How to replace a headlight or flashlight bulb on a Volkswagen Polo sedan

One of the best-selling cars in Europe, the Volkswagen Polo, produced by the German auto giant since 1975, is preparing for rebirth. In the new 2016, not just restyling is expected, but the next, sixth generation.

The pedantic Germans are preparing a grand surprise for all lovers of the German B-segment brand. Every time something new and unusual appears.

When it comes to lighting design, the Germans have no equal. Both low beam headlights and rear lights are constructed with the utmost care from the highest quality and most reliable materials. There is no point in talking about design at all. Each restyling is a completely new note of design art, made in accordance with the standards of fashion trends.

Separately, it is worth noting the painstaking work on the design of the rear dimensions of the Polo. Even the old sedan model uses high-quality LED technology, which is used for most modern foreign cars. The updated version of the Polo will feature even sleeker LED lights.

Quality is very good, but even reliable German technologies can fail. However, there is nothing unnatural in replacing lamps from “German” lighting equipment. Every car sooner or later undergoes lighting repairs. You can, of course, contact a service center and pay a substantial amount of money to replace incandescent lamps, or you can change everything yourself.

It’s a different matter if the car was involved in an accident and the glass body cracked. Then replacing the flashlight will cost slightly more than buying light bulbs. One way or another, the method of removing and installing the part is the same.

What lamps are installed in VW Polo

Note that the fifth generation of the model, produced from 2009 to 2015, has an H4 lamp in the low beam; since 2015, after restyling, they began to install an H7 lamp. Be careful when buying lamps

For Volkswagen Polo 5 from 2009 to 2015.

Turn signal lamp PY21W 12v / 21W
Side lamp W5W 12v5W
H4 12v 60/55W low beam lamp

Selecting low beam lamps

BOSCH H4-12-60 / 55 Pure Light 1987302041 price from 145 rub.
NARVA N4-12-60 / 55 N-48881 price from 130 rub.
PHILIPS H4-12-60 / 55 LONGLIFE ECO VISION price from 280 rubles (with long service life)
OSRAM H4-12-60 / 55 O-64193 price from 150 rub.
PHILIPS H4-12-60 / 55 + 30% Vision P-12342PR price from 140 rub.

If you want the light to be brighter, you should choose the following lamps:

OSRAM H4-12-60 / 55 + 110% NIGHT BREAKER UNLIMITED O-64193NBU from 700 rubles per piece
PHILIPS H4-12-60 / 55 + 130% X-TREME VISION 3700K P-12342XV price from 650 rubles per piece
NARVA H4-12-60 / 55 + 90% RANGE RANGE price from 350 rub. / PC

These lamps have exactly the same power as regular lamps, but are much brighter. However, their service life is shorter than that of conventional lamps.

You can see how much the low beams of the polo sedan dorestayle cost above, below the price of the restyled version

Low beam lamp for VW Polo 5 restyling

As we wrote above, the updated version of the model has an H7 12v / 55W lamp installed in the low beam.

NARVA N7-12-55 N-48328 price from 170 rubles pcs
BOSCH H7-12-55 Pure Light 1987302071 price from 190 rubles per piece
PHILIPS H7-12-55 LONGLIFE ECO VISION P-12972LLECOB1 from 300 rubles with long service life
OSRAM H7-12-55 + 110% NIGHT BREAKER UNLIMITED O-64210NBU from 750 rubles per piece
PHILIPS H7-12-55 + 30% P-12972PR Vision price from 250 RUR pcs
OSRAM H7-12-55 O-64210 price from 220 RUR pcs

It is worth noting that it is easier to replace a low beam lamp on a pre-Restyle than on a remodel. Below we will describe both replacement options.

Do-it-yourself dismantling and replacement of low beam

As mentioned above, it is often necessary to replace low beam lamps. The reason is that drivers use them as DRLs, which means these headlights are constantly talking. And it doesn’t matter whether you have xenon or halogen, the part can quickly become unusable. Replacement can be done manually.

To replace the lamps you need to do the following.

