Passenger daytime running light

vwtom

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2006
Location
SW Florida
TDI
2014 Passat SE
I have been looking all over to find instructions on how to change the front daytime running lights on my 2004 Passat. I had them a few years ago and now I need them again, but I can't seem to find them. I would appreciate it if someone could post a link for them. Thanks.
 

vw4life

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2001
Location
New West, BC, Canada
TDI
2014 Touareg TDI
DRLs use your low beam bulb (behind the rubber boot) just look for the regular low beam change instructions...

(or are you talking about rewiring the DRLs to run on different bulbs?)
 

vw4life

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2001
Location
New West, BC, Canada
TDI
2014 Touareg TDI
oh, you are talking about re-enabling disabled DRLs?

There are a number of ways it could have been done:

1) Electrical tape on the pins on the back of the light switch
2) you removed relay 173- put it back in
3) third one escapes me..
 

vwtom

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2006
Location
SW Florida
TDI
2014 Passat SE
I am referring to replacing the daytime running light bulb on the passenger side of a 2004 Passat. I finally figured out how to remove the bulb. I don't have as good of memory as I used to and I didn't want to break anything, but all went well.
 
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Lug_Nut

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 1998
Location
Sterling, Massachusetts. USA
TDI
idi: 1988 Bolens DGT1700H, the other oil burner: 1967 Saab Sonett II two stroke
There are two. To which are you referring: The bulb that also functions at full intensity as the low beam headlight, or to the small "peanut" bulb installed in the side of the reflector of the high beam lamp section?
 

CsTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Location
Baltimore, Maryland
TDI
'10 TouaregTDI, '15 JettaTDI
I have a drivers side DRL that is out. I want to locate the bulb(s) before I get started. Couple of questions:

1)If one is out, is the other on its way out also? meaning, if one is out should you replace both at the same time or might the other side last for quite a while longer

2) what bulbs size and wattage is used for this bulb (the one behind the rubber boot).

3)is there a recommended brand for this bulb or should the durability and longevity for the different brands be similar?

3)is removal and install pretty straight forward?

Thanks!
 

Zambee500

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Location
Atlanta, GA
TDI
2005 Passat TDI GLS, 2014 NMS Passat TDI SEL Premium
I've found that they typically go out at about the same time, and on my car they only last about a year. First time one went out on me, a VW "specialist" shop told me that it wasn't worth replacing them in pairs like you ordinarily do with halogen bulbs b/c the Passats pop headlight bulbs way faster than the ordinary life of a halogen bulb. So I replaced just the one that burned out and the second one went out within a couple weeks. A year later when the first one went out again, the second light went out before I could get to replacing the first one. I think it was actually the next day after I noticed the first one was out. Had no headlights at all! So I replaced both of them that time (obviously) and intend to always replace them in pairs in the future.

I tried putting dielectric grease on the connector tips this last time and they've lasted a bit longer than the first two sets did. I guess they're about due for blowing now, so we'll see if the dielectric grease helps any.

Here's a link to a link to a PDF how-to for replacement: http://home.comcast.net/~slashpub/info.html
 

Zambee500

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2008
Location
Atlanta, GA
TDI
2005 Passat TDI GLS, 2014 NMS Passat TDI SEL Premium
CsTDI said:
2) what bulbs size and wattage is used for this bulb (the one behind the rubber boot).

3)is there a recommended brand for this bulb or should the durability and longevity for the different brands be similar?
Forgot the other Qs. H7 55watt bulbs. I use the Sylvanias you can get at Pep Boys, Advance, AutoZone, etc. I went with SilverStars this last time. Much more light than standard H7, although this is supposed to be at the expense of life of the bulb. But I figure if bulbs are only lasting a year or so anyway in my car, then they're not going to make it the true expected life of the bulb anyway.

Pep Boys is running $10 rebate on 2-packs of SilverStar bulbs, and I think $15 or $20 rebate on 2-packs of SilverStar Ultra bulbs. Through January.
 

traubenberg

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 29, 2009
Location
Ville of Liberty
TDI
B5.5 Passat (wagon)
CsTDI said:
1)If one is out, is the other on its way out also?

2) what bulbs size and wattage is used for this bulb (the one behind the rubber boot).

3)is there a recommended brand for this bulb or should the durability and longevity for the different brands be similar?

4)is removal and install pretty straight forward?
1) I always replace them in pairs. There's really very little excuse not to.

2) Stock low-beam bulbs for the B5.5 Passat are H7.

3) While some want brighter light and buy Silverstars (I used to), there's a reason that they're brighter and burn out faster. They overdrive the filament, burn faster, burn more quickly. Instead of a set of H7 Silverstars running $40+ at the local Autozone, you can get entry-level HIDs for $55 shipped. (There's a well-respected member at Passatworld who sells VVME-brand kits.)

4) Removal and install are very straightforward.
 

CsTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 28, 2004
Location
Baltimore, Maryland
TDI
'10 TouaregTDI, '15 JettaTDI
Zambee500 said:
Forgot the other Qs. H7 55watt bulbs. I use the Sylvanias you can get at Pep Boys, Advance, AutoZone, etc. I went with SilverStars this last time. Much more light than standard H7, although this is supposed to be at the expense of life of the bulb. But I figure if bulbs are only lasting a year or so anyway in my car, then they're not going to make it the true expected life of the bulb anyway.

Pep Boys is running $10 rebate on 2-packs of SilverStar bulbs, and I think $15 or $20 rebate on 2-packs of SilverStar Ultra bulbs. Through January.
ended up going with the Hella bulbs since my pepboys had run out of the Silverstars from the sale in H7 size. FWIW, Pepboys said the Silverstar bulbs have a manufacturer's 1 year warranty...
 
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