Driver's side reverse light. Anyone connected it?

[Newkidontheblok]

The new models seem to have reverse light on passenger side only.
Anyone connected up the driver's side yet?
Reverse cameras work a lot better with a few lumens.

[Guest001]

The new models seem to have reverse light on passenger side only.
Anyone connected up the driver's side yet?
Reverse cameras work a lot better with a few lumens.

Usually only have one other side is a RED parking light as per Europe rules. Put your foot lightly on the brake pedal and rear will light up Been doing that for 50 years.

[Newkidontheblok]

Usually only have one other side is a RED parking light as per Europe rules. Put your foot lightly on the brake pedal and rear will light up Been doing that for 50 years.

Pretty much what my mechanic said. Well, his words were "install a couple of reversing lights". Apparently there's a special type. I'll ask him next time I see him. He puts them on all his 4x4's.

[Guest001]

Pretty much what my mechanic said. Well, his words were "install a couple of reversing lights". Apparently there's a special type. I'll ask him next time I see him. He puts them on all his 4x4's.

Wouldnt be fiddling with circuits in a VW as will start throwing errors. Vast difference between an ECU controlled car and an old Nissan or similar that you can pretty much hook anything up on them.

[Dinogzav]

It's not that bigger deal. There is an accessory plug under the dash, a green one from memory that can be used but there has always only been one reverse light on Amaroks. This is a plug and play option or what you are after maybe?

Amarok Reverse Lights
VW - Amarok - Reverse Light

[Guest001]

Is a Euro thing as in some countries if you park on the street you must have a rear light on at night so all VAG cars have them to comply and therefore only have one reverse light

Wait till you have to back a 12m bus into a park between 2 others with about 500mm on either side. and NO reversing lights. Then you start to worry a bit


The $49 kit looks the go

[Newkidontheblok]

Ah, like the VW transporters.
OK. So, we're looking for a plug'n'play setup by the sounds of it.
Hang on a minute. I've got a trailer controller already plugged into it. And it supports reversing functions. This is getting easier by the minute. If I just break out the soldering iron, I can wire it up like my old Nissan! Genius. Thanks for the tip!
I'll just bridge the reversing wires on the trailer plug. Sorted.
There's a couple of plugs under the dash that are un-assigned. Driver's side where the wiring loom passes through the firewall. One would imagine you would need some sort of decoder to interface with the Common Area Network protocols to use it though.
Splicing into the trailer wiring could be the way to go. CANBUS controller is already installed to activate the trailer circuit. It may trigger a 'trailer detected' condition, but as I've got a 6 spd manual, that's not a big deal - the ECU can't lock me out of top gear. Worst thing to happen is that fans may switch on at lower temps..
I'll mess around with it on the weekend. A trailer plug and a light will do as a prototype. Keep you informed as to how I go.

[Newkidontheblok]

A strip type led reversing light is the go. Found a couple in my spares box. Wires up to the trailer controller.



If you're game, you can drill into the pressed metal...



but you can just ziplock them under the bumper, no drilling required.

[Dinogzav]

Well I just received my Net4x4 kit and will try and fit over the weekend. Instructions look pretty easy and came with everything. My main interest will be the brightness as the stock single reverse light is crap. Says 30-45min install so will see how I go. will report back once complete

[Newkidontheblok]

Nup. NewKidOntheBlokApproach is 20 minute install.
Ziplocked the strip lights into position, wired them into the trailer socket using general purpose automotive wire. Worked a treat.
I'll post some pics this weekend with a trailer in tow. The strip lights are the go. Low, unobrtrusive until they switch on, clear of departure angles and heaps of light where you need it...about 1/2 metre off the ground so plenty of light there in camera range.

[Newkidontheblok]

The LED strip lights were a quick install. 20 minutes. However, without a trailer connected, I'm getting the warning light for a blown bulb. The CANbus is polling the wiring, detecting the reversing lights but not finding the rest of the trailer lights is my guess. With a trailer on tow, no problem.
The lights are not bad, but my son in law went one better and installed some King's 4 LED reversing lights. Angled out slightly on both sides, they're perfectly set up for viewing farm gates in the dark. One of the perks of being a heavy vehicle mechanic I suppose is having this sort of kit 'just laying around so I used it'.

[Peter Jones]

Wiring them like that you will have also disabled your off road mode button. Better off to wire them to the tail light or the interface plug under the dash.

[Dinogzav]

Wiring them like that you will have also disabled your off road mode button. Better off to wire them to the tail light or the interface plug under the dash.

What Peter said. He is a guru and used to (maybe still does?) make pigtail looms for such accessories. As I said Net4x4 has some nice options. I have no affiliation with him but his products are generally very good quality.

[Peter Jones]

What Peter said. He is a guru and used to (maybe still does?) make pigtail looms for such accessories. As I said Net4x4 has some nice options. I have no affiliation with him but his products are generally very good quality.

Yep, still making looms. Brake controller looms are keeping me busy at the moment. Everybody is towing vans!
Getting quite a few requests for the ALKO ESC anderson plug setups too now.
Haven't made any spot light looms for a while, guess VW finally fixed the headlights!
Pragmatic Racing - VW Amarok and Motorsport Electrical Looms is my website.

[Newkidontheblok]

The LED strip lights worked a treat BUT the CANBUS doesn't like the fact that reversing lights ping and other trailer lights don't when you don't have a trailer connected. When a trailer is on, the warning light for lamp failure goes out. Otherwise, it's on.
I'm going to try some resistors connected across the other lights to simulate a load to trick the ECU into sensing trailer lights that don't exist.