Lift the hood and lock it in this position, leaning on the latch.
Now you need to disconnect the wires from the lamp. To do this, you need to take the block and separate it.
Then pry off the lamp plug (you can use a flathead screwdriver).
Now step aside and lower the metal latch all the way.
Unscrew the old light bulb. Be careful not to break the glass. Sometimes the old part is firmly in place due to corrosion and other phenomena, so a little more effort is needed.
Install the new lamp and press it with the clamp.
Perform all subsequent steps in reverse order. Don't forget to adjust the headlights.

Headlight Controls Remember that light bulbs can be quite hot, especially if they have just been turned on. Remove them with gloves. Also, don't leave fingerprints or dirt on your new parts. This will worsen the lighting in the future. In this case, use a clean cloth and alcohol to clean.

Replacing Volkswagen Polo lamps - until 2015

Low and high beam lamps

Operations for replacing low and high beams are considered using the example of a Volkswagen Polo headlight (right.

First, the block with a number of wires is disconnected from the lighting device.
Read also: Replacing a Chevrolet Niva pump, step-by-step instructions (photos and videos).
Pull the end of the rubber boot out and remove it.
By pressing the spring tongue of the latch, you must carefully unhook its edges from the mounting hooks on the body.
At the last stage, the damaged illuminator is easily removed from the headlight housing.
To do this, simply pull it towards you.

To remove dirt from the media, use a clean cloth moistened with alcohol.

A new H4 index lamp is installed in its place in the reverse order to that described above.

When removing light bulbs, it is permissible to hold them only by the socket. This is explained by the fact that the updated products are halogen-type illuminators, the cylinder of which is prohibited from touching the light bulb with your own hands. Otherwise, when heated, certain areas of the surface may darken.

Turning lamps (as part of the headlight)

To remove the cornering headlights that are part of a unit that has already been removed from the vehicle, you will need:

To begin, grab the base with your hand and press on it.
Turn clockwise.
At the next stage, the lamp is removed from the structure's support with a force directed towards itself.

At the final stage of the turn signal removal procedure, a new PY21W light is taken and installed in the reverse order.

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Hello! Didn't quite like the low beam of the headlights, weak or something!? At night and in rainy weather, they illuminate the road very poorly. Which H4 lamps and which manufacturer can you recommend? Thank you!

Vitaly (Chandrakanta) in the rain and my light is bad, but because the headlights from those in front of us are filled with mud. In dry weather everything is fine

Yana (Udaya) Vladimir Grekov, maybe the lighting angle is not adjusted? !

Dmitry (Igme) replace standard light bulbs with LED ones

Vera (Aglaya) And in the dark and in the rain I also turn on the fog lights and drive calmly!

Alexey (Ferreolus) What kind of diodes are they? ..LED? .)))) There are no low and high beams on LEDs!! ))) There are only side lights and license plate lighting)))) Heh..

Mikhail (Alam) Alexey, there are such diode lamps (for example, someone installed them in PTF), but they won’t shine! They’re just for beauty or used as DRLs.

Alexey (Ferreolus) Mikhail, I agree, but there are no full-fledged diode head optics yet (((..But the dimensions look cool)))

Mikhail (Alam) Alexey, yes, the dimensions are perfect, I have them, I like them)

Alexey (Ferreolus) I’m still waiting, but tomorrow I’ll go buy..))) I wanted black, but I have to wait three months, I’ll go and get a silver metallic one from stock... It seems like I’ve already decided...

Alexey (Ferreolus) and then you can come up with dimensions)))

Alexey (Ferreolus) Mikhail, sorry!!! The answer is above)))

Alexey (Ferreolus) what size are the light bulbs?

Vladimir (Hemani) Well, I don’t know how it is for anyone, but I’m quite happy with the light, the adjustment in the third mode is a little weak, but if you turn it up by one, then everything is clearly visible.

Denis (Toms) today supplied H4, PHILIPS with xenon effect, the set is sold of 4 lamps: 2 main lamps + 2 side lamps. The color became blue-white-yellow!!! ))))) Looks impressive.....issue price 950 rub.

