Do I need a new headlight housing?

Frambo

Member
Evening all

A quick question

My mother pointed out that the front left indicator on her FSI wasn't working.

Looking into it has revealed that the harness connector to the entire left light cluster is loose - the retaining clip on the housing that the harness is meant to clip to is broken.

Has anyone come up with a solution for this? If I apply pressure to the connection, all lights function as they should but without pressure, some or all of the lights don't work and it's not safe at all.

If no solution, where's the best place to get a new headlight housing in reasonable condition? The Bay of E?

Many thanks!
 
You could try to wrap a turn of insulation tape around the part of the plug that sits inside to make a temporary tighter fitting. Ultimately I think you will end up having to replace the unit. Best bet is our resident breakers, either @A2Steve or @Clackers may have one already available. Have you looked on Market to see if any available there. You may have to upgrade your account and pay the one off £2 fee to view Market if you have not already done so.
 
Good morning Frambo, I would say it sounds like your connector and not the headlight are at fault...when somebody doesn't know how to remove the connector, they tend to try and force it with a screwdriver and this snap the retaining 'clip'off the cable, if this is the case it's a job of cutting and soldering a new connector block on....
If the 'clip' is is place still, and it isn't clicking onto the headlight unit, then yes a new headlight is going to be your best option.
I have an excellent headlight available, can post out for £47, sadly a big chunk of that price is packaging and postage fees.
Happy to help wherever we can, and welcome on board.
 
Thank you all so much for the responses.

As suggested by @Andrew I've attached a photo - perhaps @Clackers or someone else can work out what is needed here. In the meantime, the suggestion of insulation tape was a great one, it has helped a lot, thank you @audifan

Have just put a tenner towards the account upgrade, hopefully that should cover me to access the marketplace!
 

Attachments

  • delete.jpg
    delete.jpg
    686.6 KB · Views: 147
Thank you all so much for the responses.

As suggested by @Andrew I've attached a photo - perhaps @Clackers or someone else can work out what is needed here. In the meantime, the suggestion of insulation tape was a great one, it has helped a lot, thank you @audifan

Have just put a tenner towards the account upgrade, hopefully that should cover me to access the marketplace!
I can't see anything wrong wth that connector, unless the hole that lug engages with is damaged. I think you can visually verify if it has engaged by looking through the little square window, but you have to know what you are looking at to some extent. I suspect the connector just needs pushing on very hard for the lug to engage, try it and report back.

Andy
Edit. Just noticed some damage, back later with suggestions.
 
Last edited:
Does look more like the loom plug is distorted at the locking tab location with a little damage to the headlight socket side. With the plug disconnected from the headlight, if you gently warm the distorted part with a hairdryer to soften the plastic then press back into shape with a large flat blade screwdriver and let it cool. Damage does look like someone did not know how the plug came apart and just prised it. If the gentle heating does not work, if there is enough of the lug left again gently apply pressure to it so that it locks. You may have to correct the shape of the lock also for better engagement. If this fails and the tape is not sufficient you could place a thin strip of plastic beside the tab to pack out the socket and make a tighter fitting. Failing that it does look like a new plug for the loom will be needed.
 
Thank you for the picture, they are indeed worth a thousand words.

Now I look closely I can see two areas of damage A and B caused by some butcher.

Damaged Connector With Arrows.jpg


Area A.

I think a replacement headlight is not required it looks fixable.

The whole of area A looks inclined slightly up, it may be just the camera angle. I think this may be the cause or part of the cause the two halves of the connector are not mating correctly, it must be forcing the "hinged" flap in the loom connector up so the securing lug does not engage in the securing window. [Sorry if this does not make sense but how the connector works is wonderfully simple, if you had a new one you would see, there may be a YouTube video that explains, search VW connectors.*]

Area A should be flat with the rest of the top of the connector, as in this picture ...(ignore it is an offside headlight)....

SAM_4303.JPG


To fix gently bend area A down, heating gently may help, if necessary file off the two plastically deformed "hillocks" (green arrows), but get it as flat as you can, but do not damage the lug it looks in excellent condition.

Firmly push the loom connector firmly home, you may hear a click as a locks into place. If it does not lock while still forcing home press down with a small single slot screwdriver through the square window to encourage the "hinged" flap to engage with the lug. This does assume area B is sufficiently intact.

Hope it works, anyway try it and report back, if it does not work we will have to think about area B.

Andy

Edit. * This video is quite good to explain how a connector locks, it does help to know what is going on.

 
Last edited:
Thank you both SO much for the super helpful responses! Really heartwarming to see that there is still an active and helpful A2 community here.

I am off to the Lake District and will pick this up on my return next week. In the meantime, I didn't want you all to think I was ignoring the responses.

Cheers
 
this looks like the head light unit is not the problem, but the problem lies in the loom connector, as someone butchered it and it no longer latches onto the headlight connector

Paul
 
Yes, I agree the headlight will be fine, just thought best to to tidy it up first in the hope it will mate with the loom connector. Probably the square hole in the hinged flap has been butchered or the hinged flap itself or a bit of both, will probably most likely need a new connector.

Andy
 
I agree fitting a new or seconf hand connector will be the answer.
a work around could be a small self tapping screw in the side of the connector and just nip it once the connector is matted to the head light unit

Paul
 
Back
Top