Hi,

 

I am hoping someone can help me - I own a 2013 (new model) Skoda Octavia VRS estate.  My driver side DRL needs replaced.  The manual is fairly useless and the illustrations do not correspond correctly to the actual car??  I have gone to my local car parts outlet, they provided me with a bulb - I am not even sure this is the correct one I need.  Tried to change it a couple of days back and spent more time looking at the manual and trying to work out what exactly it was trying to say - bottom line, I wasn't able to change it!

 

Anyone have similar issues?

 

Thanks

DRL is not a bulb on a MK3 VRS, it's an LED strip. How do you plan to replace it with a bulb? Are you definitely talking about the Daytime running Light?

Mine had an issue (that I won’t bother to go in to) but I was told that it’s a headlight replacement job and that’s what I got. 

17 minutes ago, ahenners said:

DRL is not a bulb on a MK3 VRS, it's an LED strip. How do you plan to replace it with a bulb? Are you definitely talking about the Daytime running Light?

 

That is part of the problem - I went to the car parts outlet and that's what they gave me, they took the number plate etc. and gave me a bulb.

 

If you have any knowledge of where I can purchase the correct LED strip/bulb then please let me know - there is no mention of it in the handbook I have.

 

Instructions on how to do it would also be appreciated.

10 minutes ago, CHJG said:

 

That is part of the problem - I went to the car parts outlet and that's what they gave me, they took the number plate etc. and gave me a bulb.

 

If you have any knowledge of where I can purchase the correct LED strip/bulb then please let me know - there is no mention of it in the handbook I have.

 

Instructions on how to do it would also be appreciated.

 

Find yourself a new car parts outlet then, because it sounds like they have given you a bulb for a non LED DRL Octavia 5E. Is it a H15?

 

As for replacing it, you'd have to split the headlight, remove the strip, solder a new one and reseal the unit. They aren't designed to be user replaceable. Chances are you'll need to replace the headlamp unit completely.

Edited 12 November, 20187 yr by ahenners

2 minutes ago, ahenners said:

 

Find yourself a new car parts outlet then, because it sounds like they have given you a bulb for a non LED DRL Octavia 5E.

 

As for replacing it, you'd have to split the headlight, remove the strip, solder a new one and reseal the unit. They aren't designed to be user replaceable. Chances are you'll need to replace the headlamp unit completely.

Thanks for getting back to me - a new headlamp unit?  That seems like a complete oversight on Skoda' s part!! Having to pay around £500 for one light going out?

 

Thanks again.

I needed a new bulb for the Wifes MINI and used an instore guide to get the correct bulb (as I didnt have access to the car).  Needless to say got home and it was the wrong one.

Annoying but it happens.

15 minutes ago, CHJG said:

Thanks for getting back to me - a new headlamp unit?  That seems like a complete oversight on Skoda' s part!! Having to pay around £500 for one light going out?

 

Thanks again.

ill buy your faulty headlight if you do replace it?

30 minutes ago, CHJG said:

Thanks for getting back to me - a new headlamp unit?  That seems like a complete oversight on Skoda' s part!! Having to pay around £500 for one light going out?

 

Thanks again.

 

It's the way it is with LED stuff unfortunately. Some of the newer LED headlight (dipped and main beam), especially if adaptive, cost significantly more to replace and the LEDs are not user replaceable like bulbs.

 

Breakers will be your best bet if you don't want to shell out for a brand new unit. It gets better though, you can't remove the headlight without removing the bumper either iirc, so it's going to be a bit of effort either way!

 

You could just disable the LED DRLs being on for both sides if you aren't bothered and don't want to replace the whole unit. It's only MOT testable if it was factory fitted to vehicles registered from March 2018, so you wouldn't fail an MOT not having them.

Edited 12 November, 20187 yr by ahenners

can you post a photo of the exact problem?

 

 - Bret

3 minutes ago, brettikivi said:

can you post a photo of the exact problem?

 

 - Bret

Yeah - will do it shortly.

 

Just off the phone to Skoda, they said it could possibly be a 'modular' issue -£120 plus VAT for the part alone. 

 

Not even too sure what that means, he wasn't exactly sure either! 

 

That's probably the cost for the LED driver/power supply that's a separate part.

7 minutes ago, CHJG said:

Yeah - will do it shortly.

 

Just off the phone to Skoda, they said it could possibly be a 'modular' issue -£120 plus VAT for the part alone. 

 

Not even too sure what that means, he wasn't exactly sure either! 

 

 

They must mean the driver module for the LED light. 

3 hours ago, ahenners said:

You could just disable the LED DRLs being on for both sides if you aren't bothered and don't want to replace the whole unit. It's only MOT testable if it was factory fitted to vehicles registered from March 2018, so you wouldn't fail an MOT not having them.

I feel the OP's pain, I hope the MOT info is correct. My left hand DRL bulb alerts is showing intermittently as failed with the  headlights on. If I set the DRL to 'Off', both DRL illuminate only with the headlights on and don't throw up a fault. I think it's the power/control unit, as the DRL work faultlessly wiithout the headlights illuminated. I have copied the VCDS log which shows the LED light bar and LED  module throwing up voltage open or short. If any reader knows where the power/control module is located, I'd be grateful to them. 