Denis (Toms) I’m thinking where I could attach a couple of diodes.....I can’t get into the headlight unit....and I don’t know where to power it from?? !!

Rafael (Shashi) Guys, we already have LED head lighting, but it costs about 5 thousand rubles for our car, “H4”, but we don’t know what quality it is and whose production it is! In general, you can see this miracle on Kia Quoris and Porsche Cayene!!!

I didn’t bother too much, I recently installed light bulbs, believe it or not, made in Russia, for only 300 rubles. I bought them, although they are very yellow, they shine so well, I was shocked!!! I don’t remember the name anymore, but it ended with “LUCH”.

Source: https://koloritno.info/avto-voprosy-i-otvety/kak-pomenyat-zadnyuyu-gabaritnuyu-lampochku-na-Polo-sedan.php

Replacing dorestyle low beam lamps

Disconnect the H4 unit from the lamp, then remove the rubber protection from the lamp

To remove the lamp, you need to gently press on it, remove the spring clip, remove it from the “ear” and lower it

We take out the old lamp, carefully take the new one without touching the bulb and install it. Next we install in reverse order.

To replace the w5w side light, rotate the bulb socket counterclockwise and remove the bulb sockets. Then we pull the lamp towards ourselves and install a new one.

LED lamp in low beam VW Polo

LED lamps are becoming increasingly powerful in everyday life.

If previously the license plate illumination was installed on the side lights, now the LEDs are located in the low beam.

When installed with high-quality lamps, they provide bright light and good street lighting. According to car enthusiasts who have installed similar lamps, LEDs shine better than halogen lamps.

Side light circuit

It's very easy to replace the side light bulb yourself.

In order to save fuel and reduce the load on the generator, daytime running lights are now often included in this circuit, which makes it quite complicated.

The standard wiring option is quite simple and consists of the following elements:

circuit breakers;
front and rear position lamps;
central or key switch;
Let's take a closer look at the first two elements.

Circuit breakers

Sometimes blown fuses are the reason why the side lights do not light up on one side or another.

There are usually two fuses in the circuit, for the left and right sides separately. Since the light bulbs consume little power (4-5 W each), the fuse rating is small, only 5-7.5 A.

Where are the side light fuses located?

In the same place as the others, in a single block. On most modern cars, this block is located under the instrument panel next to the steering column, or, more often, on the lower left, under a plastic trim.

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In the latter case, it is enough to remove the cover protecting the unit, mounted on latches. On the back of the cover, as a rule, there is a sticker with information about which circuit this or that fuse protects, indicating its rating.

The biggest inconvenience in this case may be insufficient knowledge of the English language - it is in this language that inscriptions are usually made, even on Korean and Japanese cars.

Lamps

Externally, the headlight bulb is marked W5W, but today LED sidelight bulbs are increasingly used.

Their advantage over incandescent lamps is their greater durability, and the price of both largely depends on the manufacturer. The most famous products are Philips, Osram, Tesla.

Watch the video about LED bulbs for side lights:

Moreover, as the “Behind the Wheel” test showed, expensive products do not always justify their price.

Also, quite often, the front dimensions are equipped with light bulbs with a metal base, but this, one might say, is a thing of the past.

For rear position lights, the most common lamp is with two spirals - 21 and 5 (or 4) W.

The 21 W coil lights up when you press the brake, i.e. In this case, the light bulb serves as a brake light, while the lower power spiral works as a side light.

Just as with any other lamps, purchasing a more expensive product does not guarantee any exceptional durability.

When it's time to change

DRL headlights on the Volkswagen Polo sedan play a decisive role in the safety of both the driver and other road users. Therefore, they need regular monitoring and timely replacement. Many VW Polo users note the extremely low durability of standard equipment.

This is due to the frequent use of optics and the desire of the manufacturer to save on parts. Factory lamp models for the Polo sedan are formally designed for 2 years of operation, but in practice their service life is 30% shorter. The first signs that your Polo lights need to be replaced are:

Anti-fog headlight

There are several ways to replace a light bulb: from underneath the car or by removing the headlight. The first method is carried out on an overpass or inspection hole.

