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Help with Tiguan Headlights

8K views 12 replies 7 participants last post by  S1ngler 
#1 ·
Hi.

I went to change my front light bulbs (Low beam, high beam & drl's), on my 2013 tiguan, to white light halogen.
I found that after I changed the bulbs, the high beam was active as my DRL's & my DRL's were now my side lights ?
I changed the bulbs back to the original halogen bulbs, but the problem was still the same.
I thought that the light switch, with auto, may have become faulty ?
So changed for a new switch, but same fault occurs.

Checked every fuse, but none blown.

Anybody had a similar problem & any suggestions ?
 
#2 · (Edited by Moderator)
Have you made any coding changes at all? Can't conceive how replacing a bulb would have this effect. I've replaced cornering lights and fog lights on my tig, and headilights on misses previous polo all without experiencing anything like this.

Can you expand on precisely what you've changed, it would be useful to know the steps you took.

Are the main beams H7's and are the dip a combo bulb with DRL, or is this a combo with your sidelights?. Sorry i don't know the bulbs on the standard headlight but someone can probably chime in and add to this
 
#3 ·
Hi.

I just changed all the bulbs like for like, apart from being whiter halogen bulbs.

Low beam are H7's, High beam are H15's & DRL bulbs were W5W.

When I put the original bulbs back, stayed the same ?

Am sure that the headlights were not on as DRL before ?

Will nip out & take some pics
 
#4 ·
I have standard headlights on my 2013 Tiguan.

Low beam are H7.

High beam & DRL are H15, 55w for high beam 15w for DRL.

Sidelights area seperate small bulb W5W i think.

I'm not sure about fogs - think they are also H7.

DRLs should be on all the time ignition is live. Unless you turn them off in the settings on the dash.

"the high beam was active as my DRL's" this seems correct, asa bove DRL/High beam is one bulb, its just brighter on high beam.

"& my DRL's were now my side lights" Do you mean DRLs are lit when side lights are on? DRL's stay on all the time, Or do yuo mean the DRLs only lightup when the sidelights are on?
 
#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi Ian.

Many thanks for the info, I thought that the side lights (w5w) were the DRL's before I changed the bulbs ?

Have attached pics of different switch settings.

Should have taken to Halfords ?

Please all excuse my stupidity.
 

Attachments

#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
Looks right to me honestly. When in on off that is your DRLs not the high beams. They are a 15w element in the high beam envelope. When on park position your city markers are on and when in auto you main beam comes on because it's dark enough. Go into your MFD and you should be able to turn off DRLs under light and convenience.

I'll go out in a bit and take some pics unless the snow is too deep. Lol.
 
#8 · (Edited by Moderator)
First pic is your DRL's
Second is side/parking lights
Third is dipped beam.

You won't have changed any settings by just changing bulbs. You just didn't pay attention to what was what before you changed them over !
 
#9 ·
First pic is your DRL's
Second is side/parking lights
Third is dipped beam.

You won't have changed any settings by just changing bulbs. You just didn't pay attention to what was what before you changed them over !
Have a look at your high beams as well. The dipped and sidelights will be on, it will look like the DRLs are on but much brighter since the main beams use the 55w element in the bulb not the 15w that the DRL uses.

I have a 2012 Tig and I can turn the DRLs on/off in the MFD, as said above its in the Lighting and Convenience section.
 
#10 · (Edited by Moderator)
Hi Ian.

Many thanks for the info, I thought that the side lights (w5w) were the DRL's before I changed the bulbs ?

Have attached pics of different switch settings.

Should have taken to Halfords ?

Please all excuse my stupidity.
They are working as they should be.

Off = DRL, which is the H15 bulb (the 15W filament)
Middle = city light, which is W5W
Auto, and the light sensor thinks it's dark enough, your H7 dipped beams are on plus your city light.

the 15W filament of the H15 bulb has the lower shield, so light is only directed at the top of the reflector.

171691-halogen-h15-12v-15-55w-bulb-1533-
 
#12 ·
They are working as they should be.

Off = DRL, which is the H15 bulb (the 15W filament)
Middle = city light, which is W5W
Auto, and the light sensor thinks it's dark enough, your H7 dipped beams are on plus your city light.

the 15W filament of the H15 bulb has the lower shield, so light is only directed at the top of the reflector.

171691-halogen-h15-12v-15-55w-bulb-1533-
Hello, I also have dillema which is which light and created new thread before I've seen this about DRL on Tiguan MK1 (standard halogen headlights without LED )

If I understood you well when is light switch in position "0" H15 bulb works at 15W in DRL mode, but in dark when I turn hi-beams lever (switch) H15 bulb works different from DRL 15W in "0" light switch position?

Also when is daylight when is light switch in "Auto" position then only H4 dipped beam bulb works without W5W sidelight/parking bulb and in dark both H4 dipped beam and W5W sidelight/parking bulb and rear light bulbs work together?
 
#13 ·
Well I'll answer to myself. Today I've tested lights again in daylight and in period close to dark. Definitely in "0" position work just H15 15w filament for DRL, and also in "Auto" position when is daylight, but when is out close to dark light sensor turns in "Auto" position low beam lights and city lights but shuts down DRL.
I noticed that H15 bulb 15w filament differs from 55w high beam filament in lifespan specifications. For Osram standard line H15 bulbs says 2000 hours for 15w filament and 250 hours for 55w high beam filament. Osram Standard line H15 bulb has that ugly shade of yellow colour and Osram Cool Blue Intense has ok similar to Xenon look but too small lifespan almost 3 times less than standard bulb. What about H15 LED bulbs, did someone try KED H15 bulb on halogen headlight? I saw on Amazon some integrated H15 LED bulbs that come without additional cables and have shape like and housing like regular halogen bulb. They are pretty much expensive about 100 bucks for 2 bulbs but they look great.
 
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