T6 Multivan Reverse Light/s

[TonyMax]

Folks,

I've got a 2016 T6 and only left side reverse light comes on. There's a circuit and a globe in the right hand tail light assembly but no action when in reverse.

Do you have an Aussie T6 and if so do your reverse lights on both sides come on when in reverse?

[Bryn23]

Only one reverse light is required under the ADR from what i've read, if the vehicle is under 6 mtr

My 2017 T6 is the same, there isn't a bulb in the other tail light for reversing from memory, i'll have to check again (did you open it up to see if it was a blown bulb)

Ive had 5 people tell me so far that only one of my reversing tail lights are working

I had to check after the first time i got told about it, and was surprised to find only one light working and then checked to see if it was right.

Although i didn't ask the Dealer about it, i just assumed VW Australia was being tight, by not fitting two reversing lights.

[The_Hawk]

This is a common question on VAG (and many euro) vehicles as they tend to have a reversing light one side and a fog light on the other. What makes that fun is that the fog lights in left vs right hand drive markets are switched so some people will go to the lengths of buying the other side from another country in order to have two reversing lights (Golfs especially) and be symetrical!

There are times where the factory installs a common wiring loom in cars and all the bulbs into housings so it doesn't matter which vehicle (LHD/RHD) it ends up getting installed in. The computer then tells it which ones to use.

It's the same sort of thing in my T5.2. I've tried changing the settings through VCDS and it didn't turn on both lights (I don't recall if I was attempting to turn on fog or reversing lights) but it didn't work. Now that's either because the bulbs aren't installed OR it isn't wired up... One day I might summon the energy to pull it all apart and see what's what.

[Sunny43.5]

If I was faced with that problem a simple fix would be to isolate the bulb thats not working ie reversing light , then run a power wire from an independant accesory feed then via relay use the signal from the side that is working and then problem fixed. This is what I did for my towbar wiring loom when faced with a $600 plus price for a VW harness , I just purchased a relay kit from Hayman $120 and used that instead . Result all rear lights work towing lights on the trailer work and they are LED,s and NO interferance to the Can Bus .

[TonyMax]

Actually on closer inspection today the light in question has a red cover underneath the clear lens so it is clearly (ha ha) a fog light.

Only thing is now I can't actually make it come on.

I will RTFM when I get home, but my light switch has two stops of "pull out" (in, half out, fully out) but I know not what the difference is.

Anyone managed to get their rear fog light to come on?

[Tornado T5]

IIRC in my old T5 one position was front fog lights and second position was for rear. Do any dash panel graphics light up with the activation of the different positions?

[SnowMotion]

The T6 reversing lights are terrible compared with the T5.
I opted to fit 2 additional LED spot lights under the bumper to provide reasonable reverse light.
It seems stupid that the one sliver of a reverse light is considered acceptable.

[SnowMotion]

Half out is front fog lights, right out is front and rear fog lights.

[peejay]

Totally agree.
I’m used to the single reversing light on the left inprevious Golfs and wasn’t concerned about it when taking delivery of the T6 inAugust last year but now that the mornings are darker, reversing past the brickwall at the end of our driveway has become trickier.

Looks like fitting a light on the rear bumper is the answer, but it spoils the aesthetic...

[Sunny43.5]

Sorry to repeat but are you guys talking about the reversing lights that are part of the tailight assembly the clear ones in the middle ? our T5.1 has both on in reverse when selected , as for the switch if pulled out when headlights are on the RH brake light is activated as a high intensity light for those wet miserable days when visibility is restricted . Now the T6 may be different how about some photos showing whats on and not on . I can say as I did in my earlier post that there is a way for a simple fix to get both operating ,no codes no VAG Com no BS just thinking outside the square . Are the red bits in the bumper itself lit up in any way with reverse or lights on or are they just reflectors does pulling the switch out light them up at all out , from what I can see in photos the tailights are pretty much the same as T5,s tail lights / reverse and brake high intensity combined . I have been down this road with both our vans and using the method above is the simplest way to get a uniform look from behind plus the extra brightness , obviously the tailight fitting would need to have the hole for a bulb to fit into .

[TonyMax]

Yeah the T6 is different, the left clear section is reversing light and the right one is bright "fog light" on fully pulling out the light switch.

The rear lights still do parking functions of park lights by moving the indicator stalk with the ignition off but the right rear does not have a reverse light.

You can see the red cover internally in these photos.





There are no lights in the bumper they are just reflectors.

[Sunny43.5]

Ok I can see the difference between T6 and T5 , the T5 has the fog light is which is actually the brake light bulb used for both functions . I suppose if you did not need the fog light and the red lens could be removed it may be possible to make both sides reversing lights by use of a relay as I described earlier .

[The_Hawk]

As I said the other day, people will actually buy the LHD version of the other tail light (since the clear/red lens are swapped in LHD counties) so they get two celar lens' for dual reverse lights.

As an aside, I've recently replaced the number plate lights on my T5.2 with LED ones and it has put a whole bunch more light behind the car. Still not perfect, but the reversing camera is a whole lot more useful at night now.