Head/Tail Lights/Window Regulator?

[JustALilBit]

I figured id kill a few birds with one stone instead of posting 3 seperate threads

My first issue that im mainly concerned with is my windows, only the front two.
Ive heard that MK4 Jetta's have some problems with these and I think I am to. When I push for it to go down it goes up and vice versa. Its annoying!! How much would this cost me, roughly? I took it to SCFC and they said it was just stuck cause it wouldnt go down at all so they "lubbed" it.
Second, My passenger side headlight keeps going out. I replaced the bulb like 3 months ago and it burnt out this morning. Why is it not lasting the way it should be?
Lastly, the tail lights, I put in some aftermarket tail lights. Even before this I had a slight leak in my trunk. About a month ago I took it to SCFC and they balmed it on the aftermarket tail lights and said they would not fix it. So Im going to fix it myself. How would I go about sealing the small cracks between the lights abd the body?

[stefan]

Re: Head/Tail Lights/Window Regulator?

headlights - could it be fingerprints on the bulb? you can't touch those guys.. it's often the problem.

tails - if the lights are staying in for a while, i'd consider silicone for a gasket.

windows - if it goes down when you push up, its the 'pinch protection' what windows do it? is it the rears?

[Kor]

Re: Head/Tail Lights/Window Regulator?

Never heard of that window problem before but I bet that cleaning and lubing is the right solution.

I also think that if your headlight bulb goes its usually 99% of the time because you or someone else touched the bulb. Or you bought really cheap bulbs.

[JustALilBit]

Re: Head/Tail Lights/Window Regulator?

Well im guessing its me touching the bulb. I know you cant touch them but I must have accidentally done it.
No, its not the pinch protection with the windows. Its the front windows.
It goes down when I do the "auto" roll down but when I just push them so I can control how far they go down, they decide to go up.

[stefan]

Re: Head/Tail Lights/Window Regulator?

haha.. got me there then. thats pretty strange. switches must be dirty or damaged inside i would think. thats not the typical mk4 window issue.

[B Dubbin]

Re: Head/Tail Lights/Window Regulator?

No, its not the pinch protection with the windows. Its the front windows.
It goes down when I do the "auto" roll down but when I just push them so I can control how far they go down, they decide to go up.

I have the same problem. I just wrote it off as a vw quirk. Sometimes I'll press auto-down and it goes up. It just seems to get confused. Sometimes my down doesn't work at all (when the window is originally totally up.) The only way to get it to go down is to auto-down it. oh well.

[dubCanuck1]

Re: Head/Tail Lights/Window Regulator?

Yeah, I've got the same deal. I wrote it off to the same problem that causes the doors to act funny with the alarm...whacky microswitches. Up works all the time. It's only the down that acts goofy. It's only with the driver's switch on mine. I imagine that's because the driver's is the most commonly "touched" switch.

[JustALilBit]

Re: Head/Tail Lights/Window Regulator?

Im glad im not the only one with this issue
Its getting annoying. When my passenger actually uses the switch it works fine but when I use the driver side switches it acts up.
Do you think that SCFC would be able to fix this. I know they dont like fixing things that they dont diagnose so im not to sure....

[Kordain]

Re: Head/Tail Lights/Window Regulator?

sounds like buying a replacement switch might do the trick, or first off borrow one from a buddy who knows its working correctly in their car and see if it fixes it in your car?

[JustALilBit]

Re: Head/Tail Lights/Window Regulator?

That would be a possible idea.
Does anyone have an idea how much this may cost? Cause its omething that can wait if its gonna cost me a couple hundred... Specially with installation cause im not the smartest when it comes to installing that kind of stuff

[Satnam]

Re: Head/Tail Lights/Window Regulator?

Well im guessing its me touching the bulb. I know you cant touch them but I must have accidentally done it.
No, its not the pinch protection with the windows. Its the front windows.
It goes down when I do the "auto" roll down but when I just push them so I can control how far they go down, they decide to go up.

The window switch might be a designed in feature (screwup).... my car does that too, 5th ave tried to tell me I don't know how to use the switches. Most likely it's the clips on the windows that people talk about breaking and the windows falling into the doors.

[Kordain]

Re: Head/Tail Lights/Window Regulator?

Well, just stepped out and tried my window switches and they work like id expect them to, ie not like yours, if they have always been that way for you from new then id be worried about a wiring fault but if they have only recently gone that way id look at the switch.

K..

[dubCanuck1]

Re: Head/Tail Lights/Window Regulator?

So, I guess I should add that mine didn't act like that all the time. I don't imagine they would be that expensive because I bought the door latch mechanism and it was $200 something. The little switches are easy to take off. I've got a procedure here somewhere. I'll dig it up. Basically, unclip the piece below the "handle" part of the driver's door, undo a couple screws and pull that whole panel off.

[Satnam]

Re: Head/Tail Lights/Window Regulator?

not sure dubCanuck1 but....

I think you referring to the door latch mechanism, is another problem. The microswitch only will tell if the door is open or closed. problem seen: The car will lock the door and alarm if you don't put the key in the ignition and turn it within 30/40ish seconds.

The problem was with windows rolling back down when they are being rolled up. It's a very randomly appearing problem, usually not repeatable when needed. Like Stephan said pinch protection. The protection circuit thinks your head is stuck in the window, so it decides to lower the window and save your life randomly.

Satnam

[dubCanuck1]

Re: Head/Tail Lights/Window Regulator?

I'm talking about the same thing, as in the window going down when you pull up on the switch, but not far enough for auto up.

I was just saying they can't be that expensive to replace, seeing as the whole door latch assembly was only $200 and something.

I've got the same problem with my car. It didn't always act that way.. And I've seen the pinch protection work first hand. My 3-year old put his hand in the window while I was rolling it up. It got pinched, but the window rolled all the way down. I was pretty grateful. I imagine if the pinch protection wasn't there, he'd have accidentally lost a finger as he put it in right where the rear window makes a "V" with the rear window guide. That's where it got stuck.