Front Door Courtesy Light

[SnowMotion]

Hi Guys

I am looking to install some front door courtesy lights to give a little light when getting into the van.
I have found some lights with a nice VW logo in them that projects to the ground.

2 X CAR Door Laser LED Logo Light Volkswagen VW Tiguan Touareg Lupo Passat Golf | eBay

I am trying to work out if there is power in the doors already for a courtesy light?
Otherwise I will run power from the sliding door courtesy light.

Any advise would be appreciated.

[Sunny43.5]

Hmm interesting idea but I would wait for some expert advice because from my experience VW's don't like having extra loads on their circuits it can cause the Can Bus system to have a dummy spit {had this with towbar lighting} use of a relay sorted that out .

[SnowMotion]

The load should not be a problem as a mate who is an Electrician is run 3 x 80cm LED lights around his T5.1 van with standard globes in the courtesy lights. He simply picked up power from one of the roof lights.
I have changed all the globes to LED's but found that the LED's would not fully switch off with a small amount of current always going to the lights. Changing one light back to a standard filament globe solved the problem so the all the lights switch off. The only limitation being not able to switch on the interior lights from the rear roof lights.

[SnowMotion]

looks like I have found the answer on the UK T4 forum...
Courtesy light switch colours for front doors? - VW T4 Forum - VW T5 Forum

[vdubmotorworx]

should be fine...CANBUS is more for external lights on most but ECM will cut interior lights if a short to earth is found....VDUB...

[Sunny43.5]

I always thought that fuse were for that purpose if there is a short a fuse blows , with what you say VDUBworks does that make fuses obsolete ? or alternatively if what you say happens does the system reset or is it a trip to the dealer ?? And yes Snowmotion I have the same problem with LED interior lights in our new van , all this can bus stuff really annoys me . And before someone jumps on me yes I know it helps the techs diagnose a problem but apparently its not infallible either .

[vdubmotorworx]

some of the low loads circuits now use the ecu..its quite clever..like interior lights...if the central electrics control unit sends out the signal to turn on a light and sees that its shorted that message gets returned and the power is turned off from the ecu..so you check the bulb..its ok..no power at the lamp connector...go direct to the pin coming out of the ecu..no power..you would suspect ecu is faulty...NO.. disconnect the pin/ wire from the ecu for that wire going to the shorted bulb circuit and retest for power at the actual pin in the control unit and you see power for a few seconds but then turns off again as now its seeing a open circuit and turns off as it knows there is a broken wire instead of a short now and does not need to send the power out!!! can get very hard to diagnose wiring faults.....fuses are still used for other items and on the other side of the input if the ecu..

[Sunny43.5]

Ah makes sense but how do you get to the ECU to test , the problem today is the average jo blo cannot do simple tasks like the old days . I was told recently by a lady customer that she reckons manufactureres don't make servicable replacement parts that used to be every day over the counter sales any more as they don't trust their own technicians to pull things apart to replace a simple part like in the old days . Now I had that made clear to me last year when a simple aircon bearing failed but to get a simple bearing ment Ihad to buy the whole thing complete are they made in such a way as to render the whole part obsolete for the sake of a simple bearing failing ? I will leave it at that as its off subject . I might do a similar job on our van without hopefully some of the hassles as I said earlier a simple diode protected relay will defeat the system .

[MountainBikeMike]

I just installed these in my Octavia. Different car but same same. Mystically has also done it. We just ran them off the existing courtesy light as they only use less than 1 watt. Looks good!

[Guest001]

I was going to buy some for the Passat off Ebay and the seller had an installation diagram which had the two wires going into spare slots in the connector in the door Unfortunately I cant find it again but will look and post if I find it.

Here is a post that may help you as it appears similar to what was on Ebay

http://www.my-gti.com/2150/adding-door-warning-lights-to-the-volkswagen-golf-and-jetta-front

[vdubmotorworx]

Ah makes sense but how do you get to the ECU to test , the problem today is the average jo blo cannot do simple tasks like the old days . I was told recently by a lady customer that she reckons manufactureres don't make servicable replacement parts that used to be every day over the counter sales any more as they don't trust their own technicians to pull things apart to replace a simple part like in the old days . Now I had that made clear to me last year when a simple aircon bearing failed but to get a simple bearing ment Ihad to buy the whole thing complete are they made in such a way as to render the whole part obsolete for the sake of a simple bearing failing ? I will leave it at that as its off subject . I might do a similar job on our van without hopefully some of the hassles as I said earlier a simple diode protected relay will defeat the system .

using a diagnostic tester you can ask it generate a voltage on command....if you dont have a tester when the ignition is cycled it puts out a few very fast pulses that can be picked up by a volt meter or scope is better..if the faulty circuit is fixed the next ignition cycle pulse will detect the system is ok and lights will work again with no tester fault erase.....

[Sunny43.5]

Okay I will remember that .

[SnowMotion]

Ok, ordered 2 sets for our van. Will post up an install when I do it.

[Sunny43.5]

Yes me too.

[SnowMotion]

Lets see who's turns up first...