Skoda Superb MkII Pre-Facelift LED Rear Light Cluster Conversion

[silver1011]

Due to broken links to all the pictures (thanks Photobucket!) together with Briskoda's image upload limits, I've edited the guide and re-posted everything further down this page.

 

Scroll down...

 

Edited 16 October, 2018 by silver1011

[Damo]

Great guide and pics

[Leon-y-k]

Excellent!  

[vrsadz]

good guide this 

[Stinker]

Great guide and pics

And cracking looking end result. Nice car. Met. grey is still me fave colour!

[rumiexile]

Very good all round guide, thank you. Silver1011

 

For followers of this project Please note that if your car is produced after May 2012 you may also fit the led taillights without resistors, just coding through VAS  is OK. Also some people prefer to buy outer parts of the tails but I recommend all 4 pieces as fog set will be transparents and it looks way better all toghether. 

[Stiglitz]

So I´m so confused after all reading about LED rear lights!

 

I have a 2011 twindoor with seperate DRL and want led rear lights.

 

If I buy these http://www.cars-equipment.com/www/en/shop/headlights-taillights-fog-lights-parts/oem-skoda-superb-2-sedan-limousine/

 

Is it just the bulb warning that it will be wrong with these?

So I can give it to the Skoda dealer so they code away bulb warning, and that's it?

 

 

[rumiexile]

Very good all round guide, thank you. Silver1011

 

For followers of this project Please note that if your car is produced after May 2012 you may also fit the led taillights without resistors, just coding through VAS  is OK. Also some people prefer to buy outer parts of the tails but I recommend all 4 pieces as fog set will be transparents and it looks way better all toghether. 

 

 

I'd like to update for pre 2012 cars.As you and many service providers are not aware, actually older cars can also be coded. What you need is VCDS  and VAS together.

 

1. Access your Central Electics panel thorugh VCDS.

2. In long coding section go to byte 18:   set it as 1C and save, disconnect, remove the key. then turn keyfob again..

(In this part you need a valid VAS device, ask your service support)

3. in VAS introduce your car manually as Skoda Superb 2012

4. Now in VAS Central Electrics you'll see that LED Read Clusters options, Enable it, Apply it, disconnect, remove, then turn keyfob again.

5. Now return to VCDS access central electrics panel through VCDS

6. In long coding section go to byte 18  set it as "00" (masking) save disconnect, remove the key. then turn keyfob again.

 

 

It will clear the error coding and correctly code led clustuers. . If it doesn't work for the first time. try one more time  

[silver1011]

If you ever visit the UK bring your laptop with you

[silver1011]

So I´m so confused after all reading about LED rear lights!

 

I have a 2011 twindoor with seperate DRL and want led rear lights.

 

If I buy these http://www.cars-equipment.com/www/en/shop/headlights-taillights-fog-lights-parts/oem-skoda-superb-2-sedan-limousine/

 

Is it just the bulb warning that it will be wrong with these?

So I can give it to the Skoda dealer so they code away bulb warning, and that's it?

 

If you buy those LED rear lights and fit them to your car you will get the blown-bulb warning on the dash.

 

The rear lights however will work OK, you just have to put up with the amber light on the dash all of the time.

 

If you want to get rid of the amber warning you need to fit the resistors as detailed in this thread.

 

Or, as ruxiexile suggests they can be coded instead, but only if you have both VCDS and VAS, which for me will never happen.

[rumiexile]

I am so happy to solve this problem with the help of another friend from Turkey, because silver1011 and I almost spent two years for this challenge. By the way, silver you can find a service point with VAS service, make the modifications, then drive away to another one with vcds to set byte 18 to 00. Because without coding they are over bright to use.

[silver1011]

I'd like to update for pre 2012 cars.As you and many service providers are not aware, actually older cars can also be coded. What you need is VCDS  and VAS together.

 

(In this part you need a valid VAS device, ask your service support)

3. in VAS introduce your car manually as Skoda Superb 2012

4. Now in VAS Central Electrics you'll see that LED Read Clusters options, Enable it, Apply it, disconnect, remove, then turn keyfob again. 

 

If only this could all be done using VCDS!

[silver1011]

It looks like it might be possible using VCDS, if Ross-Tech can make the changes

 

Rumiexile, could you possibly post a VCDS scan of the controller at each point, including full adaption map. Once we have that, then Ross-Tech could add the required coding to the label file for a newer release of VCDS.

[Gizmo]

LHD and RHD cars can also have different coding though.

[silver1011]

I've had a couple of offers from UK members who have access to VCDS and VAS, I just need to get myself over to see them 

[silver1011]

These LED clusters are now up for sale. I'll drop a thread into the 'For Sale' section for anyone who might be interested!

 

See here...

