DIY: LED DRL @ Full Brightness with Headlights on

DIY: LED DRL @ Full Brightness with Headlights on
Disclaimer: I, nor anybody else is/are responsible for anything that happens, to you, your car, anybody around you or whatever else. There is NO warranty nor any guarantee on this. You proceed at YOUR OWN risk. This worked for me, my car still drives and I’m still alive.
PLEASE take the time to read through the wall of text as it can possibly help understand what needs to be done, and give you a general idea of what to do before you begin, although it’s not complicated, it might answer some questions and prevent some headaches.]
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If you have this done using my previous DIY, I strongly suggest re-doing it using this method if you want to keep the same effect.



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Notes & Information

[]Certain VW’s have LED DRL’s such as our Golf R, GTI’s, GLI, Tiguan, and others. By default those DRL’s will DIM when you turn the headlight switch into the headlight position, and parking position (if you have the euro switch)
[
]This DIY will keep your DRL’s at full brightness all the time. They will NO longer dim. THESE specific instructions PREVENT them from dimming.
[*]I’ve searched for a solution via coding for a long time, messing around in different VCDS blocks, trying different things, contacting Ross-Tech, and others. I haven’t been too successful. If there is ever a way to do it via coding, discovered by myself or anybody else, I would hope it gets posted.

What’s needed for this project?

[]Scissors/Knife
[
]T-25 torx (bumper removal)
[]Zip Ties (securing wires)
[
]Two weatherproof quick splices (I used Part#:85462 from Advanced Auto Parts, 18-14 gauge)
[]Electric Tape / Cloth-type for oem look?
[
]Vise grips
[]Terminal Removal Tool (highly recommended)
[
]Repair wire with part # 000-979-150 If it has a pin on both ends, you need one, if not, you need two.

I did not take many pictures as it is all rather self explanatory. Read through and review first, you’ll know what’s going on, and what to do.

First and foremost
Make sure the ignition is off, lights are off, cool engine helps so you don’t accidentally burn yourself anywhere and if you want to get crazy, disconnect the battery.
Do one side at a time, it doesn’t matter which side you start on

Step 1: Remove the front bumper. I will not outline the steps here as there are other DIY’s available for that, I do not believe this can be properly done without removing the bumper, if you can, great :thumbup:

Step 2: With bumper removed, disconnect DRL from car.

Step 3: With the connector hanging free, take a look at the one on the car side. It’s a 3 pin-female. Your interest lies in pin 1 & 3.

Inside the connector there is a pink “lock”, pull it out until it’s flush with the opening on the side. It doesn’t necessarily need to be pulled out all the way.

http://i.imgur.com/qxFp6JM.jpg

The wires you’re interested in.

http://i.imgur.com/quL8bkr.jpg

Step 4:
Take your terminal removal tool and remove the gray/red wire from the car side connector. (I believe it was #1) Tape it up good, so it’s “sealed” just in-case. You won’t need it for the rest of the steps.

I highly recommend a terminal removal tool as doing it without, might damage the connector, pins, or both.

Slightly bent terminal tool with pink lock removed

http://i.imgur.com/7NqJmxZ.jpg

Step 5:
Take the repair wire and cut it in half (if yours has the pins on both ends)

http://i.imgur.com/FUNCa3h.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/3wU6Wi5.jpg

Step 6:
Slide the pin/terminal into the empty hole on the connector (#1) until it bottoms out, and then slide the pink lock back into place. Give the wire a small tug to see if it stays in place.

Step 7:
Take your weatherproof quick splice, or whatever else you want to use and put it over the blue/green wire at position #3. Take the repair wire you put in position #1 and slide it into the quick splice. Squeeze it and close it.

  • ignore the two yellow wires I have in the picture, I was fixing one of my wires I screwed with. Yours will be green/blue or black, iirc it’s different on both sides. *

http://i.imgur.com/44ENlBA.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/Oi3VeKt.jpg


OPTIONAL step (skip if not interested) if you want to wire up city lights to be on with the DRL lights. follow my DIY for the city lights until you get to the step of wiring them in.
Link to city light DIY: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5766293-DIY-VW-Golf-R-City-Lights

All you simply do is take the wire from the city lights and put it in together with the quick splice. So instead of having only two wires there, you’ll have three.

Step 8:
Now test it, connect the connectors back together. Ignition on, turn headlights on and check to see that one DRL is now bright and the other is dim.

If done right, it will work. If something doesn’t work, check to make sure the quick splice is good and make sure the new repair wire you put in is in properly.

Step 9:
As a safety precaution, after testing, I wrapped the quick splice with electrical cloth tape even though quick splices are supposed to be weather proof. Doesn’t hurt to have an extra barrier.

Step 10:
Repeat for other side.

Step 11:
AFTER TESTING again, ziptie wires together if you want to prevent them from flapping around, and reinstall bumper.

That’s it!

Enjoy, feel free to ask any questions and/or comments. I did this DIY since I figured others would be interested so if it did indeed help a simple thanks would be nice. Support is always appreciated and goes a long way.

Short vid showing the end result:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nubHKY7CrC8

End result pics:

http://i.imgur.com/FUWjBwYl.jpg


http://i.imgur.com/hH7jJQMl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/fGwCfUfl.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/AdVtoM8l.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/ewzdn6Nl.jpg