Hi, I have just bought and fitted a HID xenon conversion for my 2008 Octy Vrs Tdi, they are slimline digital models EU stamped and am told they wont cause any problems with Can Bus system. The fitting went fine and the lights work beautifully when only the ignition is on. The problem is that when the engine is running the lights stay on for a few seconds then flicker and go out, the blown bulb warning light then comes on. If you switch off the engine but keep ignition on, the lights come on fine again. I have E-mailed the company who sold them to me and await a reply, I was hoping someone, in the mean time, may know a solution.

Jon

This is due to the fact that the HID conversion kit draw less current from the system than the regular factory fit system. The car thinks that because x amount of current is not being used that one of the lights must have blown , hence the warning light indicater illuminating on the dash.

To overcome this it is possible to fit a load capacitor in series to "fool" the system into thinking that the regular x amount of current is being drawn.

This is the way to fit LED sidelights onto the VAG range.

I don't think "Just a capacitor" does fix this

Some aftermarket HID kit suppliers do also supply an extra inline box for newer can-bus cars

Where did you but the kit from ?

Just recode central light unit to xennon head lamps and that it

Sorry on my english

Thanks for replies, I was wondering myself about the in line capacitor route but wouldnt that just show the blown bulb light and not actually switch the units off altogether?.

I purchased them from a company called DCJ Electronics off the net, only E-mailed them this evening so hoping for a quick answer from them tomorrow.

I wonder if the fuses may have something to do with it as the instructions recommend changing the standard headlight fuse for a 20amp one, could this be tripping something out when the engine starts then resets when switched off?.

How would you recode units? sounds complex especially as these should be plug and play.

Just return your car to normal. These conversions are illegal anyway and it will be better in the long run.

No DON'T mess with the fuses

To recode you need a VAG COM lead and laptop with software

have a good read here Diagnostics & VAG-COM General Motoring Discussions - Diagnostics & VAG-COM at BRISKODA.net - BRISKODA - The Skoda Forums

wait for an answer from the supplier

Aftermarket kits do work in new Octys

But as said "under cirtian circumstanses" illegal

Edited 1 October, 200817 yr by inexeng
typo

By certain circumstances you do mean public EU roads, right?

Just return your car to normal. These conversions are illegal anyway and it will be better in the long run.

Agreed - you should be aware that even though the lamp units may have 'e' mark (EU) approval, fitting them to your car is definitely not legal, as there is no automatic levellling system provision and you probably don't have headlight washers either.

Up to now, HID light units have been considered in a "grey area" but you will find VOSA taking interest in these conversion in roadside stops before too much longer. This is because of the increased prevalance of these aftermarket units being fitted and causing dazzle.

John.

By certain circumstances you do mean public EU roads, right?

LOL - that is exactly what I was about to say.

Basically your HID conversion is 100% legal - until you place your car on a public road at which point it becomes illegal.

Biggest risk would be loss of MOT on your vehicle and no way of getting an MOT until the lights were returned to normal.

But at the end of the day it's the OP's call.

Of course a car that isn't roadworthy (and illegal lights would make it so) could mean no insurance too if you read the policy small print.

I'm noticing more and more cars with very irritating, dazzling glare, which seems to be from aftermarket HIDs not working properly in headlights designed for halogen globes.

My suggestion is Osram nightbreaker globes - better vision and no problems with fuses, wiring, extra heat, legality or insurance.

Just recode central light unit to xennon head lamps and that it

Sorry on my english

This won't help. Sorry. It just removes the "double start" of the headlights.

This is due to the fact that the HID conversion kit draw less current from the system than the regular factory fit system.

This is the correct reason why the bulbs go out.

Coding the car for xenons won't remove the fact that it still uses PWM to control the voltage to the bulbs.

You'll need to fit some 50w resistors to both headlights. Resistors are connected between current headlight voltage line and ballast.

Also you'll probably need a voltage relay so that the voltage is taken straight from the battery.

Does your HID kit use the "standard" water seal connections? Most HID kit suppliers also have the resistors and relays for the kits which are easy to connect with the seal connections.

Eureka, have been thinking more last night about resistor approach and it theoretically makes sense, I had been wondering which ones would be needed, you have answered my question before it was asked, thanks, will try that one tonight.

Thanks for all your legal advice, I have already read the many, many, many other posts about this before fitting, however this personally doesnt really concern me.

Will probably hear from the manufacturer today with good news (I hope), if not they are going back. Can anyone recommend a kit that is proven to work if they dont ?????

Agreed - you should be aware that even though the lamp units may have 'e' mark (EU) approval, fitting them to your car is definitely not legal, as there is no automatic levellling system provision and you probably don't have headlight washers either.

Both of which are only needed when they are factory fit items and not essential for aftermarket conversions

You'll need to fit some 50w resistors to both headlights. Resistors are connected between current headlight voltage line and ballast.

The correct value is 10 - 20 W, corresponding to 16 -8 ohm.

It must be fitted before ballast, between it's (+) input and ground.