 

http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/373825-genuine-mkii-skoda-superb-twindoor-led-rear-light-clusters/

[Superbian]

thanks for the info guys...it seems to be more complex than just a plug and play..... unless someone knows of a company that sells led tail lights for the 2011 skoda superb estate

[psimon]

A belated thank you for such a helpful and clearly explained post.Lacking in technical ability I bought the LED lights and took them to my local garage to have them installed.When I picked it up they were fitted but the warning light was still on and they had not been able to solve the problem.They had put resistors on every cable...but not in the way you outlined. I then got fed up driving the car with the warning light on although the lights functioned perfectly.So I bit the bullet and printed off your instructions, took my time, and with your great help the warning light is off and I am chuffed ...in fact very chuffed.Thanks again.

[Dulco]

On 22. 5. 2015 at 20:21, silver1011 said:

I've had a couple of offers from UK members who have access to VCDS and VAS, I just need to get myself over to see them 

 

Hi

can u advise me on somebody who can do some coding on my 2014 superb around manchester if possible bec i want use some LED bulbs for reverse and indicators as well as number plate light and maybe front fog lights and dont want have light bulbs warning comming on dash

many thanks

Edited 6 February, 2018 by Dulco

[silver1011]

See here...

 

 

[Dulco]

18 hours ago, silver1011 said:

See here...

 

 

Thank ill try to contact somebody and maybe will be lucky

[silver1011]

Guide to retro-fitting the LED rear light clusters from the MkII pre-facelift Laurin & Klement Skoda Superb Twindoor to a standard non-LED Twindoor Superb.

 

CHECK LIST:

 

1x 3TD945095 (near side (left) outer cluster) - £130.00 inc. VAT

1x 3TD945096 (off side (right) outer cluster) - £130.00 inc. VAT

1x 3TD945093 (near side (left) inner cluster) - £60.00 inc. VAT

1x 3TD945094 (off side (right) inner cluster) - £60.00 inc. VAT

 

4x 50W 6Ohm automotive (non ceramic) resistors - £5.00 each inc. VAT (UK produced high quality resistors, don’t buy cheap Chinese versions).

 

• Soldering iron

• Solder

• 3mm heat shrink

• Adhesive Velcro (hook & loop)

• Sharp Stanley knife (don’t use wire strippers)

• Wire cutters

• Small / narrow slotted screwdriver

• Torx 20 (T20) screwdriver

• 8mm ring spanner

 

From this...

 

 

...to this...

 

 

 NOTE: The lights are plug and play out of the box in that they will operate as normal.

 

However you will then trigger the blown-bulb warning on the dashboard due to the lower current draw of the LED’s.

 

To prevent this you will need to increase the current draw to fool the CANBUS into thinking that normal incandescent bulbs are fitted. To do this you will need to use one resistor for each LED function. One for the tail lights and one for the brake lights so two resistors for each light cluster.

 

 

Wiring diagram:

 

• One end of each resistor to negative (blue).

 

• The other end of one resistor to the tail light feed (red).

 

• The other end of the second resistor to the brake light feed (brown):

 

 

Resistors added, clusters now ready to fit…

 

 

STEP 1: Open the boot lid. Opening it in Twindoor (hatchback) mode allows more light to see what you are doing.

 

STEP 2: Take a small flat ended (slotted) screwdriver and lever off the 2x black plastic caps that cover the screws.

 

NOTE: There are two small indentations on each cap (at 3 o’clock & 9 o’clock) to help locate the screwdriver or levering tool. These caps are held in place with two small lugs which are easily damaged. If one or both of the lugs are broken the caps will not sit securely in the hole and will need to be replaced.

 

 

 

 

STEP 3: Using a T20 (Torx) bit remove the two screws. These are the only screws holding the light cluster to the car so be careful that the cluster does not fall out when they are removed.

 

NOTE: Be sure not to let the screws fall out as there is a gap behind the rear bumper that they could fall into.

 

 

STEP 4: Placing one hand here (1) and using your fingernail here (2) pull the cluster back towards you away from the car. There is a locating lug close to point (2) which due to the build up of dirt can be quite tough to release, wiggling the cluster very slightly should release its grip.

 

NOTE: At this point the cluster will still be attached to the car via the electrical wiring loom so don’t expect to be able to remove the cluster completely.

 

 

 

 

NOTE: At this point I recommend placing a towel or cloth over the upper edge of the bumper. The cluster will move whilst attempting to disconnect the electrical connector and may scratch the paint whilst you are trying to hold it steady (most likely with your knee!).

 

STEP 5: Using your fingernails prise away the rubber seal from the body of the car where the wiring loom passes into the boot area. Once you have released it enough to get a full finger behind it you should be able to pull it off easily. Be careful not to split the seal as this forms the watertight barrier between the outside and inside of the car.