The LED DRL Control Module is a good shout actually, forgot there was an external controller for it. See this thread for more info on location and part:

 

 

@Redboy The MOT bit came directly from the MOT tester handbook for this year since the revised rules, so it should be accurate.

Edited 12 November, 20187 yr by ahenners

19 hours ago, CHJG said:

Yeah - will do it shortly.

 

Just off the phone to Skoda, they said it could possibly be a 'modular' issue -£120 plus VAT for the part alone. 

 

Not even too sure what that means, he wasn't exactly sure either! 

 

 

If you have LED DRLs with halogen headlights, isn't there still an H15 dual filament bulb fitted which it uses for the sidelights? In which case I think you could probably configure the car to use the H15 for DRLs instead of the LEDs using some CAN fiddling.

Edit: just seen the photo. Can't do this with xenons.

Edited 13 November, 20187 yr by Rodge

Just now, CHJG said:

 

 

Thanks for all of the replies - as you can see, the LED light is out. When it first happened, the light would flicker and then turn off. Next day it may have worked for 5 mins then knocked off. Now, it is permanently off.

 

Unfortunately, when headlights are on the DRL are on, so it looks a bit daft with one on and one off! Looks like an expensive repair for such a minor issue!!

 

Thanks again

18 hours ago, ahenners said:

The LED DRL Control Module is a good shout actually, forgot there was an external controller for it. See this thread for more info on location and part:

 

 

@Redboy The MOT bit came directly from the MOT tester handbook for this year since the revised rules, so it should be accurate.

Thanks - it is turning into an absolute nightmare to get a straight answer. 

 

Although I really like the xenon lights, I will likely avoid them again in the future, if possible!!

 

7 minutes ago, CHJG said:

Thanks - it is turning into an absolute nightmare to get a straight answer. 

 

Although I really like the xenon lights, I will likely avoid them again in the future, if possible!!

 

 

Good luck with that, at least Xenons have replaceable bulbs for dipped and main beam. All the latest stuff comes with LED headlights which aren't user replaceable.

 

Hope you get sorted anyway. Might be worth trying the controller from the working side on the headlamp not working. Should confirm whether your controller module is duff or the headlight.

Through my understanding of LED unit and drivers this sounds very much like a driver issue.  Lighting up for a few mins before cutting out and then eventually going completely sound like the driver (control module) to me.  id get to a breaker and get a couple of spare while you're there in case you pick up a dodgy one or need another in the future.  Can always take them back if not the fix.

Hi, I need to replace the controller that's fitted under the headlight.

 

Does any coding need to be done for this component to be recognised by the BCM?

hello everybody . only just joined briskoda so i'll tell you of my experience . bought my octavia estate with bi-xenons as an optional extra. anyway ? after just a year my led strip turned yellow  . i took it back to claybank skoda and they said you cant buy the bulb its a full headlight under warranty . the mechanic said ? because its gone yellow and not gone out ? that told him it was the module and not the actual led bulb that was at fault. he then said  ? if it was totally not lit up its a case of new complete headlight but because its turned yellow  ? thats told him its not the bulb but a faulty module. dont know how true that is but i'll find out soon.( probababy couldnt buy module at the time as i was 1 of the first to buy the new model octavia 3 )he said its new headlight and he would order it. new headlight came , booked it in and all very nice. now my other headlight led strip has gone yellow, ive ordered the module and just waiting for it to come so i'll up date you all and tell you if the new module works and fixes the led back to white again or wether its a case of a full headlight again. speak to you all soon with results 

This issue, and combined with the fact that I don't believe in DRLs (frankly, if you can't see a vehicle approaching in daylight without DRLs - then you shouldn't have a driving licence...) meant that as soon as I got my 2014 VRS, I turned the DRLs off via the in-car menu. Now, they only come on at night, which means they are going to last a lot longer! Car is 6 years old now, no signs of any problems.

 

This is also why I never leave the lamps in the 'AUTO' position either - those xenons coming on and off all day whenever I drive under trees or through tunnels can't help their longevity either.

 

I believe this is the best way to manage a problem that we've been provided with on new cars!

 

 

On 28/10/2020 at 15:25, graham14 said:

hello everybody . only just joined briskoda so i'll tell you of my experience . bought my octavia estate with bi-xenons as an optional extra. anyway ? after just a year my led strip turned yellow  . i took it back to claybank skoda and they said you cant buy the bulb its a full headlight under warranty . the mechanic said ? because its gone yellow and not gone out ? that told him it was the module and not the actual led bulb that was at fault. he then said  ? if it was totally not lit up its a case of new complete headlight but because its turned yellow  ? thats told him its not the bulb but a faulty module. dont know how true that is but i'll find out soon.( probababy couldnt buy module at the time as i was 1 of the first to buy the new model octavia 3 )he said its new headlight and he would order it. new headlight came , booked it in and all very nice. now my other headlight led strip has gone yellow, ive ordered the module and just waiting for it to come so i'll up date you all and tell you if the new module works and fixes the led back to white again or wether its a case of a full headlight again. speak to you all soon with results 

@graham14 did that module solves the problem of the yellow DRL?

 

thank you