Replacement steps:

Turn the light bulb counterclockwise and remove it from the housing;
Press the latch of the power chip, disconnect it from the lamp;
Unscrew the screws securing the front fender trim, bend the front wheel trim;
Install the new light bulb in reverse order.

The fog lamp is removed when it is necessary to replace the lamp housing or when replacing the front bumper. This is done using a special hook from the car kit. Replacement process:

Press the pad latches, disconnect the power from the lamp connector on the back of the headlight;
We remove the headlight so as not to damage the wiring;
Unscrew the screws securing the fog lights using a Torx T-25 wrench;
Replace the light bulb with a new one and reassemble.
Insert the wire stripper into the hole for adjusting the headlights, carefully pull out the decorative strip, remove it, overcoming the resistance of the clamps;
Turn the light bulb counterclockwise and remove it from the housing along with the socket;

Side turn signal

We take out the cartridge, remove it from the cartridge case;
We pull the pointer out of the hole;
Move the side turn signal to the front of the vehicle;
We replace the old light bulb with a new one and put everything back in place.

Dimensions

Performed symmetrically for left and right checkboxes:

We take out the socket and change the light bulb without a base.
Guide the lamp socket counterclockwise;

The light source for the rear lights changes as follows:

Remove the light from the body so as not to damage the car's paint;
Unscrew the fastening nut;
Using a flat-head screwdriver, lift the latch of the red connector, press the latch, disconnect the wires;
Reassemble the lantern in reverse order.
Remove the negative terminal from the battery;
Pull the cutout on the side panel towards you;
Hook the chuck between the clamps;
Press the latches on the lamp socket, remove the pad from the lamp;
Unlock the socket and replace the light bulb;
Open the trunk;

For those car enthusiasts who want to make their Volkswagen Polo bright, you can purchase multi-colored LED chameleon lamps. They are equipped with two LEDs on the sides and are built into the dimensions of the flashlight. The light bulbs shine brightly and abundantly, with a power of 2.0 W.

Tail light design

Before you begin the procedure, you should carefully study the design of the sedan's rear light. Outside is the building itself. Below it are four lights:

The side light lamp is a baseless 5 W lamp - it is the smallest and is located approximately in the center of the body.
The brake light lamp is single-contact, 21 W, “hanging” above the clearance.
The rear turn signal lamp is yellow with a 21 W mixed socket - located under the marker.
The reversing lamp is also 21 W - at the very bottom of the structure.

All components are attached to a special metal block, which is held in place by a locking screw located inside the luggage compartment.

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If the light does not work, this does not mean that the light bulb has burned out. Perhaps the reason lies in the fuse box located in the front panel on the driver's side. Therefore, you should not immediately “pounce” on the rear light and disassemble the structure piece by piece.

If the problem is the light bulb, then when replacing it, experts recommend using either originals or analogues with the appropriate parameters and special markings on the base of the device.

Under no circumstances should replacement be done with bare hands. Fat stains from the fingers remain on the surface of the lamps, worsening the indicators of the side lights.

Also, do not forget about basic safety rules, which include installing a parking brake to secure the car, switching the lighting to position 0, and engaging the gear on a manual transmission or the “P” mode on an automatic transmission.

Procedure for replacing brake light bulbs

As promised, we present instructions for removing and installing brake lights for Volkswagen Polo:

Disconnect the negative terminal of the battery;
Open the trunk lid;
We find and fold the lamp compartment inside the luggage compartment;
Unscrew the lamp clamp and remove the clamp from the housing hole;
Disconnect the wire block by lifting it with a screwdriver and sliding it to the side;
Slide the rear light off the seat and remove it. Here, force is required to overcome the resistance of the clamps;
The taillights are mounted on a support, which must be removed by folding the latches;

Squeeze 5 holder clamps
Now you have to remove the brake light bulb by pressing it and turning it at the same time;

Find the brake light bulb and replace it
Install the new lamps in the reverse order shown above.

As you can see, performing these operations is not that difficult if you have detailed instructions in front of you. Perform all steps carefully and carefully to avoid scratching or damaging the body of your Polo. Good luck on the roads!