I know this is not a Merc topic but . . . .

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Bugblatter

Active Member
Joined
Sep 10, 2003
Messages
177
Location
Leeeeeeeds!
Car
2005 Jaguar X Type 2.0D SE
My wife has a 2003 VW Polo with 7,000 miles on it and the offside brake light has failed. Guess what? YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER TO CHANGE THE BULB! I can't believe it! Having looked at the access to the light assembly inside the boot of the car, there is no obvious access and the owners manual does not recommend owners to attempt to change the bulbs.

This is worse than crap!

There is what looks the end of a bolt sticking out lower down, but I am loathe to tamper with it in case the rear bumper drops off or something.

So my wife has to break the law or keep the car off the road until she can get to the garage. Then what? £50+vat labour plus parts?
 
Bugblatter said:
My wife has a 2003 VW Polo with 7,000 miles on it and the offside brake light has failed. Guess what? YOU HAVE TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER TO CHANGE THE BULB! I can't believe it! Having looked at the access to the light assembly inside the boot of the car, there is no obvious access and the owners manual does not recommend owners to attempt to change the bulbs.

This is worse than crap!

There is what looks the end of a bolt sticking out lower down, but I am loathe to tamper with it in case the rear bumper drops off or something.

So my wife has to break the law or keep the car off the road until she can get to the garage. Then what? £50+vat labour plus parts?
Can't believe that ! Surely if you are stopped at night by the police for having a bulb out, you have to rectify it as soon as possible - not have to wait until the dealer is open !

Probably makes it illegal to drive on the continent in some countries as well if thats the case - spare bulb kits are mandatory equipment !

What is the wording in the manual ?

S.
 
Tis true, I have heard about this many times before.

Upgrade the lights to LED bulbs, advert in this weeks AutoExpress. They will last for 10+ years
 
sym said:
What is the wording in the manual ?

S.

Quote: REPLACING BULBS - It is normally no longer possible to replace a bulb without first removing other vehicle parts. This applies to (?) bulbs in particular as they can only be accessed from the engine compartment. Special skills are thus required to carry out this work.

I think there is a word missing where I have put the question mark, possibly "headlamp"
 
Bugblatter said:
Quote: REPLACING BULBS - It is normally no longer possible to replace a bulb without first removing other vehicle parts. This applies to (?) bulbs in particular as they can only be accessed from the engine compartment. Special skills are thus required to carry out this work.

I think there is a word missing where I have put the question mark, possibly "headlamp"
How many VW technicians does it take to change a light bulb ?
 
sym said:
How many VW technicians does it take to change a light bulb ?

Call out VW assist TONIGHT and get them to change the bulb for you as you don't feel safe driving the car if you want it done pronto
 
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Fuzzer you are just so vicious.

Mind you I think you may have a point, seems a bit of a daft design. Is there such a thing as VW Assist.
 
marcos said:
Fuzzer you are just so vicious.

Mind you I think you may have a point, seems a bit of a daft design. Is there such a thing as VW Assist.


Ohh yes :) its called volkswagen assistance and can be found here

http://www.vw.co.uk/services/assistance

ive even given you the link to their phone number :)
VW Assistance website Website said:
Unexpected journey delays happen to us all. Whatever your problem, however big or small, our team of dedicated uniformed Volkswagen Technicians+ are always on hand. In a fleet of fully equipped and liveried Volkswagen Sharans, they arrive complete with Volkswagen diagnostic equipment, tools and spares. In addition, they also carry refreshments, newspapers and mobile phone facilities, helping to minimise your inconvenience.

Unfortunately, some faults are too complex to be repaired on the roadside. When this is the case, our technicians will arrange immediate vehicle recovery. In these circumstances, onward travel or hotel accommodation is also provided.

You might even get to stay in a hotel while they change the bulb .. lol :bannana: :D
 
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Only today I was speaking to a good mate at work on an almost identical topic.

He's got a Beemer Compact and one of his headlight bulbs went.

It's a company car and he's ULTRA-untechnical (even worse than me), so he phoned our fleet services guys.

Bottom line - they sent out a low-loader to his home to collect the car to take to dealer - and he got it back 2 days later.

And to top it all off .....

he was charged £6.50 for the bulb.

K
 
Kinky said:
Only today I was speaking to a good mate at work on an almost identical topic.

He's got a Beemer Compact and one of his headlight bulbs went.

It's a company car and he's ULTRA-untechnical (even worse than me), so he phoned our fleet services guys.

Bottom line - they sent out a low-loader to his home to collect the car to take to dealer - and he got it back 2 days later.

And to top it all off .....

he was charged £6.50 for the bulb.

K

He must be REALLY untechnical as it took my girlfriend less than 10 mins to change the headlight bulb on her Compact! :D
 
Well, Mrs. spoke to VW dealer and also reported a warning light on the dash. She also noticed the rear washer water supply seems to have got disconnected. VW treating it as all one problem and booked in for warranty repair.

Thanks for all the replies and research! :cool:
 

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