PDA

View Full Version : Cold Lamp Issue



adzify106
20-07-2015, 01:15 PM
Hi all,

Installing some new headlights in my 2008 Passat TDI.

I went into VCDS and disabled "Cold Lamp Diagnosis" and also disabled the "Cold Lamp Diag- Low Beam"

However when the auto sparkie tried installing the headlight the left lamp would turn on for a second and then turn off and would still throw an error/bulb out lamp on the dash.

The odd thing is the headlight kit has a CANBUS relay designed to trick the car into thinking a regular halogen is installed. The sparkie tried the following configs:

1. One CANBUS Relay per headlight connected directly.
Left Dipped Beam: Fired Once,then OFF - Error thrown.
Right Dipped Beam: Turned ON - all OK - NO error.

2. Installed a standard relay with no CANBUS relay.
Left Dipped Beam: Fired OK - Error thrown.
Right Dipped Beam: Turned ON - all OK - NO error.
NOTE: The relay could be heard firing on and off - we think due to the CANBUS trying to pulse check the lights?

3. Installed a standard relay with a CANBUS relay between.
Left Dipped Beam: Fired OK - Error thrown.
Right Dipped Beam: Turned ON - all OK - NO error.
NOTE: The CANBUS relay in between stopped the relay from firing on and off.

What I can't understand is the Cold Lamp Diagnosis being turned off should have prevented the pulsing and lamp checking?

I have x3 CANBUS relays and we rotated all the CANBUS relays over to the Left side to see if the hardware was the issue but we got the same problem.

Secondly the CANBUS relay installed is working on some level as the right side had no issues however the Left Dipped Beam is causing all the issues. The CANBUS relay also worked by stopping the regular relay rapidly shutting on/off when we installed the two together.

Anyone got any other ideas/theories?

Thanks!

EDIT:

1. Also tried manually switching to Low Beam rather than headlamp ON/OFF setting to AUTO no difference.
2. My Passat has no DRL installed as standard, not sure if that is another path to investigate? The manual switch would have eliminated that possibility though because the low beam manual position would turn the DRL's off.

Elmura
23-07-2015, 03:21 AM
Try plain resistors across them

Sent from my LG-D802 using Tapatalk

adzify106
25-07-2015, 10:14 PM
Thanks elmura,

This is what I'm using:
Can-Bus: Morimoto Standalone - Wire Harnesses - Components (http://www.theretrofitsource.com/components/harnesses/morimoto-standalone-canbus-wire-harness-49748.html)

"Each harness has a built-in resistor pack to mimic the characteristics of a standard halogen bulb being plugged in to your stock harness, tricking the car into thinking nothing has changed."
"The Morimoto Standalones also feature Japanese-made Rubycon 6800uF capacitors to help jump-start the ballasts and keep them running smoothly - using the power directly from the vehicles factory headlight circuit."
"Developed specifically with the VW and Euro market in mind, these are known to work well on cars like the newer VW MK5 Golfs, Jettas, BMW E46, etc."

So it's clearly not working as designed, so are you sugessting I should add these to the CANBUS harness as well?
Morimoto HD Load Resistors - Wire Harnesses - Components (http://www.theretrofitsource.com/components/harnesses/morimoto-hd-load-resistors.html#.VbN8tPk5a0w)

A capacitor link is also available, TRS support has come up with nothing except to code the VCDS which I have already and it clearly hasn't helped.
Low Beam: 9006/HB4 - Relay Harnesses from The Retrofit Source Inc (http://www.theretrofitsource.com/components/harnesses/capacitor-relay-harness-link.html)

Thanks for the suggestion!

Elmura
25-07-2015, 11:19 PM
That Morimoto harness supposedly has a resistor in it. The load resistors you linked to are what I was referring to but if you already have them, I can't see how additional ones will fix it.

I saw that the harness has a warranty, so you should be able to get them returned if they're not working.