Mk6 LED Taillights

**moda** · 04-09-2013, 05:55 PM

Originally Posted by sVWatt

Replacement lense still enroute.
Will let you know once it arrives and I swap it over

Any updates?

My local VW parts quoted me $900 for the OEM kit. Sigh.

**AdamD** · 05-09-2013, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by moda

My local VW parts quoted me $900 for the OEM kit. Sigh.

Why not get the OEM parts from the German dealer source that many/most of us have used? (Check the first post in this thread for details.) I paid quite a bit less than that in 2010 when the Euro was a lot stronger.

**Lucas_R** · 26-09-2013, 10:16 AM

Hoping some of you VCDS guru's can assist with this. Basically i have a Golf R with the factory fitted LED taillights. I have always wanted to get rid of the fog light on the drivers side as its useless to me, and replace it with another reverse light (so i have 2 reverse lights) which will be much more useful. So several weeks ago, i ordered a new OEM drivers side inner light with reverse light from BKS Tuning.

Do any of the VCDS gurus on here have any ideas on the coding changes required to get this 2nd reverse light working for me when i engage reverse?

I've been looking at coding used in the USA as their cars are not fitted with a fog light.

Central Electrics > Long Coding > Byte 18 > ? (Byte 18 is currently "00" on my car). The Yanks are saying to change this to 21, as this is what their standard coding is for no fog lights. VWVortex.com - Coding - Golf-R - LED Tails - No Rear Fog

I've Googled my heart out and can't find anyone who has done this before. Surely with the amount of GTI's etc that have upgraded to the LED tail lights, some of them have gone for the twin reverse light setup instead of the useless fog light? At the moment, the only way to make the 2nd reverse light come on is to pull the headlight switch out (as if you were activating the fog light).

**AdamD** · 26-09-2013, 02:22 PM

Originally Posted by Lucas_R

Do any of the VCDS gurus on here have any ideas on the coding changes required to get this 2nd reverse light working for me when i engage reverse?

Hey Lucas, I'm not sure you'll be able to find a coding solution. It's my understanding that the US cars run different CECM versions (different hardware and/or firmware versions), and the coding options are not always directly compatible. All cars usually come from the factory with byte 18 set to 00, regardless of whether they've had LEDs fitted or not. The GTI and R coding is not a drop-in replacement for all bytes, including this one AFAIK.

I suspect the only way to get this working will be to modify the wiring, so that the fog is activated when the reverse light is powered.

You could try contacting Ross-tech directly to see if they have a solution that doesn't involve physical rewiring, however.

**Lucas_R** · 27-09-2013, 10:17 AM

That wasn't the answer i wanted Adam.....

Looks like i may have to wire it in to the other reverse light to get it to work - i would have preferred not to do this, but oh well. What i don't understand is that the yanks can convert their cars from non-fog light to fog light equipped, yet it doesn't seem to be able to go the other way (fog light equipped to non-fog light). It doesn't make sense.

Regardless of ADR rules, the fog light is completely useless to me, and the 2nd reverse light would be much more helpful in almost every night time reversing situation, especially reversing out of my driveway which is narrow and dark with little room for error.

Anyway, i'll fiddle with it over the next few days to get it to work properly. Once sorted, ill report back incase any one else wishes to do the same.

**Lucas_R** · 28-09-2013, 08:15 PM

I ended up wiring it into the reverse light on the passenger side = success!

Finally....more light for reversing and its on the correct side of the car.

**AdamD** · 28-09-2013, 09:21 PM

Originally Posted by Lucas_R

I ended up wiring it into the reverse light on the passenger side = success!

Finally....more light for reversing and its on the correct side of the car.

Winning! Nicely done Lucas.

**tonymy01** · 29-09-2013, 02:50 PM

Next might be some bright white leds for the reverse? I can't remember Lucas if you have an RVC, it really helps for rear visibility, it can be nearly pitch black looking in the rear view mirror, and still highly visible in the RVC. I still want to try to shoe horn a bright led into the RHS assembly (and keep the fog light), but looking closely in there, it doesn't look too easy. There is a round bit where a globe could be put in with a bit of Dremmel, but it looks like the fog leds will be in the road. I needed the rear fog coming back from Newcastle one (late) night about six months ago, visibility was lucky to be 20m in one section (well before Brooklyn bridge area actually)!
I compromised an interim solution by putting a wire from left reverse light with inline diode to the right fog light, so putting the car in reverse triggers both (while still maintaining standard fog light behaviour).

**Lucas_R** · 30-09-2013, 10:44 AM

Originally Posted by tonymy01

Next might be some bright white leds for the reverse? I can't remember Lucas if you have an RVC, it really helps for rear visibility, it can be nearly pitch black looking in the rear view mirror, and still highly visible in the RVC. I still want to try to shoe horn a bright led into the RHS assembly (and keep the fog light), but looking closely in there, it doesn't look too easy. There is a round bit where a globe could be put in with a bit of Dremmel, but it looks like the fog leds will be in the road. I needed the rear fog coming back from Newcastle one (late) night about six months ago, visibility was lucky to be 20m in one section (well before Brooklyn bridge area actually)!
I compromised an interim solution by putting a wire from left reverse light with inline diode to the right fog light, so putting the car in reverse triggers both (while still maintaining standard fog light behaviour).

No RVC unfortunately Tony - kicking myself that i didnt option that when i ordered the car. Although....i remember the sales person saying that i could only get the RVC if i also got the RNS510 (which i now know is not true) but at the time, that meant $3k more which was crazy because i didnt want or need the RNS unit.

Yes i might be able to get away with some bright LED's in there now, and now that im running 2 bulbs off the 1 circuit the LED's might not trigger the canbus warning on the dash.