Christmas lights & the NMS

jrm

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2013
Location
Oregon
TDI
2013 Passat SE with nav (totaled)
Our local racetrack does a 2 mile long animated light display that you drive threw,( http://winterwonderlandportland.com/ ) requirement is you must drive with only parking lights- no head lights- I couldn't figure it out! They let me go, but with hazards on and the E-brake up one click to disable the DRL's but man, what a mess with the clicking of the hazards and the BEEEEEEEP from the "release parking brake" notification. Can this be fixed in VCDS? How does one drive or even idle with the parking lights on?
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Ha, that seems like a pretty dumb rule considering just how many cars are cursed with some sort of lame "uncontrollable" exterior lights. It isn't just Volkswagens.

Luckily, you can disable the DRLs with VCDS in the coding of the appropriate module, and if you want normal lights you can purchase a regular (often called European) headlamp switch.

That is how I have all my Volkswagens. Interestingly, I had to deal with this recently myself with my Sprinter, but that has a normal headlamp switch already and the DRLs go out when you turn the switch to the first running light position. Which is good, because its dedicated DRLs are quite bright and up high, and would have been right in the back window of the Accord in front of us going through the display. :(
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
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Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
You need to install a Euro switch in order to do parking lights only. North American VWs have been like this for nearly two decades. I agree, it's annoying.

Disabling DRLs won't help this particular situation since the requirement is parking lights. Disabling DRLs will either give you all lights, including headlights, or no lights at all.
 

BroncoAZ

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 25, 2009
Location
Flagstaff, AZ
TDI
2015 Touareg Lux, 2015 Passat 6MT, 2009 Jetta (long gone), 2011 Touareg (bought back 02/18)
So is it just the euro light switch, or does it need to be programmed too?
 

JSWTDI09

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 31, 2009
Location
Las Vegas, Nevada
TDI
2009 JSW TDI (gone but not forgotten)
So is it just the euro light switch, or does it need to be programmed too?
It is just a Euro switch to turn on parking lights without headlights. Turning off DRLs (daytime running lights) requires programming or lifting the parking brake handle a notch.

Have Fun!

Don
 

jck66

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 4, 2001
Location
Greenwich, CT, USA
TDI
12 Passat SE / 14 BMW 535d
Is there such a thing as a euro switch for the NMS? The car wasn't offered in Europe.

I had one on my B4 that did the trick for parking lights only (BTW that car had no "parking brake one notch to shut off DRL" trick - you had to go under the hood and unplug 'em like a man!) :)
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Is there such a thing as a euro switch for the NMS? The car wasn't offered in Europe.
Yes, because the NMS uses a common VAG headlamp switch from the corporate parts bin. Also, they DO sell the NMS Passat in other markets, most of which would get a normal headlamp switch anyway. I bet you can go down the assembly line here and see a few that are for export equipped that way.

The "Euro" moniker may not be the best name, more like "RoW" (Rest of World).
 

VeeDubTDI

Wanderluster, Traveler, TDIClub Enthusiast
Joined
Jul 2, 2000
Location
Springfield, VA
TDI
‘18 Tesla Model 3D+, ‘14 Cadillac ELR, ‘13 Fiat 500e
Is there such a thing as a euro switch for the NMS? The car wasn't offered in Europe.

I had one on my B4 that did the trick for parking lights only (BTW that car had no "parking brake one notch to shut off DRL" trick - you had to go under the hood and unplug 'em like a man!) :)
Yes. We have one in our Passat. If you switch it to parking lights, the DRLs do not illuminate.
 

compu_85

Gadget Guy
Joined
Sep 29, 2003
Location
La Conner, WA
TDI
... None :S
With VCDS, you can also put a DRL on/off setting in the "Lights & Vision" MFI menu, and also program the system such that the DRLs only come on when the headlight switch is in Auto.

-J
 

Jetta_Pilot

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 14, 2005
Location
West Hill, Ont.
TDI
2015 Passat Highline TDI Candy White (SEL Premium) long gone 2002 Jetta TDI
While using the VCDS is a workable albeit very expensive solution if someone does not own one!
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
VCDS is hardly what I would call "very expensive".

Would you like to see our shop's expenses for this month for some of our software for other makes?

The Toyota system alone is $1100 every year. Every year. And it will stop working after a year, it isn't like it just won't do updates any more. It stop working.

I am still using the same VCDS cable I bought 15 years ago. Every update has been free. ;)
 

jrm

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 24, 2013
Location
Oregon
TDI
2013 Passat SE with nav (totaled)
I have the cable, was my first purchase- I'm home next week so i'll dig in coding and kill the DRL and check out that ROW switch, iv needed parking lights a few times now as I'm also a rural emergency responder and iv had to let it idle in extreme weather with the headlights on- cant shut it down with a weak heater core :(
 
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