LED sidelight issue???

[mk4gti-t]

My led sidelights have started playing up 

They light up but after about 5 seconds both turn off. Ive tried another set but they are exactly the same.....

They've been fine for about 3 months but suddenly started doing this.

Could it be anything to do with the colder weather? It's bringing up the light out error on the dash also.

Any ideas???

[DamoP]

My led sidelights have started playing up 

They light up but after about 5 seconds both turn off. Ive tried another set but they are exactly the same.....

They've been fine for about 3 months but suddenly started doing this.

Could it be anything to do with the colder weather? It's bringing up the light out error on the dash also.

Any ideas???

I'll be watching this thread as just fitted some myself

[Shoduchi]

Get a pair from Bold Sport. People in this forum talk highly of their quality. I've fitted a pair from them recently, so it's too soon for me to know if they're as good as people say.

[jason_rmh]

I get the same issue, they've been fine all year, now the cold weather has set in, bulb error after 5 secs.
I've tried a few different sets too.

I've got another set on order, I'll post up results.
Jas

[mk4gti-t]

Cheers jase. I've put a set of standard 501 lamps in and they are fine 

[mk4gti-t]

Anyone know why this is happening though?

[jason_rmh]

After trying cheaper options, I ordered some mtec extreme cree leds.
http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/mtec-501-w5w-extreme-evolution-5w-cree-smd-canbus-led-bulbs-white/

These didnt work either :(
Maybe the only reliable option is to fit resistors to prevent the error.

Jas

[jason_rmh]

Anyone know why this is happening though?

I think the LEDs have small built in resistors, designed to prevent the bulb error.
However they eventually burn out.

Other sets I have tried give errors straight away and so I guess inline or plug n play type resistors need to be used.

Jas

[DamoP]

i was in the -1's at work the other day and mine still had no issues

[Andy]

I put led in mine a while ago with no errors at all but j swapped them for philips w 5 w blue version side lights  but shine white

[paulw123]

Mine have just started flickering on start up, could be cold weather or they are aging badly......obviously the opposite to myself...

[Shoduchi]

Mine have just started flickering on start up, could be cold weather or they are aging badly......obviously the opposite to myself...

Are you sure they weren't flickering before? Mine always flickered at start up because of the cold diagnostic tests. I searched online about this for a better explanation:

Cold diagnostics are very rapid sequence of current pulses through a particular circuit, BEFORE that circuit is activated. What the car is doing is looking for a specific resistance along that circuit (which the incandescent bulb will provide) or an incomplete circuit. If it doesn't find it (or finds an incomplete circuit), then you get a bulb out indicator, and in some cases (like the license plate lights for example) the car will then shut off power to that circuit as well.

LED's require much less power than incandescents and are so sensitive to these brief pulses that they will actually light up during these 'pings', hence the flicker you see. If you have LED tails without CD disabled, the lights put on quite a light show every time you turn the ignition.

Now as to the WHY it's harmful, I wish I had a more specific answer but I can imagine the rapid on-off sequence can't be good for ANY bulb (think rapidly flashing HID bulbs... not good right?). With an incandescent bulb, there is enough resistance to satisfy the test, but not enough power provided to actually turn the bulb on (unlike an LED). Eventually, from what the interweb says (I don't care to be a guinea pig), the LED's eventually fail (plus it was found that VW's with LED tails have CD disabled.)

Now this being said, EVEN with CD disabled, the car will still monitor certain circuits as soon as you activate a particular circuit (aka Hot Diagnostics - don't think this can be disabled). So if you disabled license plate CD and removed one bulb, guess what ... bulb out indicator.

Link: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthread.php?5562465-LED-cold-diagnostic-question

After reading this I guess I should turn off the cold diagnostics of my sidelights, rear lights and license plate...

The Valeos never complained about this and I found that flickering effect cool.

[DamoP]

still doing it mate?