DRL Options

[kfsn1]

I have the 4.2 tdi, but just SE spec, so unfortunately living with halogen lights and no DRL's.

However, I'm looking at DRL options. Maybe fitting an led strip somewhere or maybe using the fog lights.....

I'm curious to see what other folks have done? To see potential ideas and to have something for future folk laboured with halogen d3's to provide possibilities.

Thanks.

[tc4332]

I have a 2004 D3 3.0 TDI.
I used VCDS to let the car think that she lives in Canada which means that the fogs (projectors) and side/tail lights are ON with ignition.
I do plan on fitting LED strips into the fog grills as DRLs when the weather warms up and SWMBO lets me have a hour or three then I'll let the car be British again.

[kfsn1]

Tc4332, thank you for that. I do have VCDS. Could you detail the steps to do this and I can try and see how I like it.

[Witchfinder]

Originally Posted by tc4332

I used VCDS to let the car think that she lives in Canada which means that the fogs (projectors) and side/tail lights are ON with ignition.

Careful with this - I believe it's an offence. (http://www.swiftcover.com/about/press/fog-lights/)

Philips do some decent OEM-quality DRL kits that really look the part when installed correctly:

http://www.philips.co.uk/c-m-li/car-...ry.p-grid-icon

[tc4332]

Hi Rob,
Thanks for the info.
This rule was applied quite religously a few years back, but just like bike riding on the footpath it has fallen into disuse, due mainly to the number of vehicles now being built with DRLs fitted. IMHO a lot of these DRLs are much brighter in daylight than my fogs. I understand that in this mode the fogs are running at a lower power level than when switched on via the light switch. I do have a pair of LED DRLs similiar to the Philips ones suggested by you waiting to be fitted.



Here is the VCDS coding I used:-

Fog as DRL Coding
Central Electronics - Control Module #9 (Cent. Elect.) under the tab Electronics 1

Begin by selectting Controller 09 (Cent. Elect.) and choosing function 7 (Recode)

Example: by entering the code 11111 on most 2004 models, we can now have the foglamps to illuminate without having the main beams on.

?xxxxx: Footwell lighting

0 - Footwell lighting with halogen lamps
1 - Footwell lighting with LED lamps

x?xxxx: Type of headlight

0 - Halogen headlight
1 - Bi-Xenon headlight

xx?xxx: Automatic Headlamps

0 - Without Automatic Headlamps
1 - Automatic Headlamps without Rain-sensor (Most 2004)
2 - Automatic Headlamps with Rain-sensor (Late 2004 and later)

xxx?xx: Daytime Running Lights

0 - Without DRL
1 - with DRL

xxxx?x: Type of Daytime Running Lights

0 - DRL not selectable over MMI
1 - DRL selectable over MMI

xxxxx?: Land selection

1 - Remainder of the world (RoW)
2 - Remainder of the world/north countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway) *Note: The exterior lights will be on continuously and only fog lamp changes can be made with the light switch.
3 - The USA
4 - Canada * Note Parking lamps and fog lamps will be active whenever the ignition is on or the headlamps are activated by the sensor or turning the headlamps on via light switch.
5 - Denmark
6 - Italy

To explain this, when you go into coding, on the 04 and probably05, the original coding is 0123113 which was how it was on mine. The 06-10's most likely have a different coding. Since all I have to do is to change the last digit according to the above chart, all I had to do is to change it from a 3 to 4. And Wala!!! I had foglights as DRL. They do run at a lower wattage which will have longer bulb life. I rather have it on this setting because, it looks better and sporty and I rather replace foglight bulbs than changing HID bulbs.

[kfsn1]

Tc4332, Thanks very much fella. I'm going to Norway tomorrow for a couple of weeks work, so will have a look at this when I return. Thanks again.

[tc4332]

Originally Posted by kfsn1

Tc4332, Thanks very much fella. I'm going to Norway tomorrow for a couple of weeks work, so will have a look at this when I return. Thanks again.

Norway, I loved it there. Twice a year mountain flying training back in mid 60s whilst stationed in Germany. Did very little work, spent the time climbing mountains. I cannot go up a ladder now. Old age is slowing me down.

[kfsn1]

I had 15 mins spare this afternoon so plugged in the computer and coded for Canada. Works an absolute treat - I'm quite happy with it. I also enabled the menu for the DRL function on the MMI so can switch it on or off as I please, although likely will always just leave it on.

It was coded before as: 0103001. It is now coded as 0103124.

I'm in Norway supervising a power cable load for my employer. I work for a company that installs power and optical cables at sea all over the world. So probably like your military days I'm fortunate to have travelled all over the world and had some wonderful, exciting and interesting "experiences" over the last 13 years, and I'm not yet 30 years old! :-)

[tc4332]

Nice one. I enabled the MMI control as well just in case I came across some awkward VOSA bloke during my travels
You are lucky, I have done a lot more than most folk but then at 75 I've had more time for the journeys.

[Johnmed]

Is it possible to have the fogs as DRLs on a 2008?

I fiddled with the Canadian settings in VCDS a while back, with some success (0123124), but nearly flattened my battery in the process and don't wish to have lots of lights on whenever the ignition is on.

Just having the rectangular fogs on as DRLs would suit me...