Hello Octavia Forum, I’m a Noob member, but have owned 2 Octavia II’s.

My current car is an Octavia Vrs (58) 2L turbo.

I’ve been trying to modern up my lights.

I have fitted these indicators bulbs all round - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/140351949460?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_1577wt_808 that work great.

These front sides -http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/350372863126?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_1733wt_932 that work great.

These Hi-beam bulbs - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320857032247?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_5229wt_1339 work great.

These number plate bulbs - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/290558982254?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_2859wt_982 work great.

But these Brake bulbs that course errors - http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/320704473282?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649#ht_2566wt_783

???????????????????

I think I understand how canbus bulb errors are detected by the car. When you put the keys in the system does a diagnostic scan of all the sensors/systems and bulbs. Hence the 3 pulses of faint light from the front side LEDs before power on. The LED front sides have a resistor and a small transistor on their circuit, this switch’s in the Resistor while the 3 test pulses fire to trick the ECU/canbus info thinking it’s a standard bulb. After the test the ECU decides whether to leave the light circuit live or cut power if it smells a rat.

I know why the bulb test is there it’s to stop Yahoo’s putting silly hi wattage bulbs in and blinding other road users? Or a EU thing? But I’m trying to do the complete opposite and put lo wattage bulbs in that look smarter with higher Kelvin output.

My rear Led bulbs will work if I fit a permanent load resistor in. I’m Not keen on this as it involves butchering my virgin wiring loom/bulbs clusters (what plug and play about that?). Or having non switching load resistors in line that sort of defeat the point. LED bulbs use milliamps of power compared to incandescent bulbs. I want to do my bit for the environment and the fuel bill, lol.

Is it possible to remove the bulb test part of the ecu boot up sequence?

Or do you guys know any other tricks to fix this?

Also…….

My vrs has H8 fitment round fog lamps on the front. Can I change these to ether driving HID lamps that turn on with the hi beam switch or is it legal to fit 5watt Cree LED bulbs in as DRL in the fog lamps and have them on with the ignition?

?????????????

Advice and Ideas please……………. Thanks in advance………. And if I come up with any other solutions’ I will post the photos,

Regards…………

I think there will problems with the tail lights due to them doubling up as stop / tail in the event that one of the two filaments in the one bulb fails. Perhaps the ECU monitors them at intervals when running rather than just at start up, as with the other 'single function' bulbs. Maybe someone on this board can confirm or deny this. Don't know if there is a way around it.

There's also been some comments in this forum about them being a rarer 21/4W type rather than the more common 21/5W, but I don't know if the ECU is sensitive to this.

Sorry to be a bit vague, but this might be the at root of the problem with this particular bulb set.

I know the Stop/tail bulb have sensing on both circuits.

On the original bulb, my tail light filament went open circuit, but the stop light filament/circuit was ok. When the key went in and the ECU tests the light circuits. But because one tail filament failed the ECU cuts the power to both tail/stop circuits.

Annoying the health and safety crazy ECU does that........ isn’t half a light working better than nothing??

Regards..........

Edit: I will look into the 21/5 - 21/4 wattage thing see if it makes any difference to there operation and how tight the ECU monitors the light circuits............

Edited 24 March, 201214 yr by Yell0wPeril

21w5 bulbs have certainly caused problems for people on here previously, 21w4 are the correct recommended bulbs i believe.

Iirc on the pre fl bulb monitoring can be turned off for each circuit individually with vcds.

Also with vcds I have Scandanavian drl active but using the fogs at 55% instead of headlights, this means rear lights, front side lights and fogs are on with the ignition, when the head lights come on the fogs go off.

21w5 bulbs have certainly caused problems for people on here previously, 21w4 are the correct recommended bulbs i believe.

Iirc on the pre fl bulb monitoring can be turned off for each circuit individually with vcds.

Also with vcds I have Scandanavian drl active but using the fogs at 55% instead of headlights, this means rear lights, front side lights and fogs are on with the ignition, when the head lights come on the fogs go off.

Are...... Very interesting.......

The light warning can be turned off, So power is just piped to respective bulb and the cars not bothered about the Load of the bulb? I can put LED bulbs in with out the need for cansafe versions? Is VCDS modding something I can do? What do I need to do it? or is it a pro job? I'm in Leicester if that helps..... Regards, Mark

Also with vcds I have Scandanavian drl active but using the fogs at 55% instead of headlights, this means rear lights, front side lights and fogs are on with the ignition, when the head lights come on the fogs go off.

Can you not also disable the front sidelights?

If oncoming traffic see your sidelights and dimmed front fogs/DRL's on together they are more likely to think you have actively turned on your front fogs?

Can you not also disable the front sidelights?

If oncoming traffic see your sidelights and dimmed front fogs/DRL's on together they are more likely to think you have actively turned on your front fogs?

Don't think so with Scandanavian DRL's, I think you may be able to with American DRL's which are the ones that only come on when the handbrake is released. I may end up turning the fogs to 0% so that just sidelights are on, not decided yet.

