How to Check the Production Date of Volkswagen Jetta Headlights?
4 Answers
The production date of Volkswagen Jetta headlights can be found on the stamp of the headlight. Below is an introduction to the headlights: 1. Turning away from AUTO is the manual mode. Lifting the switch (toward the steering wheel direction) indicates the high beam signal, while the opposite direction (pushing down) is the high beam, and returning it to the original position is the low beam. 2. The low beam is designed for close-range lighting, with the requirement of a wide illumination range (160°), short illumination distance, and non-adjustable focus. 3. Car headlights, also known as car front lights or car LED daytime running lights, serve as the eyes of the car. They not only relate to the external image of the car owner but are also closely linked to safe driving at night or under bad weather conditions.
Having driven a Jetta for so many years, I've gained some experience in checking headlight production dates. You need to open the hood and look on the side or back cover of the headlight assembly, where there's usually a set of raised numerical codes. For example, if you see a dot-matrix code like '•24•19•', it means the headlight was produced in the 19th week of 2024. If it's a sticker label, it will directly show a date format like '2024-05'. If the production dates of the left and right headlights differ by more than three months, it's likely that the car was in an accident and the lights were replaced. By the way, the last two digits of the year are fixed, but don't confuse the week number with the month—May corresponds to weeks 19-22, so it's best to check a calendar for accuracy.
Last time I helped a friend inspect a used car, I specifically checked this. The production date of Volkswagen Jetta headlights is usually engraved in the corner of the black plastic frame, like a small code. For example, 'L0124' means it was produced in the 1st week of 2024. Some older models have it engraved on the edge of the reflector, and you need to shine a flashlight at an angle to see it clearly. The key is to check the difference in dates between the two headlights—factory-installed headlights should differ by at most two weeks. If the date is newer than the vehicle's production date on the nameplate, it's definitely a replacement part. If the date sticker is blurred from water damage, be cautious about potential flood damage with such a car.
New drivers, don't panic when checking light dates, just remember three points. First, locate the position: lift the hood and check the side or back of the light housing. Second, recognize the format: a numeric dot matrix like '•23•45•' means the 45th week of 2023, while letter combinations like 'F2305' mean May 2023. Third, compare: if there's a big difference in production weeks between the two lights, it's abnormal. Last time I had my car's lights replaced, I specifically asked the mechanic to check—the new light was marked '24-18', which was indeed produced in April this year.
