Dynamic LED taillight module for Golf GTI

[Ralfi]

Hey people.

I’ve had a module go faulty - indicators still work, but they don’t sweep across after I tap the brake pedal…they just flash as per standard indicators. It’s been happening for a while & I've let it go for too long to take it back to the original installers.

I took it in to a local auto electrician, they cleaned out the contacts but couldn’t fix the issue.

So now I’m looking for another couple of modules of a different brand.

Original brand was Audiamant, but I’m looking at the below this time….yep, risking it with AliExpress but it’s cheap, so nothing really to lose…

AU$35.59 | For Golf 7 2012-2018 2pcs Dynamic LED Taillight Add-On Module Cable Wire Harness Turn Signal Indicator Left and Right Tail Light
https://a.aliexpress.com/_mLSPW8f

Has anyone else had these fitted to their authentic VW taillights & can comment?

Or any other brands to recommend? Thanks.

[kamold]

Does the module have a variable resistor on it? Maybe underneath a sticker?
If so then turn it with a screwdriver until the sweeping works. Might have just drifted over time/with heat.

[Ralfi]

Does the module have a variable resistor on it? Maybe underneath a sticker?
If so then turn it with a screwdriver until the sweeping works. Might have just drifted over time/with heat.

Hmm, interesting, but that doesn’t explain how it initially sweeps, but then flashes after pressing the brake pedal?

[kamold]

It kind of does. It's a voltage device which is configured via a sensitive rheostat.
You're changing the input voltage slightly by drawing current somewhere else.

Sent from my SM-S921B using Tapatalk

[Ralfi]

Thanks, kamold. I may need to look at it.

FYI, the device I linked to above isn’t a “sweeping” module, it’s a “winking” module ie. one half of the indicator lights up before the other half, so it doesn’t utilise each individual LED in the indicator. Should’ve picked up on this from the controller.

[DV52]

Ralfi: Hi.

Without intending any offense to our super-moderator - I suspect @kamold has a particular type of "dynamic turn-signal" device in mind.

Fact is that with any of these after-market, third-party, non-OEM fittings - it's anyone's guess how they are designed and how they work. In general though, "true" dynamic turn-signal tail-lights that sequence individual LEDs have a LED chaser circuit to generate the lighting effect.

But it really doesn't matter - if any of these non-OEM unts use an adjustment facility (like the fittings in your link), the variable component will likely be a variable resistor. This means that the variable device will use a "wiper" that makes contact with a fixed resistive track - like this:

The thing about using a variable resistor in a car is that the environment is fairly harsh. Of course it depends on the quality of the variable resistor, but the contact of wiper-arm on the resistive-track can often become problematic with time (normally detritus gets stuck on the wiper arm). Often, simply moving the wiper can fix these problems -for a short time

You don't say, but if this problem affects the turn-signal fittings on both car-sides (which are independent of each-other) - the fault is suggestive of poor manufacturing quality and/or sub-standard components!

Don

[Ralfi]

Thank you, DV52. Your contributions here are always appreciated!

Do you think my existing modules are fixable? I would need to open them up, but I’m not sure it’s worth it….

[DV52]

@Ralfi: Thanks for your generous words .

As for your question - I'm not sure because I don't know the tail-lights that are installed on this car and even if I did, I'm not aware of your skills with electronic repair (no offense intended).

My hunch based on very little information is that the better (meaning likely more successful) way-forward is to throw money at new tail-lights!

Of course if you like the risky approach - grab a soldering iron and heat-up the oven and try repairing the existing tail-lights. The worst outcome will be that you need to buy new tail-lights - so nothing lost except your time!

Don

[kamold]

I can't speak for the specific modules in this car as you haven't provided any details or pictures.

All I can say is I installed a number of aftermarket modules for factory sweeping LEDs years ago and they had a variable resistor under the sticker.
They wouldn't necessarily work out of the box until they had been tweaked. Otherwise they would just do the full blink.

Before doing anything else it's worth trying what I suggested.
If they are a different type of adapter then look at replacing them.

[Ralfi]

I can't speak for the specific modules in this car as you haven't provided any details or pictures.
.

Sorry, here’s the part …


Hope you recognise it.

I’ve also just done more testing - the lights work fine with the engine off, but as soon as I turn the engine on, they work dynamically once or twice but then revert to blinking…