What are these lamps for?

Yankinwaoz

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2005
Location
San Diego, CA
TDI
2012 Passat SE
I had a lamp out warning on my 2012 Passat. While trying to figure out what bulb is out, I noticed that there are two lamps on the headlight assembly that never turn on.

Can anyone tell me what these are? Why do they have bulbs if they aren't used?




Thank you.
 
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fredthe

Veteran Member
Joined
Jul 18, 2012
Location
Bowie, MD
TDI
2013 Passat SEL Premium DSG, 2015 Golf Sportwagon SEL DSG
Isn't that the daytime running lights? I just noticed that they are off when the parking brake is on, which is why they may be off for you.
 

sandmansans

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Location
NJ/PA
TDI
2014 Jetta
I had a lamp out warning on my 2012 Passat. While trying to figure out what bulb is out, I noticed that there are two lamps on the headlight assembly that never turn on.

Can anyone tell me what these are? Why do they have bulbs if they aren't used?




Thank you.
These are your "city lights" with the euro switch you can choose to turn these on. Or if you have vcds you can turn them on too. I have them on, so without the lights turned on I have my led DRL and the city bulbs.

Sent from my SM-N910V using Tapatalk
 

sandmansans

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2013
Location
NJ/PA
TDI
2014 Jetta
And they turn on of one of your low beam bulbs go out. That way you don't look like a motorcycle riding at night :)

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Yankinwaoz

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2005
Location
San Diego, CA
TDI
2012 Passat SE
I just tested again with the parking brake off. These lights don't come on. But it was dark. I will try again tomorrow in the day light and see if they are the DRL's.
 
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Herkguy

Veteran Member
Joined
Feb 11, 2013
Location
minneapolis
TDI
2013 passat SE sun/nav
Before you check anything else, try and see if the filament is burned out.
Those are the DRL and should be on anytime your headlights are off and parking brake off. did you buy this car used?

If so, someone may have changed your setting in VCDS which would allow you to turn them on/off in your settings on your MFD. Turn on the car and make sure lights are off, and parking brake off. With the car running, the only lights on should be those DRL( no orange bulbs or tails) Then cycle through your MFD settings using steering wheel buttons. when you get to lighting, enter that an see if the DRL option is there with a box. If it is, cycle to it and hit ok, that will check the box. they should then be on.
 
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Yankinwaoz

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 17, 2005
Location
San Diego, CA
TDI
2012 Passat SE
Figured it out. They are the DRL's.

The key is the parking brake. If the parking brake is set, the DRL's stay off. If the parking brake is released, these DRL's come on.

Sorry about wasting anyone's time. I just never occurred to me that the parking brake would alter the operation of the headlight system.

And I bought the car new. And I have not modded it.
 

tdiatlast

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Jan 21, 2009
Location
Fort Worth, Texas
TDI
2009 Sportwagen (boughtback); 2014 Passat TDI SEL (boughtback)
Figured it out. They are the DRL's.
The key is the parking brake. If the parking brake is set, the DRL's stay off. If the parking brake is released, these DRL's come on.
Sorry about wasting anyone's time. I just never occurred to me that the parking brake would alter the operation of the headlight system.
And I bought the car new. And I have not modded it.
DRLs are indeed tied into the parking brake in several models that I've experienced.
 
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