HID Aftermaket kit - Help for definitive how to

[paddypaws]

Just had a thought, which way up do people put the bulbs in their projector lamps, with the return wire on the bulb upper most or down? i'm thinking the wire should be down otherwise there might be a shadow in the beam?

[westfielder]

Hi,

About to purchase the Londoncolour non-canbus HID 35w HID kit for my 55 Plate Octavia II 1.9 TDI Ambiente

 

Reading these forums I thought I would check that I could recode the controller first. I opened controller 9. I only see a 21 Byte string I have screen shots below of bytes 0 to 3 and 14 which seem to be covered in this thread but don't see any Xenon related bits - does this mean I'm a bit stuffed?

 

Many thanks for any guidance that could be offered - Nick

 

 

 

 

 

[seanantenbring]

Go through and check all of the bytes for the setting. My car had the tick box on a different byte to some others. I think it varies on software version as well for if the option appears.

 

One question I have for everyone who has fitted HIDs.... What setting do you have your manual headlight adjustment set too? I have a few people flashing me and yet I have had the beam checked at a garage and all was OK. If I set it to 0 I get flashed, set to 2 and its OK but I can't see other than a few meters in front lol. I have no weight in the boot so wondered how everyone else gets on?

 

Cheers

[westfielder]

I did check all the bytes - and unfortunately nowhere to be seen - what year is yours?

Should I upgrade my VCDS?

 

 

Regarding headlamp adjustment - I suppose it depends on how they are physically adjusted in the headlamp unit using the two black adjusters. I just raised mine as the lowest setting only went out about 5 yards in front of the car and the highest was not much better.

 

Nick

[RainbowFire]

Should I upgrade my VCDS?

Nick

 

If you have a legit copy of VCDS, it should update itself to the latest version automatically.

 

If you haven't, it won't.

[westfielder]

It offers to but generally 'if it works don't change it' off to upgrade...

[vectra1]

I did check all the bytes - and unfortunately nowhere to be seen - what year is yours?

Should I upgrade my VCDS?

 

 

Regarding headlamp adjustment - I suppose it depends on how they are physically adjusted in the headlamp unit using the two black adjusters. I just raised mine as the lowest setting only went out about 5 yards in front of the car and the highest was not much better.

 

Nick

 

What version of vcds have you got?

[silver1011]

 

Hi Vectra1, I started seeing some formation of mist inside the projector housing last week (due to heavy rain). However it disappeared after a long run with the lights on. I'm thinking it may be due to improper sealing of grommet to the rubber. I glued them together with superglue. 

 

Some light misting inside the headlight is normal, especially after prolonged heavy rain.

 

Each headlight has a breather vent hole and when it's particularly wet then moisture can enter the headlight through this tube.

 

With the headlights on they dry out pretty quickly as the moisture is evaporated out through the same tube.

[westfielder]

What version of vcds have you got?

Hi Vectra1

 

 I'm running 10.6.4

 

Thanks

 

Nick

[vectra1]

Hi Vectra1

 

 I'm running 10.6.4

 

Thanks

 

Nick

 

 

Do an update.

I am sure all will be revealed once you do that

[mmafreak]

Each headlight has a breather vent hole and when it's particularly wet then moisture can enter the headlight through this tube.

 

I have seen pictures of this breather vent on the forum, and I don't think we have it on the India spec. There also seems to be less space in the engine bay of our cars as I couldn't find anywhere on the sides to mount the HID kit onto. I had to attach the ballast to the outside of the headlamp housing with a small screw (before I knew it could be put inside). I then cut the grommet for the wires to come through and sealed it with superglue. 

 

I am positive this side didn't seal all too well, because I only see condensation in that headlamp alone. On an unfortunate note, the roads here were flooded on saturday leaving that same headlight misted up more than the last time. This caused the indicator bulb in the housing to stay on without blinking. The light stayed on even after I had the engine off. Looking around the forum I found out the problem is a damaged BCM due to the moisture. Slightly off topic, but going to put stock bulbs in and take the car in to get the BCM replaced under warranty. 

 

For the guys who haven't installed their kits yet, I would suggest you fit them inside. 

 

How I fit the kit. (The wires were tied up using clip ties, just hanging for now.)

The right headlamp that had the solid indicator. I have removed the bulb for now so it doesn't short anything or start a fire if it blows.

 

[RainbowFire]

Hi Vectra1

 

 I'm running 10.6.4

 

Thanks

 

Nick

 

Current version is 12.12.0

[westfielder]

Thanks for all the replies

 

12.12 wanted to update my cable firmware - but kept failing. Will talk to Ross tech

 

I have tried it on 11.8 that I downloaded a while back - that accepted the cable as is but no change

 

The fact that its a 21 byte string in the controller suggests to me that being an older car the controller may not support Xenons

 

So has anyone put aftermarket HIDs in a car this old - should I consider CanBus friendly ones?

