LED headlights?

procupine14

Veteran Member
Joined
May 20, 2010
Location
Kansas City, MO
TDI
2003 Beetle 5sp
So, I've been browsing around awhile now searching for something to replace the halogen bulbs on my Beetle. They seem to burn out very frequently and I'm growing tired of replacing them. Not sure if anyone else has this problem or not but hey. Essentially, I take all the precautions with not touching the bulb and carefully putting the bulb in place and I've already had two burn out on me in 6,000 miles or so of eachother. Really starting to get annoyed as I always replace the pair every time to eliminate differences in the bulb. This time I might just replace the one.

Any way, on to the question at hand. I wonder if something like this would work inplace of my low beams.



They are basically an H1 LED replacement bulb. Technically, they are meant for use as fog lights but I can't help but wonder what their output would look like in the projector housing. If they proved successful this might be the answer to my problem.

As another note, I have also thought about a Euro switch/ disable the DRLs to save the bulbs but I just don't know which direction to go.
 

20IndigoBlue02

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 22, 2001
Location
Was North NJ, now SoCal
TDI
2002 Golf TDI-- deceased
no. they are for cosmetic only.

You do not need a euroswitch to disable the DRLs. Just bend down or cover the "TFL" pin on the headlight switch to disable the DRLs.

if you find this info useful, send me a package of the Crown Prime Beef Short Rib from Jack Stack's:D
 

procupine14

Veteran Member
Joined
May 20, 2010
Location
Kansas City, MO
TDI
2003 Beetle 5sp
Yeah....sadly I figured so. I'm just getting real tired of pulling the headlights on this car. They aren't exactly fun ;). I might just have to either disable the DRLs some day in the near future or figure out some longer lasting bulbs.

I think that the issue is the amount of time that I spend behind the wheel in one day coupled with the DRLs being on all the time are eating my headlights.

Man Jack Stack is some good stuff! I haven't been there in awhile. I should probably work on that. Also, if there was an easy way to FedEx hot barbeque across the county I might be tempted. In any case thanks a lot. I didn't really know about the DRL thing yet because I hadn't done any research. Though, at the same time I think having a euro switch with the reag fog etc would be pretty cool :).
 
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B52guy

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2005
Location
Niceville, Florida
TDI
Jetta, 2001, 5 speed
LED headlights

I know that the Prius V, Nissian Leaf, and I think the Tesla Roadster all have LED headlights. I wonder if anyone has taken a look at trying to adapt the headlights out of a Prius yet.
 

procupine14

Veteran Member
Joined
May 20, 2010
Location
Kansas City, MO
TDI
2003 Beetle 5sp
yeah, I did some reading up on the prius set of lows and there are three arrays of LEDs in order to get a proper beam spread to provide enough visability. There two projectors one diffused one standard and then a third "flood" above the two projectors on the lense. The high beams are still HID on the Prius as expected.
 

20IndigoBlue02

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 22, 2001
Location
Was North NJ, now SoCal
TDI
2002 Golf TDI-- deceased
Yeah....sadly I figured so. I'm just getting real tired of pulling the headlights on this car. They aren't exactly fun ;). I might just have to either disable the DRLs some day in the near future or figure out some longer lasting bulbs.

I think that the issue is the amount of time that I spend behind the wheel in one day coupled with the DRLs being on all the time are eating my headlights.

Man Jack Stack is some good stuff! I haven't been there in awhile. I should probably work on that. Also, if there was an easy way to FedEx hot barbeque across the county I might be tempted. In any case thanks a lot. I didn't really know about the DRL thing yet because I hadn't done any research. Though, at the same time I think having a euro switch with the reag fog etc would be pretty cool :).
I frequently go out to the KCMO area for business, usually try to hit Jack Stack's when I go out there.

In addition to disabling DRLs, may want to consider an H1 HID kit to put into the projectors.
 

MrBigTruck

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 24, 2009
Location
Kansas, USA
TDI
2000 Beetle, 2000 GTI ALH swap, 2006 Jetta, 2006 Jetta, 2008 Mercedes GL320 CDI
I got tired of mine burning out too so I finally just disabled the DRLs. Not only are the bulbs a pain to replace, it gets expensive. I figure I drive 75% day/25% night so now instead of my headlights pointlessly burning themselves out by running all the time, they're only on when needed. Same reason the high beams typically outlast the low beams.
 

procupine14

Veteran Member
Joined
May 20, 2010
Location
Kansas City, MO
TDI
2003 Beetle 5sp
I frequently go out to the KCMO area for business, usually try to hit Jack Stack's when I go out there.

