Turning Off the Light Indicator in a 2007 VW Jetta

Volkswagen made its name, quite literally, as "the people's car." That's no less true today than it was when the company first opened its doors, with the politically directed mission of putting a car in every garage, and every German on the country's amazing new Autobahn road system. Volkswagen is still doing its best to keep customers safely tooling down the highways and byways, and the lights on the dashboard are an invaluable means to that end.

The Light Indicator

  • The 2007 Jetta came from VW with one vital safety feature that should be on all cars, but somehow isn't. Volkswagen's light control system monitors the light circuits individually; when a bulb blows fails, current stops flowing through that circuit and the computer deduces that the light bulb is blown out. If you have the digital display, it will tell you which bulb is burned out; if not, you'll get only a dash light that looks like a bulb with an exclamation mark in the middle. There's no way to turn this light off without replacing the burned-out bulb. Once the bulb has been replaced, the circuit will close again and the computer will automatically turn the light off.

    You can, however, reset the oil change reminder light yourself without taking the car to a dealership as VW's manual demands. After changing the oil, turn the ignition key to the "Off" position. Look to the far right of your instrument panel, and press and hold the button with the "0.0" pictogram on it. Turn the ignition key to the "On" position without starting the engine, and release the button. Press and release the "MIN" button on the left side of your instrument panel, and turn the ignition key off. The oil service light is now reset.