Upgrading your headlight switch to a Euro headlight switch - Gain, parking lights!
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
Nicely done! I don’t know how it works for US spec vehicles, but on my euro spec Eos the illumination for the rear fog light doesn’t change when it’s switched on - instead you get a yellow light on the instrument cluster.
If you don’t have a rear fog light, what do you have in the trunk lid - two reversing lights?
If you don’t have a rear fog light, what do you have in the trunk lid - two reversing lights?
Ah, I assumed the light would be green, based on how the other light functioned. Yes, we have two backup lights. Not sure if I could rewire for the fog or if euro lights would be needed, just have not got around to taking the panel apart to inspect.
According to the wiring diagram, the left and right backup lights are on different feeds from the central electronics module. If you wanted to make the left-hand backup light into a fog light, you'd need to change the position of one of the wires going into the central electronics module (the green and white wire in pin 12 on connector C would need moving to pin 4 on connector B), recode with VCDS... and of course fit a red bulb. 
If you wanted to be fancy, you could probably do something with dual-colour LEDs and a little re-wiring in the trunk lid, and get dual reversing lights and dual rear fogs.
If you wanted to be fancy, you could probably do something with dual-colour LEDs and a little re-wiring in the trunk lid, and get dual reversing lights and dual rear fogs.
Would you happen to have that diagram you could post? I was hoping the wiring was there and just not used.According to the wiring diagram, the left and right backup lights are on different feeds from the central electronics module. If you wanted to make the left-hand backup light into a fog light, you'd need to change the position of one of the wires going into the central electronics module (the green and white wire in pin 12 on connector C would need moving to pin 4 on connector B), recode with VCDS... and of course fit a red bulb.
If you wanted to be fancy, you could probably do something with dual-colour LEDs and a little re-wiring in the trunk lid, and get dual reversing lights and dual rear fogs.
BTW, if your headlights are on and you turn your high beams on, does your rear fog light blink? This appears to be the case with the Mk5 Golf, just wondering if the EOS is the same.
I haven't seen anything about the fog light blinking, but it is possible that cars with the same version of the Central Electrics module would suffer from the same issue. There are different versions depending not only on the year but also on the equipment level, and I upgraded mine to get more features.
You've got a PM with a diagram in it.
You've got a PM with a diagram in it.
I don't believe the blinking fog light is an "issue", seems that it is by design. Going by this video, which of course is a GTII haven't seen anything about the fog light blinking, but it is possible that cars with the same version of the Central Electrics module would suffer from the same issue. There are different versions depending not only on the year but also on the equipment level, and I upgraded mine to get more features.
You've got a PM with a diagram in it.
It looks to me like it is by design... kind of. Seems that GTI has LEDs retrofitted everywhere. The flashing looks to me to be the "cold diagnosis" pulses that I've seen when LEDs are retrofitted elsewhere. So my guess is that the Central Electrics module checks that your rear fog is working when you have your full beams on. If that's the case, you'd probably also see the rear fog flash five or so times at ignition on if you install an LED in the fog lamp socket.
Are NA EOS's different to EU spec.?
It's not always known about or obvious, but on MY07 if I leave the light switch set to '0' and put on a turn signal before removing the key, I get that side as a parking light. I.e The outer red led ring + the front headlamp pilot bulb? It's caught me out a few times because you get a warning 'ding' you can't figure out. Since the rear leds are pwm, they can easily reduce the brightness and battery drain when used as a parking light. The offside pair lit should be sufficient.
Yep. The differences I know of are around lighting (the rear lights have side markers, turn signals are red, and the electronics are different; and there are side markers in the front bumpers too) and the radio (digital satellite radio). The instrument cluster will be MPH - don't know if it has the smaller km/h markings on it per UK spec models. Some other parts may be different - e.g. air conditioning can be provided by Valeo or Denso (usually Denso on EU models, I believe). I also seem to remember an exchange on here around the halogen headlamps, where I and the other person were puzzled by each other's description of the headlamp installation - so probably the headlamps are different too, even though they look the same.
I understand terminolgy might be different, but if you can see the small (parking) bulbs in the headlamp assembly which are usually always on and the car has turn signals at the rear whatever color they are, it's worth pushing the turn signal stalk down with ignition on, leaving it down, then turning off the ignition to see what happens? If there are no small bulbs in the headlamp then there will be no parking light facility because the bulb wattages (e.g low beam or fogs) will cause too much battery drain. Presumably your Polish EOS parking lights work like mine? I used to leave the cabin light on for parking until I discovered the feature.
Yes, my (originally French) Eos does the parking light trick with the indicator stalk. You don’t even need the ignition on to do it - waggle the indicator stalk in front of a mirror with the ignition off and you’ll see!
AFAIK the only differences between UK and EU spec are the side the steering wheel’s on, dashboard (obviously), air conditioning (same reason but not so obviously), headlamps, door mirrors and door cards, gateway location and consequent wiring, and different trim levels (but those seem a bit random anyway). It always bugged me that VW didn’t bother to move the handbrake lever to the driver’s side of the centre console for RHD cars.
AFAIK the only differences between UK and EU spec are the side the steering wheel’s on, dashboard (obviously), air conditioning (same reason but not so obviously), headlamps, door mirrors and door cards, gateway location and consequent wiring, and different trim levels (but those seem a bit random anyway). It always bugged me that VW didn’t bother to move the handbrake lever to the driver’s side of the centre console for RHD cars.
Yes that bugs me to. But even more buggy is MY07 rhd has the hood release correct on the right for me, but I have another 2012 UK rhd VAG and the hood release is on the left.
1 - 13 of 13 Posts
Join the discussion
Join now to ask and comment!