In addition to disabling DRLs, may want to consider an H1 HID kit to put into the projectors.
You know I was thinking about that. HIDs seem like a good approach. Are the stock projectors able to handle HIDs? I think that they are but I wasn't sure. That might be the route that I go eventually but I will definitely be disabling the DRLs before doing that because if I'm going to spend the money on HID bulbs I'm sure not going to waste even more expensive bulbs on DRLs.

I realize that they may be safer or what not but why in the world isn't there a separate light for the DRLs? Seems like with the immense size of the Beetle's lights that it wouldn't be that difficult to have a third light in there.
 

dogdots

Vendor
Joined
Sep 4, 2002
Location
Kansas City
TDI
None
I frequently go out to the KCMO area for business, usually try to hit Jack Stack's when I go out there.

In addition to disabling DRLs, may want to consider an H1 HID kit to put into the projectors.
Jack Stack is a customer of mine, they have a shipping office in the caves and if you have a fat wallet you can have any Jack Stack menu item you want in 2 days shipped to your door ;)

I about fell over when I overheard what 2 slabs of ribs shipped was while I was there working on their copier. IIRC $70.00 plus $19.00 for 2nd day shipping puts you at $89.00 :eek:

Next time you get to KC stop by RJ's Bob - B - Q here in Mission KS. Great stuff too.
 

20IndigoBlue02

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 22, 2001
Location
Was North NJ, now SoCal
TDI
2002 Golf TDI-- deceased
Jack Stack is a customer of mine, they have a shipping office in the caves and if you have a fat wallet you can have any Jack Stack menu item you want in 2 days shipped to your door ;)

I about fell over when I overheard what 2 slabs of ribs shipped was while I was there working on their copier. IIRC $70.00 plus $19.00 for 2nd day shipping puts you at $89.00 :eek:

Next time you get to KC stop by RJ's Bob - B - Q here in Mission KS. Great stuff too.
when you eat there, they usually give you a coupon for free shipping.

I'll have to stop by RJ's Bob-B-Q when I go there next week.
 

mohawk69

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2005
Location
Richmond Hill, GA (Savannah)
TDI
1996 B4, 1996 B4V, 2000 Beetle TDI
My daughters 2000 Beetle was blowing headlights frequently too. The last time I replaced the bulb, I removed much of the crumbling wire insulation near the connector, painted it with the vinyl tool coating "paint" and covered it further with shrink tubing. That was quite a while ago and the last time I had to replace a bulb.
 

mlemorie

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2009
Location
Romulus Michigan
TDI
2004 Jetta
If the harness is coming apart like that, it will cause the lights to burn out quicker for some reason. You can get that harness seperate of the whole assembly, or you can try to repair it like mohawk says but Ive found that repairing the harness is usually hit or miss.
 

felixcasio

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 25, 2005
Location
Miami FL
TDI
golf gls tdi 1999.5 green
these are supposed to be h7's, would these not work as a direct replacement for the halogen bulbs?
 

AARodriguez Corp.

TDIClub Enthusiast, Vendor , w/Business number
Joined
Nov 30, 2008
Location
South East USA
TDI
2009 JSW and Golf 2004 TDI
My daughters 2000 Beetle was blowing headlights frequently too. The last time I replaced the bulb, I removed much of the crumbling wire insulation near the connector, painted it with the vinyl tool coating "paint" and covered it further with shrink tubing. That was quite a while ago and the last time I had to replace a bulb.

When I changed my yellow plastic lenses to glass lenses I also replaced my wiring harness 1 wire at a time with a soldering gun and shrink tubing. I haven't blow anymore bulbs since then on either car.
 

felixcasio

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 25, 2005
Location
Miami FL
TDI
golf gls tdi 1999.5 green
I just bought these for my low beams. They dont light the road for crap. I'm sure they will last forever and they are cool to the touch and they look cooler but are by no means any more powerful than standard bulbs.
 