Had a old duffer at a set of lights yesterday flash me and gesture wildly for me to turn the fog lights off as he had seen my cornering fog as I turned right at the lights, lol.

Are...... Very interesting.......

The light warning can be turned off, So power is just piped to respective bulb and the cars not bothered about the Load of the bulb? I can put LED bulbs in with out the need for cansafe versions? Is VCDS modding something I can do? What do I need to do it? or is it a pro job? I'm in Leicester if that helps..... Regards, Mark

For vcds google ross tech or have a look in the vcds section on here for a local friendly member who might be willing to help for bear tokens. I believe what you want to achieve is only possible on a pre fl but not sure as I don't have much experience with vcds on other than my car.

I have bought a new Octavia 1.8TSi SE Plus is it possible to fit DRL to the blanked off ports in the bumper do i need to get them from dealer. will all wiring be there,

The DRL and front fog light on the FL is a complete unit, not many used ones around so it will likely be a main dealer purchase. You'll also need a new headlight switch and some coding to the car's CANBUS.

It's unlikely the wiring is behind the blanking plates so there will be some modification of the wiring loom involved also.

I always thought the rear break bulbs where single filament they are on mine, and only have one solder point on the base

They do but they are still dual purpose.

The car's CANBUS system alters the power to the bulbs (thus their brightness) depending on its required function - 4W tail / 21W brake.

It make work like that but the bulb is still a single element and has the single base like in my link

On the 2 occasions when my break bulbs have gone all thats shown is a dark bit in the rear lens when the break is applied, even with the lights on

Have you tried these

http://www.ebay.co.u...=item1c242d2e03

Edited 31 March, 201214 yr by skippy41

Skippy your is an 11 plate, the op`s is not an FL, it has a duel filament brake/Tail and Tail fog, even if you turn off cold diagnostics , and the bulb warning for the brake tailamps you will still get a bulb warning. Get someone to press the brake light with the lights on you will find they brake lights are on when tailamps are on, if you turn the lights off then get your foot off brake lights , then turn on again then off the bulb warning will go off, fine when no lights on , no warning. I replaced mine for Halfords fast reacting bulbs, did not have my reading glasses on, so got they guy to check the booklet and which correct ones. I fitted then got warning. Took it to Simbos to check on vagcom, could not understand what it was, then took out bulbs wearing my glasses, they were single filament, brake worked fine with no lights, then when lights on turned the brake light on, so when you press the brake no extra loading, the bottom one fog worked ok just made the single bulb brighter . The code for halfords was wrong. Anyway the only way to sort it is putting dual filament bulbs for your brake lights .

I drive a taxi, and fix cars. This means I get to play around with half the taxis in my area, and I have noticed differences in the stop/tail light assemblies. Some (like mine) have a single filament bulb with a single connector on the cluster, while others have a twin connector and twin-filament bulbs. I tried to work out which models had which, but when looking at 5 Octies of the exact same age and engine, I realised this was impossible. even the 2 estates with the only difference being paint colour, the rear assemblies were different. The only reliable way to tell is to remove the bulb and see how many contacts are on the holder.

It might be possible (in theory) to trick the system into allowing a twin-filament style LED replacement bulb, but as the single-filament bulb relies on changes in voltage to get the dimmer tail light and brighter brake light from a single filament, LED is not an option. Even if you did manage to trick the electronic witchcraft, LED will only work with the right voltage, so you would lose your top tail lights

I’ve been trying to modern up my lights.

These number plate bulbs - http://www.ebay.co.u...9#ht_2859wt_982 work great.

Do you reckon these number plate bulbs will definitely work with a 2010 (post-facelift) Octavia Scout? I've seen numerous posts from frustrated post-FL owners who have to resort to all sorts of tricks to try and get supposedly CANBUS error free LEDs to work in their number plates.

Cheers,

Simon

I still wonder what the 'influencer' is on whether the Octavia gets the single or twin filament brake/tail bulbs.

I can't imagine Skoda making the change for no reason, nor can I imagine they would just fit the different set-up's randomly...

Skippy's car is a 55 plate pre-FL as per his signature. As with both my 54 plate and 08 plate, the bulb is a twin filament 21/4W.

Mike

He also says this mike copied from his sig under his posts Mike

Skoda octavia 11 1.9 tdi 105bhp classic estate, 55 plate manual Black used as a taxi

NOW WITH MFD3 Also superb 1.9 130 classic

hi I have a 57 reg Octavia vrs and one of the front fog light has had a stone go through the glass ,I see it has a surround around the circular fog light which is replaceable on its own but does,nt seem to want to come off to let me have access to replace light ....has anyone had this problem and if so can they please tell me how to remove them ....thanks ....andy

I can't remember how it comes off but it is detailed in the manual.

I still wonder what the 'influencer' is on whether the Octavia gets the single or twin filament brake/tail bulbs.

I can't imagine Skoda making the change for no reason, nor can I imagine they would just fit the different set-up's randomly...

 

Estate = single filament (brake/tail).

 

Hatch = twin filament (brake/tail).

Edited 27 July, 201312 yr by silver1011