LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help needed

[Bramco]

Hi, hope someone can help.

Took delivery of our new van a few weeks ago and although we had the dealer fit option of the led DRLs the original ones are still shining yellow above them - spoiling the whole effect.

Talking to one of the technicians at the dealer I understand that all vans now delivered are euro 6 compliant (at least in terms of lights, not yet for emissions). So this means that even though there are aftermarket DRLs fitted it is impossible to turn off the OEM DRLs. So what I have read on some forums and also here about either turning off the OEM DRLs in the ecu or pulling the fuse is no longer an option.

So 2 questions, has anyone had the OEM DRLs turned off on a recently new van by getting it programmed out and as an alternative, what is the spec of the OEM DRL bulb, wattage etc, so that as an I can replace the OEM bulbs with LEDs so they are white not yellow. (Probably the best option in any case, obviously they would have to be canbus compliant.)

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

[calikev]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Can't help with the drl's but I do know the OEM DRLs. Are a h15 bulb that shares
With the main beam so I don't think you can replace with LED's

 

[Bramco]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Thanks Kalikev. Thought I'd read somewhere they were a 328??

Think I'll have to whip one out to see what they really are.

It's a bit like the fuse map - why on earth can't they just publish the spec in the user manual?

 

[owen_h]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

The Beach and the SE have different light units. On the Beach the main and dip beam share a joint bulb and the DRL is separate and is an 382. I had to change by DRL bulb recently (on a Beach) and 382 is what I put back in. I dont think (on a 2012 Beach anyway) that the DRL is part of the canbus system, I didnt get an error when my bulb went anyway.
The simplest solution therefore might be to just remove the DRL bulbs.

 

[Bramco]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Thanks Owen.

I'll have an experiment tomorrow to see if 2014 build is different. I'll whip out a bulb and see if I get an error. The technician at the dealer was talking about even measuring the resistance of the bulb and installing a resistor in it's place to fool the canbus system. I'm thinking an led bulb would be simpler but would need to know what wattage.

Anyways I'll report back tomorrow. If I get anywhere.

 

[Bramco]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

So taking out the DRL bulb on the Beach does now cause the light fault lamp to turn on in the display.

its a 382 as Owen said and standard 21W. So not part of the headlamp as Calikev suggested. I've ordered some led 382s which if you don't hear any more from me on this thread have obiosuly done the trick! Ordered through flea bay using 382 led P21W as the search.

Thanks for the help so far folks.

 

[calikev]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Sorry I didn't realise you had a beach. The Cali se uses the h15

 

[snowy55]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Sorry I didn't realise you had a beach. The Cali se uses the h15

The H15 is a 15/55w bulb but VW only use the 55w part.Why specify a twin filament bulb? Or is it the 15w bit they use?

 

[owen_h]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

So taking out the DRL bulb on the Beach does now cause the light fault lamp to turn on in the display.

its a 382 as Owen said and standard 21W. So not part of the headlamp as Calikev suggested. I've ordered some led 382s which if you don't hear any more from me on this thread have obiosuly done the trick! Ordered through flea bay using 382 led P21W as the search.

Thanks for the help so far folks.

I would be interested in hearing and hopefully seeing (via posting a picture of the new ones when installed and on ) how the LED replacement bulbs look & perform. I nearly ordered some myself when std one blew but found a spare 382 anyway so the urgency went away.
presumably you went for Canbus compatible ones.

 

[Bramco]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Yep canbus compatible and I'll take a photo when I've put them in. Reminder to self wash van first!

 

[markh]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Has anyone managed to find any "extra bright/white" H15 bulbs? None of the big names e.g. Osram Nightbreaker seem to do them. The only ones I have seen are unknown brand Chinese ones that I am unsure of the quality of.

Mark

 

[Andy]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Sorry I didn't realise you had a beach. The Cali se uses the h15

The H15 is a 15/55w bulb but VW only use the 55w part.Why specify a twin filament bulb? Or is it the 15w bit they use?

On the SE cali the H15 bulb is 15w drl & 55w headlight, either dip or full, can't remember which. Any ways both filaments are definitely used.