 

 

 

STEP 6: Once the rubber seal is released you will be able to feed out the rest of the wiring from inside the body of the car. The electrical connector is covered in a protective foam material to prevent it making contact with the metal body of the car. This will need to be gently peeled back to expose the electrical connector.

 

STEP 7: Press the two small lugs on either side of the electrical connector to release the light cluster end of the connector (male) from the cars wiring loom end of the connector (female).

 

 

NOTE: Be careful not to let the female end of the connector still attached to the car fall down inside the hole where the rubber seal once was.

 

 

 

[silver1011]

The light cluster is now completely free from the car and can be fully removed.

 

NOTE: Be careful not to let the female end of the connector still attached to the car fall down inside the hole where the rubber seal once was.

 

STEP 8: At this point I recommend taking the opportunity to give the previously hidden areas a good clean. This will also help the self-adhesive strips to get a proper grip onto the body of the car.

 

 

STEP 9: Take a length of self-adhesive Velcro (loop side) and cut two pieces that slightly exceed the length of each of the resistors. Stick the Velcro to the car making sure that you space them well apart and that they are down low enough not to foul the clusters when you refit them. Press nice and hard.

 

STEP 10: Take the opposite side of the Velcro (hook side) and cut it down into two lengths that match the length of the resistors. Stick this to the underside of each of the resistors.

 

 

STEP 11: Prior to re-inserting the light clusters be sure to use the wire clamps on the back of the clusters to hold the wires in place. This prevents them from getting trapped when the light cluster is pushed back into place.

 

 

Here you can see the resistors wired into the light clusters with all the joints soldered and heat shrunk for a strong and fully water proof connection.

 

 

In this picture you can see that I used tie wraps as an additional method of holding the Velcro to the resistors. This was in anticipation of the resistors getting hot and melting the adhesive on the Velcro strips. When I removed the clusters recently the heat had weakened the tie wraps and they were very brittle and simply crumbled away so I didn’t use them the next time.

 

STEP 12: If you look at the electrical connector you’ll notice both sides are different. This is to ensure that the connector can only be inserted into the female end one way. Be sure to offer up the male connector to the female connector the correct way around to avoid damage.

 

STEP 13: Offer the light cluster up to the car and firmly push the resistors onto the Velcro strips attached to the car to secure them into place.

 

Be sure that all of the wires are untangled and that none of them are stretched or strained.

 

Push as many of the wires down past either side of the resistors into the void behind the rear bumper to keep them out of the way.

 

As previously mentioned make use of the wire clamps formed into the rear of the light clusters to hold the remaining wires in place.

 

STEP 14: Reconnect the male electrical connector into the female end attached to the car. Slide the foam protector back over the connectors ensuring they are fully covered. Push this back into the hole in the cars body

 

STEP 15: Replace the rubber seal.

 

Take extra special care to ensure that the rubber seal is properly seated to ensure no water can enter into the cars body or reach the electrical connector. Push the seal around its full circumference with your thumb until you can hear the double lipped seal ‘click’ into position all the way around.

 

STEP 16: Slide the cluster back into position ensuring that the locating knob on the car mates with the lug on the rear of the cluster (as in step 4). Always watch for trapped wires as you slide the cluster back into place.

 

STEP 17: Replace the two T20 screws being careful not to over-tighten and recover using the plastic caps. Be sure to align the caps lugs up with the indentations on the light cluster.

 

INNER LIGHT CLUSTERS (reverse and fog light functions).

 

 

 

STEP 18: The inner clusters are mounted to the boot lid. From inside the boot remove the small carpet panel cut out of the inner boot cover by wedging your fingers into the gap around the edge of the panel.

 

 

STEP 19: Disconnect the electrical connector (not pictured) by pressing in the two lugs at either side of the connector and pull it out and away from the light cluster.

 

STEP 20: Using an 8mm ring spanner remove the two threaded nuts. The inner clusters can then be removed from the outside of the boot lid. Refitting is a reverse of these instructions.

 

NOTE: The function of the lights when fitted to non-LED Superb’s does differ slightly from when the same lights are fitted to the L&K. I can only assume that this is something to do with the BCM or coding. The lower strip of LED’s (yellow) is always at it’s brightest setting (tail lights on, brake lights off). This proved to be an issue I was never able to resolve. The BCM on my Superb (2011) did not support the LED rear lights so no matter what was altered they never worked as intended. The lower strip of LED's being overly bright wasn't something I could live with so I ended up reverting back to the regular rear lights. I understand later revisions of the BCM are better suited to the LED rear lights.

 

 

All finished...

 

 

 

You will need to either upgrade the BCM (Body Control Module) or have the car coded to prevent the blown-bulb warning...

 

 

Edited 16 October, 2018 by silver1011