MK5 Golf GTI

All Things Mk5 => Modifications & Technical Area => Technical Workshop => Topic started by: GeorgeF on February 24, 2009, 07:51:28 pm

Title: led rear lights
Post by: GeorgeF on February 24, 2009, 07:51:28 pm
hi im looking into getting the oem led rears for my gti, just wondered if they are plug and play as i been reading on a few sites and not sure if i need anything else. i know the leds dont draw as much current so dont know if they through the light on.
Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: Top Cat on February 24, 2009, 08:48:25 pm
Yes george they are plug and play, but if you buy them new you have to swap the reversing lens for the fog, its a half hour job but not to difficult.  :smiley:
Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: VC on February 25, 2009, 01:17:30 pm
I've just ordered a set of these, it's a case of running two wires across the rear of the car to swap the fog and reverse lights over. will do some photo's once i get mine and fit them  :happy2:
Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: tony_danza on February 25, 2009, 02:15:38 pm
As in leaving the lights as they are and swapping the wiring?? There may be a legal implication here with what side the fog light has to be on for an MOT - might be worth checking.

It's easy to swap the lenses, go borrow a glue gun and you're golden.
Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: cmdrfire on February 25, 2009, 02:31:44 pm
I've just ordered a set of these, it's a case of running two wires across the rear of the car to swap the fog and reverse lights over. will do some photo's once i get mine and fit them  :happy2:


Don't run wires across! Why would you want to do something like that? If you really want to get the fog and reverse on the wrong side (which is against the law) you can set that through VCDS as Euro cars are like that.
Much better to comply with the law (you won't fail your MOT) and swap the lenses over, takes no time at all, just make sure you've got a hot glue gun.
Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: VC on February 25, 2009, 04:46:47 pm
tbh was only going by what the shop said, hadn't realised it would be mot unfriendly, scrap that idea then

aaahhh i love the smell of modding  :party:
Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: Top Cat on February 25, 2009, 05:16:22 pm
VC its really easy, you just cut the plastic tabs off with a dremmel or similar then they come apart, they hardest bit is lining the notches back up after the swap as they are left and right handed and dont quite line up after swap, so i just dremmled them a bit bigger. its fiddley, and a bit blue peterish but easily dooable for a man from pasty land.  :chicken: :innocent:
Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: RedRobin on February 25, 2009, 06:38:42 pm
....

As already said, it's essential to swop the inner lenses so that red fog is on driver's side.

Where are you getting them from, George?

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fb308%2FRedRobin_05%2FBlackTips.jpg&hash=25d826d1ed95ea31c79483bbcea0b1a1b42b1008)

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Fb308%2FRedRobin_05%2FLED_closeup1.jpg&hash=07c33d0390c097dca99ac1a483e2a25c1dac4d6a)

Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: VC on February 25, 2009, 07:21:42 pm
getting them from a french company, this is gunna give me a good excuse to break out my new dremmel

not going for the style you have though rr no offence but a bit too golf+ for me  :innocent:

these are what ive ordered:

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Ftomashandmilly%2Fjaps%2Fgti-6l-1.jpg&hash=43423933c3632be4740bab370c2cbfdb4f72c5ab)
Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: bacillus on February 25, 2009, 07:40:58 pm
The drop on that ^^car is  :happy2:
Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: cmdrfire on February 25, 2009, 09:27:23 pm
getting them from a french company, this is gunna give me a good excuse to break out my new dremmel

not going for the style you have though rr no offence but a bit too golf+ for me  :innocent:

these are what ive ordered:

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Ftomashandmilly%2Fjaps%2Fgti-6l-1.jpg&hash=43423933c3632be4740bab370c2cbfdb4f72c5ab)

Those aren't OEM LEDs. They also don't include reflectors which are required by law... you will need an R32 bumper with the reflectors.
Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: RedRobin on February 25, 2009, 09:31:54 pm

Those aren't OEM LEDs. They also don't include reflectors which are required by law... you will need an R32 bumper with the reflectors.


....Ah! I thought the reflectors were a legal requirement but wasn't sure. Is that requirement in the UK? EC?

Why aren't such reflectors on the GTI? Sorry, I'm a little confused.
Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: VC on February 25, 2009, 09:41:18 pm
Those aren't OEM LEDs. They also don't include reflectors which are required by law... you will need an R32 bumper with the reflectors.

i was after oem 'look' mate, if you peek at my sig you will spot i have an .:R32 so i have the reflectors already in the bumper  :happy2:
Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: VC on February 25, 2009, 09:50:15 pm
Why aren't such reflectors on the GTI? Sorry, I'm a little confused.

arent they inside the rear lens normally running along the bottom?

(https://www.mk5golfgti.co.uk/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fdaz.co%2Fmedia%2Faa104%2FverycherryR32%2Fblk.jpg&hash=cd47c7f6cea9f5a2c7c01f3d877e484f41b1d98a)
Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: neg on February 25, 2009, 09:50:59 pm
Why aren't such reflectors on the GTI? Sorry, I'm a little confused.

Always wondered why the R32 has the seperate reflectors when they are included in the all the OEM lights
Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: RedRobin on February 25, 2009, 10:06:22 pm
Why aren't such reflectors on the GTI? Sorry, I'm a little confused.

Always wondered why the R32 has the seperate reflectors when they are included in the all the OEM lights

....It seems typically American!
Title: Re: led rear lights
Post by: cmdrfire on February 25, 2009, 10:23:55 pm

Those aren't OEM LEDs. They also don't include reflectors which are required by law... you will need an R32 bumper with the reflectors.


....Ah! I thought the reflectors were a legal requirement but wasn't sure. Is that requirement in the UK? EC?

Why aren't such reflectors on the GTI? Sorry, I'm a little confused.

It's an EU requirement IIRC and all the OEM lights on the Golf (normal, LED, R32/Ed30) have them running along the lower edge as Very Cherry says.