Volkswagen Golf 2015 Led Tail light bulb replacement

[JayJan2022]

Hi all,
I have a mk7 Volkswagen Golf 2015 with halogen bulbs. I wanted to change it all to led bulbs since one of the halogen bulbs went out. How would I go about programming out the error from the dashboard when I replace it?
I have a OBDeleven scanner.
Thanks in advance

[Lucas_R]

Get good quality Canbus LED’s (eg avoid ebay and AliExpress) and you shouldn’t grt any errors.

Try iilumo in Melbourne

[JayJan2022]

Thanks for your reply. But the prices seem very expensive. $79 per pair of T20s and that’s not even including turn signal bulbs or reverse lights

[DV52]

@JayJan2022: Hi.

Yours is a not uncommon question and the extent of a good response really depends on your understanding of how MQB platform cars manage the 35 x exterior lights.

At its essence, this process is embedded in the module that has address hex09 on the CAN network. This module is called "BCM" (Body Control Module) by VCDS and it's called the "central electrics" module if you use OBDeleven. For the purpose of this reply - let's just call this the hex09 module.

So, within the hex09 module there are 665 x adaptation channels which start with the term "Leuchte" (which means "Lamp" in English). These channels are grouped into bunches of 19 - which establishes 35 x Leuchte-sets. Each of these Leuchte-sets is dedicated to controlling an individual lamp.

The hex09 module is a very sophisticated piece-of-kit (see a picture of the motherboard below) and a Leuchte-set is capable of separately operating both incandescent lamps and LED lamps. The way that the hex09 module knows which lamp type is plugged into a particular lamp-base (and therefore which lamp type is connected to a particular pin on the hex09 module) is by the values coded into the 19 x channels for that Leuchte-set. This is called "Leuchte-prgramming".

Operating a Leuchte-set in either incandescent or LED mode is not just semantics - the control methodology for the lamp is very different and the PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) changes depending on the lamp type. So it's a real thing!

Because your MY15 Golf was built with halogen lamps, there will be 29 x Leuchte-sets factory activated in your hex09 module - and of these, 27 x Leuchte-sets will probably be programmed with incandescent settings (the 3rd Brake light will be programmed as LED and also the footwell lights -maybe). The remaining 6 x Leuchte-sets will be disabled

Now, the problem with your intention to swap to LED lamps is that you will be installing non-OEM components! As you will be aware, the problem with non-OEM parts is that they vary widely both in terms of quality and electrical characteristics - notwithstanding the claims of ALL third-party manufacturers that their products are plug-and-play! And the other problem with non-OEM parts is that price is no guide to quality!!

I have seen lots of cases where folk have retrofitted LED lamps and they have not needed to to make any changes to the allied Leuchte-set. In these instances, the hex09 module has run the new LED lamp as if it was an incandescent lamp. At a user level, it's OK to run the LEDs in this manner - but it is technically inconsistent from an engineering (read "design") perspective - IMO, of course!

But I have also seen lots of cases where the new LED lamp has either not illuminated at all, or the retrofit has resulted in an error message. The pre MQB platform solution for these cases would have been to install shunt resistors across the LEDs - but on cars like your MY15 Golf, the fix is Leuchte-programming changes

It really does depend on the LED installed and in particular, it depends on how sensitive the LED characteristics are to stuff like the PWM frequency and PWM duty-cycle that the hex09 module generates (which is dependent on the values programmed into the specific Leuchte-set).

But it's certainly not all doom and gloom because Leuchte-programming ain't rocket science - once you understand the basics, it's a very simple thing!! I'm more than delighted to assist in your education - as I'm sure will be others in this forum

hope this makes sense!!

Don

[JayJan2022]

Thank you so much for the reply.
I replaced all interior lights with LEDs and license plate lights too. But I used the one click app on OBD eleven to program out the error code which was easy to do. I can purchase the OBDeleven pro subscription and long code it. How would I find out the frequency of the LED?
2 x T20 7440 7443 33 SMD LED BACK UP REVERSE LIGHT WHITE DC12V AU Stock | eBay
This is the LED I’m thinking to buy 2 sets of for the tail lights

[DV52]

Thank you so much for the reply.
I replaced all interior lights with LEDs and license plate lights too. But I used the one click app on OBD eleven to program out the error code which was easy to do. I can purchase the OBDeleven pro subscription and long code it. How would I find out the frequency of the LED?
2 x T20 7440 7443 33 SMD LED BACK UP REVERSE LIGHT WHITE DC12V AU Stock | eBay
This is the LED I’m thinking to buy 2 sets of for the tail lights

hmm...... yes, you will need a PRO license for manual coding with OBD11 (incidentally, Leuchte-programming modifies adaptation channel values - not long-code).

