How do I replace Jetta 2005.5 headlight bulb?

Hi Everyone....

Is there a FAQ or something that describes how to replace a headlight bulb in a 2005.5 Jetta? My driver side one just blew out on an 800 mile trip (yesterday).

I have searched here but cant find anything on it. I just want to replace it with a stock lamp...suggestions on where to buy it?

Thanks a bunch! Sorry for being absent for the past few months (well maybe 9 or so), but I had surgery in August and it didnt go so well...they found me in the hospital room "unresponsive" with only 19% blood oxygen level. Spent a week in ICU then 6 weeks of testing to see how badly my heart and brain suffered. Fortunately, everything turned out A.O.K and the testing revealed that whatever was damaged either healed or the initial cat scans/various other tests were initially incorrect.

Thanks for all the help....miss you all! But Im back!

Regards,

I think if you searched for osram silverstar you would find something. I remember using something from here when I changed mine.

The Low Beam bulbs are fairly easy, even for big hands, just look in the Owner's Manual, there are good pictures, and the How-To.

The High Beams are just a little more time consuming, again in the Owner's Manual.

Thanks Tim....I hadnt even thought of that......been pretty exhausted as of late and totally slipped my mind...Ill give a looksee at it and go from there!

Good luck. I wasn't able to change any of the bulbs without taking the headlights out. I have pianist's hands...

In the write up here in the forums, there was mentioned a tool I believe that had a hook on the end to catch on the connection to the bulb to help pull it loose.

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showpost.php?p=1220498&postcount=12

Forget about the hooked tool. That was for the itty bitty light bulbs in there.

LF06VWJTDI said:

Good luck. I wasn't able to change any of the bulbs without taking the headlights out. I have pianist's hands...

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How did you get the headlights out? Did you have to remove the grille and bumper cover? I was hoping there was an easier way, since when I changed to the Osrams I knocked of the little retaining clip for the high beam and can't get it back on with the headlight in place. Why couldn't they made both bulbs with the same holddown scheme?

farfrumsanity said:

How did you get the headlights out? Did you have to remove the grille and bumper cover? I was hoping there was an easier way, since when I changed to the Osrams I knocked of the little retaining clip for the high beam and can't get it back on with the headlight in place. Why couldn't they made both bulbs with the same holddown scheme?

Click to expand...

Because they have to make our lives miserable somehow. That little retaining clip is a big PITA. The only bulbs in those headlamps that are easy to change are the low-beams. For all other ones, take your T25 and T30 and start taking the grilles and bumper out...

I found it was easier to change the bulbs out if you remove the fuel filter cannister on the passenger side, and/or the air cleaner cover from the driver's side as needed. This gives you a bit more room to stick your hands/fingers in, as well as getting a mirror and light in there to see the back of the assemblies.