Joe_Meehan

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 3, 2005
Location
Ohio USA
TDI
NB TDI, 2002.5, Silver
You do know that you should not touch the new lamps with your fingers when installing them don't you? Are you also aware that in DRL mode they are run at a reduced voltage to maximize their life.

Yea, getting to them (at least on my NB) is a total pain. The worse I have have had on any car. Why can't they return to the old sealed beams.
 

cleaver

Veteran Member
Joined
May 8, 2006
Location
Berwick, Nova Scotia
TDI
None - did own '01 and '02 Jetta TDI
You do know that you should not touch the new lamps with your fingers when installing them don't you? Are you also aware that in DRL mode they are run at a reduced voltage to maximize their life.

Yea, getting to them (at least on my NB) is a total pain. The worse I have have had on any car. Why can't they return to the old sealed beams.
I know many people say that the headlights run in reduced voltage when in DRL but has anyone ever measured the voltage. If the voltage is lower, shouldn't the brightness be lower? On my '02, when I start my car at night and then turn on my headlights, the brightness does not change.

I burn out a single bulb about once every 8-10 months. I replace them one at a time, I have also burned out my highbeam filament, but only once (each)over my 570,000km. BTW, 8 months correlates to about 45,000km.
 

Steve-o

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 13, 1999
Location
Saint Paul, Minnesota, USA
TDI
2003 Jetta Wagon
On my '02, when I start my car at night and then turn on my headlights, the brightness does not change.
What I've read (the manual?) states that the DRLs light at 90% of low beam, so it's little wonder that the difference is almost imperceptible -- or why bulbs burn out so quickly.
 

Doug Huffman

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 7, 2000
Location
Washington Island, on the other side of Death's Do
TDI
Jetta Wagon 2K3 Silver gone to new home
Amusing. Someone incapable of using halogens, a well known and reliable technology, is progressing to cutting edge politically correct alternatives. I'm on my second set of bulbs, generic after-market long lived conventional reliable cheap. A fool and his money are soon parted, more money than good sense.
 

scurvy

Good Ol' Boy
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
Chicago IL USA
TDI
2006 Golf
\I'm just getting real tired of pulling the headlights on this car. They aren't exactly fun.
Yea, getting to them (at least on my NB) is a total pain. The worse I have have had on any car.
Really? The headlights on the NB are easier to remove & replace than any other car I've ever driven - you get to take the entire headlight assembly out! Only takes about a minute flat to have them both out of the car and then you get to replace the bulbs with fantastic access.

Getting them back in can be a bit fiddly to line up the sliders so they seat completely - maybe takes 90 seconds per side - but I'll take a NB headlight replacement over a Golf any day. And that one's even pretty easy.
 

Joe_Meehan

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 3, 2005
Location
Ohio USA
TDI
NB TDI, 2002.5, Silver
Really? The headlights on the NB are easier to remove & replace than any other car I've ever driven -…
I worked on them and finally had the dealer do it. It did not look like the tech was having fun either. Maybe different years have i different systems.
 

Joe_Meehan

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Sep 3, 2005
Location
Ohio USA
TDI
NB TDI, 2002.5, Silver
What I've read (the manual?) states that the DRLs light at 90% of low beam,

It varies, but in general even a small difference like 10% can make a big difference in the results.

Back in college we worked on measuring the differences. As I recall with the specific examples we used, even something as small as 10% voltage difference could mean over 100% increased life. Taken to the extreme, look at the old flash bulbs ……. Ok not really comparable.

As I recall VW runs them at something like 70% of the 12 volt and that increases the life something like 3X with a 40 - 60% reduced light. (Note, most people can not easily detect less than about 50% or more.)

Again, I would like to repeat that I am not sure that Vw has or has not made any changes in this area from model to model or year to year. VW has made some mid year changes and my TDI is a 2002.5 model.

If I was going to be in Chicago, I sure would like to stop by and let you show me the procedure you used.

Hey, could you record it and post a link to the video? I think that would be great.
 

scurvy

Good Ol' Boy
Joined
Feb 21, 2006
Location
Chicago IL USA
TDI
2006 Golf
Push in a tab, pull up on the release lever, slide the headlight out and disconnect the wiring connector. Easy. All NBs I've ever seen have had the same system. Never taken me more than a minute a side after the first time.


Grease the rails with Super Lube the first time you take them out and they'll always be easy to remove & put back in. Fix it once, fix it for life.
 
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