Envoy by watching this 1A Auto video
