Hazardous Hazard Light Switch... Get the recall done!

PSA/TLDR: If you have an 00, 01, 02 Golf or Jetta and haven't done the Hazard Light Switch Recall... DO IT NOW https://repairpal.com/recall/04V584000

I freaked out this morning when my 5spd 02 Jetta w/ 235k starting smoking out of the vents/hazard light switch area on the dash. I smoke cigs and thought, "did I accidentally ash in the vent and its catching on the foam?" With my mind jumping to the Station Nightclub Fire, I quickly pulled over (almost running a guy off the road, really sorry dude!) and could see more smoke and the orange glow of fire coming from behind the hazard light switch. In full-blown panic mode, and also wondering why cars don't come with fire extinguishers, I blew on it as hard as I could before I suffocated the fire by covering the vents/switch with my T-shirt.

After I was convinced the fire had been put out, I pulled out the hazard switch, took it apart, and lo and behold found the source of the fire. Fortunately I was quick and savvy enough that the flames never breached the dash and there appears to be no damage other than the damage to the switch itself. Of course, the indicators and hazards aren't working until I get another switch.

I did a quick search online and see there is a recall on the hazard switch for all 00, 01, 02 Golfs and Jettas, but what in the actual f*** VW and Previous Owner?!?!? I still love your TDIs, but can you please try not to burn me alive!!

Needless to say, I think it was lucky that it happened to me instead of someone who knows very little about cars because I feel like that could have spread into a full-on inferno (which I thought it would!!). Hell, I'm lucky it didn't happen while I left my car running when grabbing a drink or pack of smokes from a gas station!

Looks like TDIClubs photo section isn't working right now, but here's a link to what my hazard switch looks like
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1aJe-JdE5I_HJu2AqP9wNaSXaTwqhC5du/view

I had this happen to me as well, except I was unaware of the recall at the time that it happened.
Did the same thing though, there was electrical smoke but I was lucky to avoid any igniting...

So I went to the VW dealership to see about getting replacement switch under recall and they said that my 02 Jetta wasn't included in the recall. Pretty stunned, I asked for a copy of the paperwork and indeed my VIN number was outside the range of the recall. So yeah... watch out for self-igniting hazard switches! I ordered a new one thru IDParts, hope I'll get it soon because I feel like a bit of an A-Hole switching lanes without using my blinkers, lol!

I also had the same happen in my 2006 Golf, so the later switches aren’t immune either. I ripped mine out smouldering and did some arm-out-the-window signals (in February no less— brr!) until I could get a hold of a new one. A fun mk4 memory for sure.


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Interesting. Just this past Friday afternoon the hazard switch on my 2002 Golf IV TDI burned out -- I smelled smoke as I was waiting to turn left, then saw some smoke coming out of the switch, after which the turn signal/flasher stopped working. Since I've had the car serviced regularly at the local dealer and the recall is from 2005, should I expect they've replaced the original under the recall?