The exterior lighting on a vehicle offers a wealth of opportunities for customising the vehicle. Retrofitting LED rear combination lamps is a very popular modification. However, on modern vehicles it isn't enough to simply replace the lamps. In many cases the cables also need to be adjusted and the vehicle electric system control unit needs to be encoded accordingly. This page explains the work that needs to be done in these cases using the example of a Golf 6.
The number of different vehicle types is increasing from year to year. The success of “niche models” is further softening the delineation between traditional classifications such as station wagon, sedan, or van. In addition, new developments in the fields of driver assistance, communication, and safety systems are creating further distinctive features to fulfil customer wishes.
Modifications and tuning of the exterior lighting are in the Top 10 of customer wishes – particularly since the introduction of daytime running lights . Conversion to xenon headlights r LED rear combination lamps are also in demand.
However, the challenges involved in the installation of such lighting systems increase with the complexity of the products.
For some years now, control units have been controlling, regulating, and monitoring lighting functions. If different lamps or headlamps are installed in the vehicle, the control unit has to be “informed”. This is where “encoding” comes into the picture. During encoding, parameters are changed in the respective control unit to guarantee perfect operation of the lighting functions.
Cut the 6 cables in the middle so that you have 12 cables: One end with a crimp contact, the other without contact. Then shorten the cables to approx. 10 cm.
Click the cable ends equipped with the blade terminals into the connector (7N0 972 703) for the LED lamps.
Strip the other cable ends by approx. 6 mm and crimp contacts 8KW 863 931-003 in place. You will need a pair of pliers for non-insulated crimp contacts for this (HELLA no. 8PE 002 007-011).
During this working step, make sure that the LED connector with the red locking hoop is at the top and the crimp contacts are aligned evenly to one another. This prevents the cables twisting during subsequent connector assembly.
Click the cable ends with the blade terminals into the socket (191 972 713). Make sure the cables are in the right order! (Red locking hoop from connector and chamber numbers 1, 2, 3 from the socket must be visible from above).
Now repeat these working steps for the other three adapters
Open the trunk lid. Pull the side panel in the trunk backward and off so that the knurled-head screw is easy to reach.
Unlock the contact plug and remove it from the light.
Insert the adapter into the LED light (exterior light). Then push the red locking hoop to the limit stop toward the light.
Insert the LED light into the body and tighten using the knurled nut.
Caution! Heed the guides on the light during insertion.
Connect the adapter socket with the connector from the vehicle harness
Unlock and remove the flap from the trunk lid.
Caution! Unlatch the plastic strip on the side of the light and remove downward.
Insert the inner LED light into the body and tighten using the M8 screws. Click the plastic strip back onto the light.
Connect the adapter with the light and the vehicle harness.
Install all the removed parts in reverse order.