 

will be bitterly disappointed if I can't - had set my heart on decent lighting!

 

Thanks for all the replies so far

 

Nick

[silver1011]

I have seen pictures of this breather vent on the forum, and I don't think we have it on the India spec. There also seems to be less space in the engine bay of our cars as I couldn't find anywhere on the sides to mount the HID kit onto. I had to attach the ballast to the outside of the headlamp housing with a small screw (before I knew it could be put inside). I then cut the grommet for the wires to come through and sealed it with superglue. 

 

Here it is on the pre-FL...

 

 

It isn't in the same place on the FL however...

 

[westfielder]

I found a website with a description of a 21 Byte CECM. It seems very similar to mine and all the bits of byte 3 of controller 9 are the same - except for me in VCDS bit 4 for Xenons is blanked out

 

I manually coded it and VCDS gave the "Code accepted" dialog. But if I go back into the controller the bit has not been changed.

 

Any ideas on how to make it permanent would be gratefully received

 

Many Thanks

 

Nick

[Liger1956]

Does anybody have a photo of the ballasts fitted internally into a non Scout facelift headlight?

[paddypaws]

Does anybody have a photo of the ballasts fitted internally into a non Scout facelift headlight?

Exactly the same on a non-Scout no difference at all as long as its a FL.

[Liger1956]

The photos in post 125 are of a MY13 Octavia Scout (paddypaws).

I do not remember my headlights loking like that the last time I had them out before going to France but I could be mistaken.

[Will Campbell]

Anybody else having issues with your HIDs when turning on main beam?

 

I fitted mine in September and they have been working fine with no issues at all, until about 2-3 weeks ago when we had a spate of wet cold weather.

 

It started with a flickering of the lights when I selected main beam on, which quickly turned from a flickering to the lights failing and getting a lights warning on the dash.

 

The only way to recover them was to quickly turn off the main beam and select the lights off  on as quick as is humanly possible when driving at night.

 

The only way the error code/warning light on the dash would go was if I pulled over and turned the engine off on.

 

I initially mounted the ballasts on the outer casing of the light but when I started to have the trouble, I noticed an excess build up of condensation inside the lenses. 

 

I pulled the lights off to investigate further and found the wires to be quite wet, I took them indoors over night and dried them all out, I then refitted the ballasts inside the light casings. I sealed up the holes I had made in the rubber grommets with rubber gasket sealant and refitted them to the car.

 

This seamed to have solved the matter as I had no further trouble for a couple of days. But now the weather has gone cold the problem is back. There is no condensation or ingress of water to affect them any more. But I keep getting the same fault code saying to check the front left side light.

 

They work just fine until full beam is selected. But I would like to have the option of selecting full beam when needed without having to worry about my lights failing.

 

I am thinking about biting the bullet and buying another set as all I can think off is the water that got to the wires has damaged the ballasts in some way.  

 

But I want to be sure this is the cause before parting with another £30.

 

Any thoughts? Anybody had similar issues? The HIDs are the London colour ones that every one is using non canbus.

[vectra1]

^^ Isn't there 2 year warranty on those lights?

Contact Londoncolor and tel them they are misbehaving.

[Will Campbell]

Yeah I will do.

[Will Campbell]

Ok, contacted London colour, awaiting a reply.

 

If anybody else is having similar dramas? Please post.

[billywhiz040480]

I'm assuming the black and red wires in my hand from the HID kit plug into the original black connector of the light unit? I'm meeting with a fellow Briskodian today to get in coded but need to fit it all first ahh!

Edited 28 November, 2013 by billywhiz040480

[paddypaws]

Ok, contacted London colour, awaiting a reply.

 

If anybody else is having similar dramas? Please post.

Actually yes, I have fitted a London colour kit last week. All fine for a few nights  and then last night I got a bulb error. Switched off/on the ignition and it went away. Lights all work fine except I noticed the left head light was yellower than the right. Im going to clean all the connections carefully and see if that cures it.

[RainbowFire]

Just a suggestion in all this: can people update their car description/signature so everyone else knows if it's a Pre-FL or an FL being looked at. From what I understand the light housings are different at the back, as well as the front.

 

 

Anyway, I fitted a pair of 35w/4300k London Colour units earlier this year. No issues to date. Very occasionally I'll get the left will switch off whilst starting the car (I leave auto-lights on), but it recovers within a second or two.