VWR1302

Warranty Information
Warranty Parts Return Center Communication
Number: VWR-13-02
Subject: Light Bulb Requests
(US Dealers)
Date: May 23, 2013
This document conveys
Volkswagen Warranty Parts
Return Center information.
The Warranty Parts Return Center (WPRC) is facing challenges collecting the correct light bulbs to
support Volkswagen factory initiatives to improve vehicle quality. Currently, over 20% of the bulbs
received by the WPRC do not match the VIN associated with the SAGA claim. This mismatch is resulting
in claim charge-backs and hampers the quality improvement efforts that will benefit Volkswagen
customers.
Dealers must properly identify each removed bulb with the corresponding repair order number and repair
date prior to storage to avoid part return errors. This will ensure that the correct bulb from the correct VIN
and the correct claim is returned when requested by the WPRC.
How Does the WPRC Determine that a Bulb Does Not Match the VIN (or is Incorrect)?
Most bulbs supplied to VW are marked with the name of the supplier (vendor) and include a bulb
production date code. The bulb production date code is compared to the production date of the vehicle.
For original equipment parts, the bulb production date will fall generally within one month prior to (and
never after) the vehicle production date. The above date comparison does not apply if a bulb was
previously replaced under warranty (as determined by the review of SAGA claim history).
To provide full transparency to VW Dealers, the WPRC has created the attached reference document
which identifies how to determine the bulb production date from the bulb production date code for bulbs
supplied by Toshiba, Osram, and Philips.
Questions
For any questions regarding this communication, please contact the Warranty Helpline at 1-866-306-8447
or [email protected].
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© 2013 Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
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document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, nor may these
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CONVERTING BULB PRODUCTION CODES TO BULB PRODUCTION DATES
TOSHIBA
Examples below are for common wedge-base Toshiba bulbs. Date codes shown apply to these bulbs.
OSRAM
Examples below are for common Osram bulbs. Other types of Osram bulbs use similar date codes.
PHILIPS
Examples below are for common Philips bulbs. Other types of Philips bulbs use similar date codes.
TOSHIBA – LARGE WEDGE BASE
Machine Number
Not Important
1
2
3
Example: “W 0 9 F”
0=2010; 9=Sept
TOSHIBA – SMALL WEDGE BASE
Year
Month
0–9
2010 – 2019
1–9
X–Z
Jan – Sep
Oct – Dec
OSRAM – BAYONET BASE
Example: “w 2 g 1”
2=2012; g=Wk. 7
2
Year
3
Week
4
Day
0–9
1
Year
2
Month
3
Day
2010 – 2019
A–Z
1–7
Day of Week
Example: “w 2 D 7”
2=2012; D=Wk. 30
a–z
A–Z
Week
1 - 26
Week
27 - 52
Plant Location
Not Important
2
Year
3
Week
4
Day
2000 – 2009
0–9
2010 – 2019
a–z
A–Z
Wk. 1 – 26 Wk. 27 – 52
1–7
Day of Week
PHILIPS – HEADLAMP BULB
2000 – 2009
2010 – 2019
A–L
January – December
1 – 31
Day of Month
Note – First and second position
(month and year) may be reversed.
Warranty Parts Return Center
May 23, 2013
2010 – 2019
Week
1
Wk. 1 – 26 Wk. 27 – 52
0–9
2000 – 2009
Note – Date code is marked
vertically on side of bulb.
Example: “2 g”
2=2012; g=Wk. 7
2000 – 2009
a–z
0–9
OSRAM – HEADLAMP BULB
PHILIPS – BAYONET BASE
Example: “1 D 27”
1=2010; D=April
2
Plant Location
Not Important
1
Year
2000 – 2009
Coded Day of Month
Not Important
4
1
Example: “L 7 15”
L=Dec.; 7=2007
1
Month
2
Year
3
Day
A–L
January - December
0–9
2000 – 2009
2010 – 2019
1 – 31
Day of Month
Note – First and second position
(month and year) may be reversed.