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

When we fit the VW LED DRL's then two fuses are removed to turn off the original DRL's in the headlights.

cheers

 

[Bramco]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Hi Alex, thanks for the info.

My issue is which fuses? There is no fuse map with the vehicle, either in the manual or in the various fuse boxes. See my other posting on that topic.

When you say you turn off the fuses. Do you mean you simply pull them, or do you do something in the software. My dealer doesn't seem to know how to do this. It would be good to have a definitive solution here on the forum.

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

The two fuses are removed which in turn disables the oem DRL's and doesn't give you a warning light on the dash either. They should have done this as it is in the instructions for fitting the DRL's!!!

Thanks

 

[Bramco]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Thanks Alex.

Can you tell me which ones. Then I can do it myself.

I'll also speak to the dealer of course.

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Bottom fuse board under gear lever, top right hand corner two brown 5 amp fuses. They should have a gap between them.

cheers

 

[Bramco]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Thanks Alex!

 

[Bramco]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Hi Alex,

On my Beach those are 2 30A fuses and if I pull them I lose the headlights.

On the top board in the top right corner there are 2 5A fuses in the same position. If I pull these I also lose the headlights.

Is there a difference between the SE and the Beach?

 

[smgcowfoldparts]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Hi, yes there could be a difference. This is why fuse locations generally aren't given out. If you PM me your chassis number I will check for you and let you know.

cheers

 

[Bramco]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

PM sent Alex.

 

[Bramco]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

So I am now the proud possessor of a scan of the Versatec instructions for fitting the DRLs.

As Alex said these explain how to pull the fuses to turn off the OEM DRLs. However those instructions obviously don't work for a Beach, so either the DRLs should only be fitted to an SE or someone at Versatec or VW needs to do their hoemwork to work out which fuses to pull for a Beach.

Is it just me as a Beach owner or do other Beach owners get a bit annoyed at the fact that everyone just assumes a California is an SE. It's time VW woke up to the fact that they have 2 lifestyle vehicles on their hands not an entry model and a deluxe model in the traditional OEM way of doing things.

+ Alex - did you manage to find the fuse map for my vehicle?

 

[owen_h]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Is it just me as a Beach owner or do other Beach owners get a bit annoyed at the fact that everyone just assumes a California is an SE. It's time VW woke up to the fact that they have 2 lifestyle vehicles on their hands not an entry model and a deluxe model in the traditional OEM way of doing things.

Not so much annoyed but as a Beach owner you have to be aware that the general assumption if you say California is that they think SE (or full fat as I call them :lol: ). The SE has been around much longer than the Beach so its understandable from a public point of view but dealers should know better (but there are not many that do). On the forum I think lots of people order the posts by latest or unread so often don't spot that a post is in the Beach section. Of course even within the Beach section we have to check if a question is 2 or 3 seater bench specific.
Don't expect to find the Beach is any of the lookup tables when buying replacement bulbs or wipers either. If you have to go off a table then the Transporter option is more likely to be correct.

 

[Bramco]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

+ Owen - pics of the led 382s. These were from flea bay and are 27 led canbus compatible. Not forgetting that ours is a Beach so it would look different on an SE.

Picture with just the DRLs



picture with the Osram night breaker headlights on as well. Interesting that the OEM DRLs turn off when the headlights are on and the led DRLs stay on but dim...



And you'll see from the pics why the only colour choice for us was black. Had to fit in with the front of the house....

Great thing about black is that it looks brilliant when you've just washed it and brilliant 5 minutes later when it looks as though it has been on an epic adventure.....

 

[owen_h]

Re: LED dealer fit DRLs and turning off the OEM DRL- help ne

Cheers Bramco,

they do look a much better colour than the orange std ones :clap especially noticeable on a dark colour van. I already have the Osram Nightbreakers which are a good improvement on the originals. Best get myself some 382s ordered.

Just come in after cleaning mine as it had the adventure look after driving some New Forest minor roads the last few days. Prob stay clean for all of one journey.
My next door neighbour had their front door painted recently and the instruction to the builder was "same colour as Owens van" :lol: