Can you help me with my headlights?

Jeepaholic

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 1, 2013
Location
Fenton, MI
TDI
1999 Golf, two door. Manual trans, manual everything else.
Just got my first TDI a few weeks ago. The previous owner installed "European headlights and Euro headlight switch" but that's all I know. I found some installation instructions (French) in the glove box. They were from Bosch, so that's a good sign that they are good quality.
The light pattern sucks, but I think they were aimed to help the guys working on the International Space Station, not to light the roadway. I have got them closer to where I'd expect them to be, haven't gone through the work of marking off the points on my garage door to aim them properly.
The real issue I have, and the one I'm hoping you can help me with is, what bulb is supposed to do what? Basically, I have don't have high-beams or fog lights. Here's what I have:

Am I right with the bulbs I think should be high-beam and the fog?
I poked around just a little and didn't see any wiring splices or jumper harness so it looks like it was a quality plug and play affair so what could have been done wrong? What's with the "Euro headlight switch"? It looks just like any other one I've seen at the junk yard or in pics. I don't have rear fogs either, though I do have the indicator on the dash.

I know this is a long post, and I hope it makes sense. If I know what bulb does what I think I can use that info along with a test light and multimeter to make this work.
 

Jeepaholic

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 1, 2013
Location
Fenton, MI
TDI
1999 Golf, two door. Manual trans, manual everything else.
So, either everybody on this board is stumped, or?
Maybe I should do a write-up when I get it wired correctly in case someone else runs into this in the future.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I have the same setup in my Golf. You have them labeled correctly. My car never had fog lamps, and my car was not prewired for it (some German built cars were, however).

They are about 300% superior to the DOT headlamps that were in there. I run Osram Silverstar Ultra bulbs, and of course no DRLs (that was just an American/Canadian thing).

They are, however, plug 'n play beyond the fog lamp part. The city lights, low beams, and high beams should all work normally. Does your high beam blue indicator work as it should?
 

Jeepaholic

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 1, 2013
Location
Fenton, MI
TDI
1999 Golf, two door. Manual trans, manual everything else.
Yeah, now that they are aimed almost correctly, they are very nice. And no, my high-beam indicator does not work.
 

RacerTodd

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 28, 2007
Location
Kirkland, WA
TDI
2001 Golf TDI
What's with the "Euro headlight switch"? It looks just like any other one I've seen at the junk yard or in pics.
The US switch only has ON and OFF positions.

The Euro switch has ON, PARKING LIGHTS, OFF. In the ON position you get low beam headlamps. In the PARKING LIGHTS position, you get the parking lights ("marker lamp" in your pic) plus the side marker and tail lights.
 

Seatman

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Apr 23, 2010
Location
Scotland
TDI
2014 Skoda rapid elegance 1.6 cr tdi
If you pull back on the indicator stalk do the high beams come on?
 

Jeepaholic

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 1, 2013
Location
Fenton, MI
TDI
1999 Golf, two door. Manual trans, manual everything else.
If you pull back on the indicator stalk do the high beams come on?
No, pulling back or pushing forward does not make them come on. There's no indicator in the dash either. I don't have time too do much during the week to do anything more than put diesel in the tank, but this weekend I'm going to start poking around. Can anyone tell me where the relay for the fogs and high-beams would me? Is there a central fuse/relay box or are they in various places along the fender or fire wall?
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
You probably have a bad stalk switch, but that is just a guess based on your description. It would seem really strange that BOTH high beam bulbs AND the blue indicator fail to work for BOTH the on and flash-to-pass parts. The only common part is the switch.
 

Jeepaholic

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 1, 2013
Location
Fenton, MI
TDI
1999 Golf, two door. Manual trans, manual everything else.
Thanks oilhammer. I'll check that out. The first thing I'd do (after checking the real simple stuff like fuses and relays) would have been to see if power was even getting to the bulbs and I suppose that would point me in that direction.
 
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