My passenger side headlight went out on my 2001 GTI. Headlight lamps are typically very easy to change because it’s something that has to be done frequently over the life of a car. Volkswagen decided to make this a little more involved.
Each headlight module has a small door on the rear surface that can be opened up providing access to each of the four bulbs (high/low, fog, turn, day). On the passenger side of the car, however, the headlight module is backed up and almost touching the wiper fluid reservoir and several tubes. You can’t get your fingers or any tool in the gap to open the door, and even if you could, you wouldn’t be able to reach into the module to change any bulbs.
I figured I would just have to take the module out – not a big deal! Huge deal. The front quarter panels wrap around the front of the modules, preventing them from coming forward out of the car.
I took the grill off and realized that the modules would have to go down underneath the front of the quarter panel. The problem with that, however, was that the front bumper was in the way. In order to take the front bumper off, I had to take the oil pan cover off the bottom of the car. Once I got the bumper off, I was finally able to get the module out.
What a pain in the ass. I’m surprised the windshield wipers don’t retreat into a steel compartment when not in use, forcing you to change them while they are on the highest speed.
