Lighting Pkg Swap

Blue_Hen_TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Location
Slower, DE
TDI
owned: 96 B4V, 06 Golf, 12 NMS, 15 GSW
I own a GTI with factory lighting package option (i.e. adaptive bi-xenons) and a GSW S with halogens.

I will almost certainly be parting with the GTI before the TDI, so when that time comes, how difficult/plausible would it be to swap the headlights between the two cars? I own VCDS and don’t really care about the red stripe running through the GTI lights. They are so much better than the halogens it’s ridiculous. Would be a shame not to keep them.
 

CWill

Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2017
Location
Upstate ny
TDI
2015 GSW S
I wouldn't do the swap, with that come a lot of bs with the auto leveling motors and what not, I would just buy a set of golf r reps and pop them in, they are plug and play and it's a lot less of a hassle


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740GLE

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2009
Location
NH
TDI
2015 Passat SEL, 2017 Alltrack SE; BB 2010 Sedan Man; 2012 Passat,
Head over to 'tex if you want to see the ins and outs of the swap, I'm sure someone over there went through all the troubles.

You won't get the full features of OEM lights from any third party headlights, but from what I've read many owners are very happy with the results.
 

Blue_Hen_TDI

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 23, 2005
Location
Slower, DE
TDI
owned: 96 B4V, 06 Golf, 12 NMS, 15 GSW
I saw a write up on GolfMk7 and there’s Norfolking Way I’d take on this project now. It took three lengthy posts with diagrams and pics to explain it.

Pass.
 

Mrrogers1

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 25, 2006
Location
Omaha NEEEBRASKA
TDI
2011 Golf TDI 6MT, 2011 Jetta TDI DSG, 2015 Golf Sportwagen S TDI DSG
I saw a write up on GolfMk7 and there’s Norfolking Way I’d take on this project now. It took three lengthy posts with diagrams and pics to explain it.

Pass.
You really meant never right? :D

Get some of Ed's reps, they are great!
 

Borsig

Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Oct 22, 2009
Location
va
TDI
2015 Golf TDI SE, 2015 GSW SEL (buyback), 2011 JSW (sold)
+1 for BEC auto parts.

Id never try a retrofit. More than you'd ever think going into that
 

msantram

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2013
Location
PA & NYC
TDI
2011 SportWagen TDI DSG (Buyback 2018.01.30)
i swapped in '10 GTI lights with all the fixins into my 11" Wagen. It was a lot of work, a lot of VCDS nightmares, but I do believe it can be done. If you are patient enough and do get the right ECM, it may be possible, even with the leveling. YMMV.
 

jason_

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 2, 2014
Location
michigan
TDI
2015 s wagon dsg
If you're aware of the sheer amount of bcm light addressing.. Good luck. I'll shake your hand if you manage to get it right too.

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manyVAGs

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 5, 2015
Location
Southington, CT
TDI
2015 Golf Sportwagen TDI
In the old days when a headlight was a simple 12V filament light bulb, swapping headlights was easy. Now with headlights containing motors for leveling and steering and multiple bulbs of different types it almost impossible. I know in the Audi world if you change from one type of bulb to another and the current draw is not correct you will have to live with a bulb warning on the dash, VW may do something similar. Also, each type of headlight assembly very likely has a different harness since halogens are about 85 watts, HID’s are about 65 watts and LED’s are 25 watts. The different current draws are significant enough that it would not surprise me if the harness for LED’s was completely different with lighter gauge wire and different connectors.

Like others here I am not saying it is impossible but there are a large number of potential gotcha’s. I am sure there are people on this forum with the skills and the persistence to find out if this can be done, if you are one of them, go for it and let the rest of us know what you discover.
 

KITEWAGON

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 29, 2009
Location
Seacoast, NH
TDI
2014 Touareg Exec, 2014 JSW
In the old days when a headlight was a simple 12V filament light bulb, swapping headlights was easy. Now with headlights containing motors for leveling and steering and multiple bulbs of different types it almost impossible. I know in the Audi world if you change from one type of bulb to another and the current draw is not correct you will have to live with a bulb warning on the dash, VW may do something similar.
I swapped my MK6 to Euro LED tail lights. They did throw a code, but it was easy to fix with VAGCOM. The other option is to use adapters with resistors built in, but I definitely prefer the OEM fix.

I think the headlights are a whole different story between the ballasts, leveling motors, etc. Its too bad because the lighting package really is great and it would be nice if it could be swapped on later. It seems like they didn't option that many TDI's with the lighting package. Its crazy to me that it wasn't automatically included in the SEL spec.
 
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