OEM HID quick question

[bizalich]

Hello out there--

I know that there are many people out there with the HID headlights... either the OEM R32 or some other type.

I am thinking about buying some HID, but thought that i saw that the HID is only the high-beams. Does this make sense? What is the point of two thousand dollar headlights with auto-leveling and all that jazz if only the high beams are HID?

Can someone correct me on this? Am i losing it? Help?

Rob

 

[danix]

The HID portion is the low beam, which is what you use 90% of the time unless you live in rural Vermont.

While bixenon would be ideal, I am very happy with the performance of the low beam xenon. The high beams on the jetta lights are extremely narrowly focused, more so than ecodes, so they really are only good for when you are on a straight, dark road and need to see a mile ahead of you.

 

[Pat Dolan]

Hello out there--

I am thinking about buying some HID, but thought that i saw that the HID is only the high-beams. Does this make sense? What is the point of two thousand dollar headlights with auto-leveling and all that jazz if only the high beams are HID?

Can someone correct me on this? Am i losing it? Help?

Rob

Hella makes a 90mm dual-beam module for A4 Golf that is either Halogen high and low units or halogen low and HID high (available in Canada, not US). This is no doubt the one you had recalled. Usually, it is HID low (on all of the time) and halogen high, but for some reason, this one is the other way around. You need levelling for low due to the critical cutoff, but you also need it for high because an HID high reaches so far down the road that aim is ultra-critical.

Personally, I would rather bi-xenon at any price.

 

[arootbeer]

For Golfs, somebody also makes a triple round that comes with bi-xenon as an option. I think it's Hella; it's displayed on the Wings West golf.

 

[mtltdi]

the nice thing with the manual levelers on the OEM HID's is that you can point them a little higher and use them for longer distance viewing when the road is clear.

The Golf also keeps the low and HIGH beams illuminated at the same time which is good IMO.

I drove up north with the stock headlights and was veryy disappointed, the OEM HID's are a joy to have in comparison, in fog you can point them a little lower, but with the sharp cutoff you rarely have to do that.

I was also looking at the Hella Bi-Xenon's, but with the amount of flicking you have to do with high beams it would be rough on them, seeing as how they have to warm up for 15-20 seconds.

My ideal headlight would be the OEM HID, but with the integrated fog light for DRL use. The flasher would need a brighter bulb though.

pgperformance.com has the Hella's in their used parts section if that's what you're looking for. Bi-Xenons for $1600 cdn.

pic from their site.

 

[skicrave]

I have a quick question about OEM HIDs and didn't want to start a new thread (plus it is slightly on topic in this thread).

I just installed a set in my Jetta, and noticed that the dipped light turns off when using the high beams. That's a surprise to me, and I'm wondering if that's how they're supposed to work, or if the low beam should stay on all of the time (like most other Xenon low/Halogen high setups).

 

[DC-TDIWagon]

You need to rewire your car since the OEM Jetta headlights are dual filament and only have one or the other on. You need to switch around some wires to your stalk to make it work like the Golf does. If you have a Bentley the wiring diagram will show you the difference between the two. I highly suggest doing this since just the high beams by themselves are not very good.

In short, your lights aren't right.

 

[tongsli]

In short, your lights aren't right.

Mine work the same way. Don't yours Brian? That's the factory setup.

Lito

 

[VW Derf]

Here is a Vortex thread on wiring low beams up with the high. This is only for HID as the two are not shared. I didn't take the steering wheel of myself, just opened it up, made one cut, ran the wire and reconnected. It doesn't take too long to do.

 

[cevans]

Yep,

You definitely need to enable both to be on. The link to the voretx thread is supposedly how Golfs are wired OEM, with the low and high on at the same time. Performing the mod will also save some wear on your ballasts and ignitors.

cevans

 

[DC-TDIWagon]

In short, your lights aren't right.

Mine work the same way. Don't yours Brian? That's the factory setup.

Lito

I shouldn't have said the lights aren't right. The setup isn't right.

Lito, yes mine worked that way when I first put them in but I rewired them. You did too, didn't you?

 

[tongsli]

I didn't, but do agree the high beams suck compared to the HID's.

The HID's are so good that I rarely need to use the high beams.

I'll consider doing the re-wiring.

Lito

 

[skicrave]

Thanks guys, that's exactly what I was thinking. It makes sense since the 9007 is a shared filament bulb.

It sure is great to have decent light again, the NA housings really are junk.

Thanks!

 

[bigmacf1]

Hi Lito,

I have my Jetta re-wired since day-one I had my HID, well actually a few week before that. If you need, I can dig out the information on how to do the re-wiring.

Herbert

 

[tongsli]

Herbert,

Yes, that'd be a great help. Man I'm so depressed you're de-modding your Bora.

L

 

[Tyler Gee]

Lito, I am surprised you didn't upgrade the wires before. I did the wire changes almost four years ago before Bentley upgraded the wire lists by tracing the wires in my NB. That was a PIA but then I did have my car stripped to the frame for almost eight months. Did you ever add the four wires in to enable the European "standing lights" ? I think I sent you a list of the wire changes but that was a long time ago.

 

[tongsli]

Never did the parking lights. Just didn't see it as useful. Although when we were in Hamburg last year, my friend did put them on in her Audi.

I'll go back through my email to see if I still have your information.

thanks,

L

 

[bigmacf1]

I had an police experience on my Europe parking light. Basically I left it on the driver side, a policeman just walk into the restaurant I was in to ask for the owner of the Jetta because only one side of the parking lights are on. So I went out with the policeman to show him how the parking lights on European way setup will work. Told him that it's standard feature on BMW and Mercedes Benz sold in Canada so that he's aware of it.

 

[DC-TDIWagon]

Never did the parking lights. Just didn't see it as useful.
thanks,

L

Can someone explain to me what you are talking about with the parking lights?

 

[Occams_Razor]

Never did the parking lights. Just didn't see it as useful.
thanks,

L

Can someone explain to me what you are talking about with the parking lights?

Euro cars have a neat little feature that when you park your car and move your turn signal stalk off center they will light up the parking lights on just the side the stalk is turned to. (I guess it helps with the narrow euro streets. Same as the folding, smaller rear view mirrors.)

It is not hard to do but I really have only used it maybe once since I did the installation.

 

[Kayakkermit]

Whats the point? I'd rather people know where *both* corners of my car are. Maybe I'm just missing something?

 

[DC-TDIWagon]

Thanks for the explanation. Doesn't sound like its worth the effort unless you wanted everything in your car to be fully Euro.

 

[cevans]

Whats the point? I'd rather people know where *both* corners of my car are. Maybe I'm just missing something?

I installed them and use them very often. If I'm parked on the side of the street, I'm pretty sure people don't need to see both corners of my car, the outside corner suffices. I find them useful in rainy/foggy conditions where the reflectors built into the lights aren't very effective.

As for that high beam link, here ya go!
http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=1167457

cevans

 

[Tyler Gee]

Many streets in Europe are still not lighted at night. The standing lights are required to be on all night long if you are parked on an unlighted street. Because only the street side marker lights front and rear are lighted and not the instrument panel, or licence plate lights the current draw is low enough not to drain the battery, and allow you to start it in the morning.

 

[Kayakkermit]

Now it makes sense to me. I haven't had to park at the side of the road at night in so long that I didn't even think of that.

 

[superfastsilver]

Did you ever add the four wires in to enable the European "standing lights" ? I think I sent you a list of the wire changes but that was a long time ago.

Care to share which ones??

I would love to do this mod..

Never mind, found it: Signal stalk wiring for Parking lights