Edited 2 October, 200817 yr by chavdarlk

Both of which are only needed when they are factory fit items and not essential for aftermarket conversions

I am afraid you are wrong:

Department for Transport - Aftermarket HID (Xenon) headlamps

Extract from the above link:

In practice this means:

1. The headlamp unit (outer lens, reflector, bulb) shall be type approved to ECE 98 and be "e-marked" to demonstrate this. That can only be done by the headlamp supplier - Hella, Valeo etc. who must test the headlamp in an independent laboratory.

2. Once fitted to the vehicle it must have headlamp cleaning and self-levelling (which can be for the headlamp or can be in the vehicle suspension - some expensive estate cars have "self-levelling suspension" and that is adequate). Also the dipped beam must stay on with the main beam.

3. The headlamp must be maintained in good working order, kept clean, and aligned/adjusted correctly like any other headlamp.

NO MORE COMMENTS ABOUT LEGALITY PLEASE!!!!!

There are enough threads about this already, can you keep to the subject ie any technical help only please.

Thanks

Jon

Altifox

I have a kit installed in my MY2007 Octy vRS TFSi and it works perfectly

Go on to the HIDS4U.co.uk website and order the Ultimate kit. It is guaranteed to work as they have special ballasts etc that fool the ECU into thinking it is drawing 55w when it isnt.

HTH

Carl:thumbup:

The correct value is 10 - 20 W, corresponding to 16 -8 ohm.

It must be fitted before ballast, between it's (+) input and ground.

Yes, exactly there. That's what I meant but didn't put it clear enough Thanks.

What comes to the resistors, my HID dealer suggested 50W load resistors. He said they had some problems with lower value not being enough. Makes sense as normal headlights are 55W load.

Edited 2 October, 200817 yr by downtime

Sorry guys, I have made mistake in my post .

Correct values are not 32 - 16 ohm, and 16 - 8 ohm !!!

Please, all of you which had quoted my post to edit the quote...

It is just to prevent misinformation...

Thank you!

Thanks to all you who responded with suggestions, I tried the resistor option last night and unless I'm missing something really obvious the lights now wont come on at all, bulb blown light comes on as soon as you turn the key as oppose to when the engine was on like before.

As these were supposed to be plug n play and I dont really fancy rewiring the car, lol, Looks like they will be going back, I may try the HID4U option as at least these have been proven to work.

Thanks Again

Jon

Thanks to all you who responded with suggestions, I tried the resistor option last night and unless I'm missing something really obvious the lights now wont come on at all, bulb blown light comes on as soon as you turn the key as oppose to when the engine was on like before.

As these were supposed to be plug n play and I dont really fancy rewiring the car, lol, Looks like they will be going back, I may try the HID4U option as at least these have been proven to work.

Thanks Again

Jon

I'm pretty sure you'll need a relay too if you use resistors. Also how big are your resistors? Like I said before, my dealer told me to use 50W resistors. 20 - 30W are NOT enough for VAG cars.

The sequence is that way:

1) you need to draw some additional power, to reach that of halogen bulb - typically 10 - 20W (from 35W to - let say 50W)

2) this leads to resistance from 16 ohm (for 10W) to 8 ohm (for 20W)

3) good choice is 10 ohm (this adds 16W to 35W)

4) obviously, you must take care of power rating of the resistor - good margin is 20% - 30%

5) final we have 10 ohm / 20W or 10 ohm / 25W

---

Of course, you can install resistors rated 50W, 100W, etc. , but if properly calculated, in all cases it will draw just needed/calculated power.

The sequence is that way:

1) you need to draw some additional power, to reach that of halogen bulb - typically 10 - 20W (from 35W to - let say 50W)

2) this leads to resistance from 16 ohm (for 10W) to 8 ohm (for 20W)

3) good choice is 10 ohm (this adds 16W to 35W)

4) obviously, you must take care of power rating of the resistor - good margin is 20% - 30%

5) final we have 10 ohm / 20W or 10 ohm / 25W

---

Of course, you can install resistors rated 50W, 100W, etc. , but if properly calculated, in all cases it will draw just needed/calculated power.

Yep, all true.

This works if you don't use a relay. If you wire the ballast input voltage straight from the battery through relay connection, then you'll need a 50W resistor to both bulbs.

If you'll only want to increase the load of the system, then 20W - 35W resistors are enough. This will increase the total load to 55W which is enough to fool the car diagnostic system.

Now then comes the interesting part. Newer cars use PWM to spare the bulb life.

This cannot be fooled with simply adding an extra load to the bulb voltage chain. It will cause that the headlights will stay on, but will flicker like crazy. Only way to circumvent this is to add a relay and wire the control voltage to the relay and battery voltage to the headlight bulbs through that relay.

This only applies to the dipped beams. High beams don't have PWM control on them. Atleast not on cars equipped with dipped beam xenons.

Sorry, I've been mixing things up a little bit by stating that you'll need 50W resistors. You'll need them only IF you wire the voltage from the battery through relay. Otherwise smaller resistors will work, like chavdarlk has been saying.