As for your other question - the other problem with non-OEM parts (like your intended eBay LEDs) is that there is very little technical information available before purchase! So, it's a bit of a gamble - alas (much like the whole of life - but you didn't ask for advice about personal philosophy, so I won't persist!!)

Don

[JayJan2022]

Philips Ultinon Pro3000 T20/W21W LED Globe 12V 6000K White Twin Pack | Automotive Superstore

https://www.repco.com.au/en/globes-batteries-electrical/globes-lighting/globes-bulbs/narva-led-globe-12v-2700k-340lm-w3-x-16d-t20-18230bl/p/A5444059?kwSearch=T20

Found these 2 name brand ones. Not sure where to find those specs

[Lucas_R]

Thanks for your reply. But the prices seem very expensive. $79 per pair of T20s and that’s not even including turn signal bulbs or reverse lights

Not taking anything away from what DVS2 has said as he has a much more indepth understanding of electronics than myself and most others, but from experience, if you want to replace incandescent bulbs in a modern VW to LED, you need to pay for good quality bulbs like the ones iilumo sell with Canbus capability.

Those ebay ones will be in the bin in a month and you will be buying other ones. The ones you linked to from Phillips and Narva may work fine in an older car (without Canbus and advanced electronic monitoring like modern VW's have) but I would not recommend them for your car.

[DV52]

There will be others here with a better understanding of these matters - but I wouldn't suggest that you pursue your search for specs too dogmatically.

There are 2 x separate tasks to attempting to match non-OEM parts to an OEM control module; you need to get the specs for the non-OEM part - but you also need to get the specs for the module.

As you have observed - getting the non-OEM bit of the exercise is problematic, but getting the OEM bit is impossible!!

I'm not aware of any information in the public domain about the design characteristics of the Leuchte circuits inside the hex09 module. The only information that I'm aware-of is stuff that folk like us have discovered (like my oscilloscope trace below - which shows the PWM waveform from a Leuchte-set with a LED setting of 75% illumination).

About the best that you can do (IMHO, of course) is to source a lamp that has a LED from a reputable manufacturer. Phillips is such a manufacturer IMO. So in this regard, your second suggestion is better than the eBay LED (again, IMHO). That said, simply because the lamp has a well-made LED doesn't mean that the specs in the semiconductor junction are compatible with the design characteristics of the Leuchte circuits!!

Also, throwing more money at the Phillips LED doesn't mean that the additional expenditure is worthwhile - the eBay LED might be OK (lots of these Chinese LEDs operate perfectly as retrofit lamps)

As I said - it's a bit of a gamble!!! Maybe others here can advise what worked for them?

Don

[Lucas_R]

Stedi is another well regarded brand.

I have both iilumo and Stedi LED's in my Golf Mk7 and Audi SQ5 and they work well with no errors. Both brands provide nice quality products too.

Scroll right to the bottom of each product page for tech specs on the bulbs.

Volkswagen Golf All Models (w/ Halogen Headlamps) (mk7) 2015 | Led Upgrades, Headlights, Interior bulbs, Fog light conversion and accessories

[JayJan2022]

Do they have turn signal bulbs too? Cant seem to find it

[Lucas_R]

Do they have turn signal bulbs too? Cant seem to find it

You will have to get indicator bulbs from iilumo. Im not sure what bulb the Mk7 uses for indicators so not sure if these are the correct ones:
BURST - PWY24W– iilumo

[JayJan2022]

DAF3-AFA8-A818-49-DC-A16-D-4-B9681786-E67 — ImgBB
65-FD15-DB-2472-4662-A516-180-E8-C8-F8497 — ImgBB
What coding are these for in OBDeleven?

[DV52]