Why Dropping the Hood Could Mean Lights Out

Volkswagen is recalling over 150,000 Passats because closing the hood is disabling the low-beam headlights. VW says the problem could be avoided by dropping the hood gently and not from any noticeable height, but who does that? Should we give it a pillow too?

The problem is a lose electrical connection in the 2012 and 2013 model years. If you do manage to knock the lights out, you'd see a warning light on your dashboard (and feel like you just won the strongman or strong-woman competition).

VW says no crashes or injuries have been reported but dealers will still need to fix the problem. They'll install a different fitting for the headlight bulb and possibly add a new hood bumper to protect the hood from hitting the headlights. I was just kidding about that pillow, but it looks like VW is serious.

Affected VW Passat owners can contact the Volkswagen at 800-822-8987.