Headlights

[03blackTDI]

I drive an 03 jetta and i was looking for a set of headlights either bulbs or the whole thing that are bright and look good
has amyone done an upgrade on this they were happy with or know of anything to try
thanks

 

[PeterV]

Jetta headlights are horrible. BUT I have the E-Codes and HIDs bulbs. NOW before any flames this upgrade was done well before the Jetta had the factory hids done. Absolute love the lights. Zero probs in 4 years.

 

[dieseldorf]

+

=

 

[jnecr]

I drive an 03 jetta and i was looking for a set of headlights either bulbs or the whole thing that are bright and look good
has amyone done an upgrade on this they were happy with or know of anything to try
thanks

do a search for ecodes and you'll find everything you'd ever want.

 

[Darren_J]

You can go to ebay and find a tonne of Jetta euro lights, you get what you pay for keep in mind. The best ecodes are made by Hella, you can find them at www.tmtuning.com or www.ecstuning.com.

 

[03blackTDI]

how does it look if you put silverstar bulbs in the oem headlight or is it a waste of my time??? I want to do something because the oem lights and bulbs are not too good but i dont want to spend a ton

 

[HopefulFred]

The problemn with the OEM jetta headlight is the reflector, not the bulb.

 

[pepper10]

The problemn with the OEM jetta headlight is the reflector, not the bulb.

Very true! Adding a more powerful bulb to a poorly designed reflector that doesn't focus light on the road only gives you more light dispersed away from the road....

E-codes baby! The only economical way to go. Saving money for those are money very well invested. Onece you go e-codes you never go back...

 

[03blackTDI]

so once i get the e code lights i just use a silverstar bulb
or do they come with a bulb...or what would you use

 

[03blackTDI]

oh yea one more thing...i like the smoked black ones...are they just as bright or not so much

 

[Ed's TDI]

E-codes don't usually come with bulbs but whichever vendor you buy from will more than likely have bulbs for them. I used the Philips Visions Plus bulbs in my E-codes and found them to be a great bulb. As for the smoked E-codes, they should have the same light output as the regular E-codes as the reflectors themselves aren't black, only the area around the reflectors inside the headlight housing.

 

[03blackTDI]

makes sense i guess

thanks

 

[pepper10]

I ordered my e-codes from Danix (tdiparts.com). Got a great deal and they came with bulbs. Service was top notch and fast!

 

[cmitchell]

Go with Hella e-codes. They're just great... plus you get fogs as well.

 

[03blackTDI]

how hard is it to replace the headlight switch because i do not have fog lights now

 

[kjmiller1]

I must have over-adjusted one of my headlights (even though the other side was much higher??) and I think something broke. If I bought some ECodes does anybody know if the part I broke (I've heard its not too uncommon so I'm guessing it broke where it breaks for everybody) will be replaced with the new unit? Maybe I need to some more investigation of my own problem

 

[Darren_J]

You either broke the adjusting screw, or rather, the plastic part of the headlamp that holds it all together or the ball socket has popped out. The new headlamp will come with it's own screws but you'll have to be wary of how much adjustment you are doing on the new lights, if the ABS plastic breaks it's pretty well impossible to repair correctly.

 

[Darren_J]

Push the dial of the headlamp switch in, turn to the right while pushing, keeping the dial turned pull the whole assy. out.

 

[compu_85]

Push the dial of the headlamp switch in, turn to the right while pushing, keeping the dial turned pull the whole assy. out.

Like this:

-J

 

[03blackTDI]

wow that is easy, well thanks guys should be getting the e codes shortly thanks again for your help

 

[PlaneCrazy]

I have the e-codes and they're great. I've done e-code conversions now on BMWs, Hondas, etc, and 2 Jettas. Not as difficult as it looks. Bulbs in the original housings don't do dick, and in most cases make things worse.

For real performance though, we have OEM HIDs in our Passat.

 

[03blackTDI]

do the ecodes use the existing wiring and everything...from what i understand its a few screws to do the change??? is that correct?

 

[PlaneCrazy]

e-codes are "plug and play" except for the foglights that need to be wired up with relays. You do need to remove the front bumper cover but that's easier than it sounds.

 

[c5loadmaster]

After reading this thread, I am going to look into doing the same thing on my Passat. When I was flying out of
Dover AFB to Deutschland, I would bring back goodies and put them on my Audi. Now that I'm in California and have a TDI I'll do the same with it. I'm not flying to Europe any more, it over the Pacific Ocean.

 

[PlaneCrazy]

For a B5.5 Passat, you won't get any advantages by putting in e-codes. The B5.5 DOT lights are already hybrid DOT/E-code (and in fact have an indentical pattern to the OEM euro HIDs). The Passat stock lights are excellent, far better then a Jetta's.

For improvement go for OEM HID. I wasn't going to but when I broke an aiming mechanism on one of my lights, I figured I had a good excuse to spring for HIDs

 

[c5loadmaster]

Hey Crazy,

What exactly are E Code Lights? I was thinking they were the Euro spec. When I put Euro spec headlamps on my A4 it made a big difference. Of course, you wouldn't come up behind a cop and turn on your hight beams, stupid.....
What I like about the Euro Spec headlights is the sharp cutoff light pattern and the flair to the right side of the road. That sharp cutoff makes it easier to aim the lights vertically and you could line them up with the rear of the cars ahead of you.

Rob

 

[PlaneCrazy]

E-code are indeed european spec headlights. Fortunately, perfectly legal up here in the eventually to be frozen North.

 

[c5loadmaster]

Hey Mike,

Did you put the bi-xenon lights on your Passat or did you order them with it from the dealer? Only the W8 Passat had the bi-xenon lights standard here in the lower 48. Where is Lac Brome in PQ? When I was stationed at Dover AFB, I did a mission to Goose Bay, Lab twice, thank God it was in the summertime.

Rob

 

[tomo366]

Euro W8 Bi-Xenons are Plug and play whereas the American W8 Bi-Xenons are not

 

[c5loadmaster]

Maybe I'm stupid ??? But what is Plug and Play where the American W8 wasn't.
Rob