Day Lights Won't Come On

jobilisa

New member
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Location
Guelph
TDI
Jetta 2001
I HAVE A JETTA TDI 2001, WITH A DY LIGHTS PROBLEMS.
I TRIED ALMOST EVERY THING , LOOKS LIKE THE LIGHTS HAVE A MIND OF THEIR OWN. SOME DAYS THEY WORK OTHER DAYS DON'T .
I CHANGED THE HAND BREAK SWITCH, DIDN'T WORK.
tHE NORMAL HEAD LIGHTS ARE FINE JUST THE HEAD DAY LIGHTS, I KNOW I COULD LIVE WITH IT, BUT IT JUST MAKE ME WONDER WHAT'S THE TROUBLE IS.
PLEASE ANYONE WITH AN IDEA ?

THANKS
 

Toronto_Vento

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 7, 2002
Location
Richmond Hill, ON
TDI
01 Baltic Green Bora
If emergency brake light didn't stay on, then there was no point in changing the hand brake switch.
Definitely sounds like an electrical issue. The daytime running lights are controlled by a relay in the relay panel (under the dash). It's relay 173. See here for a writeup on how to remove it (not step by step, but gives an idea). The writeup shows how to disable the DRL by modifying the relay...while you don't want this, it gives you an idea on how to get to it.

I've never heard of that relay going bad, but it's an idea. If you have someone nearby who is willing to help out, you can try their relay 173 to see if that's the issue before going and buying one.

Other than that, have you checked your fuses?

Oh, and how are your highbeams? Something tells me that the DRLs are low voltage highbeams. I think they are on some cars, but maybe not on the VW. Just try your highbeams and see if they work (quickest test of all I mentioned). If both bulbs don't produce a highbeam light, then you probably need new bulbs.
 

je

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 6, 2000
Location
Chesterton Shores, Ontario
TDI
-
Toronto_Vento said:
Something tells me that the DRLs are low voltage highbeams. I think they are on some cars, but maybe not on the VW.
Have a look at this post: http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?p=2498758

There's only on + for low beams/DRL, it's combined after relay 173.

The mod that sends DRL to the parking lights (my last post in that thread) sends the low beam + to the parking lights, and the parking light + to the low beams. That's why the headlights stay on when the car is off, but the headlight switch set to 'off'.
 

Toronto_Vento

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 7, 2002
Location
Richmond Hill, ON
TDI
01 Baltic Green Bora
Yeah, you are right about the low beam thing. I played around with that mod in the fall (the one you linked to on vortex). Duh, forgot about it! Didn't work for me as I have a euroswitch.

Anyhow, back to the original poster....did you get things figured out? If not, did you make any changes to the car in the last while before the DRLs stopped working? It's odd that the DRLs would suddenly drop off.
 

jobilisa

New member
Joined
Feb 7, 2009
Location
Guelph
TDI
Jetta 2001
No did not make any changes on my car, and the high beams work fine.
Fanny thing somtimes when I let the car warm up for a while the day lights work fine ????
So they have a mind of their own.
I will try the relay 173, I wonder how expensive it is?

Thank s all for your reply
I love TDI s
 

Johhny04

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
Markham, Ontario
TDI
2003 Jetta TDi
I didn't want to create a new thread. Does anyone have a spare 173 relay? My DRL are not working. I checked the bulbs and they are okay. Fuses are good too. Hand brake switch works also. Please let me know. Thanks.
 
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