[number2jcb]

Anybody investigate the harness in the DRL for the blinker switch?

I haven't gotten a service manual yet. If anyone has one, could you take a picture or scan the page that has the wiring for the harness, and I will work out a solution and a how to. I had the second person at a stop light tell me one of my lights is out yesterday. Pretty annoying.

 

[houseofg]

That would be fantastic and would probably make the cars safer, you know, since I'd then use my blinker more often!

 

[YelloJello]

That would be fantastic and would probably make the cars safer, you know, since I'd then use my blinker more often!

You ain"t the only one

 

[TXcarguy]

Make that +3.

 

[SDS5]

This might help

Here is a portion of the wiring from the headlight assembly to the control module.

However, control over the DRL's, indicators, etc is done in the control module and the best way to change the lighting would be to re-code the module using VAG.COM. What you need is the code!

I think I read that in the UK the lighting laws are different, so the DRL's only dim rather than go out when the indicator is activated on UK versions. In principle if you could get a UK owner to scan the module and retrieve the code, then you could re-code your control module and try it to see if the behaviour is the same (I am willing to bet it would be).

All this lighting stuff is done in software embedded in the control module - I would not go hacking away at the wiring!

When I got my S5, I was initially a bit annoyed by the DRL going out, but then I figured the DRL's are there for safety as is the indicator. I think that Audi have made the correct decision to shut off the DRL so that people can clearly see the indicator - at least from a safety point of view it makes a lot of sense to me - so may accidents are caused by other cars pulling accross on-comming traffic.

Anyway hope the diagram is helpful - you can see the wiring goes directly to the control module.

Any UK owner willing to scan for codes?

 

[Blade]

Early UK cars ( like mine ) didn't dim when you indicate like the later ones. It's clearly a software issue, wonder if there's an option in the dealers diagnostic computers to switch this function off ? I'm not looking forward to taking my car in for its first service incase they upload a new version of the software. If they switched off like US ones I'd never indicate !

 

[aerodave]

Blade, I strongly suggest you find someone nearby with a CAN-capable VAG-COM interface. Let them scan all your modules, and document the coding.

Two reasons: First, it may allow you to revert to old settings if a service visit turns this feature off. And second, it will allow some detective work to be done to figure out exactly which bits in the module's coding are affecting DRL behavior. That would be a major step in allowing the rest of the community to change this behavior, if it is indeed possible.

I hope you can find a way to do this, because you may just have the information we all need.

 

[Andy T]

Early UK cars ( like mine ) didn't dim when you indicate like the later ones. It's clearly a software issue, wonder if there's an option in the dealers diagnostic computers to switch this function off ? I'm not looking forward to taking my car in for its first service incase they upload a new version of the software. If they switched off like US ones I'd never indicate !

same here.... mine doesn't dim

 

[Blade]

Blade, I strongly suggest you find someone nearby with a CAN-capable VAG-COM interface. Let them scan all your modules, and document the coding.

Two reasons: First, it may allow you to revert to old settings if a service visit turns this feature off. And second, it will allow some detective work to be done to figure out exactly which bits in the module's coding are affecting DRL behavior. That would be a major step in allowing the rest of the community to change this behavior, if it is indeed possible.

I hope you can find a way to do this, because you may just have the information we all need.

There's a VAG specialist nearby, I'll talk to them and see what they can do.

 

[number2jcb]

Changing it in the control module would be easier. That is for sure.

However, tapping the turn signal wire (black/green), attaching a diode, and then splicing that into the DRL wire (blue/red or brown/red since I can't tell from the diagram) would make it blink with the turn signal...

That could be pretty cool, and since LEDs take no penalties for turning on and off, it shouldn't hurt anything either. I'll have to test it when it is warm outside. It is worth a shot. Lots of reasons it might not work, but we will have to see. In the mean time, if someone finds the setting in VAGCOM that would be cool.

Also, SDS5, could you post the diagram for the left side in case the colors are different (they probably are).

 

[number2jcb]

Haha, "Vag" specialist. Who doesn't consider themselves a "vag" specialist.

 

[houseofg]

I'm liking where this thread is going! (and I don't mean the last joke that made me giggle like a school girl )

 

[Blade]

 

[Quattrings]

I hear that - can't stand when the light turns off. I used to drive with my parking lights on (since they dont dim when using the blinkers) and finally got tired of it a couple of weeks ago. Pulled the headlights out and metered all of the wires. I was able to wire both the dimming feature (when the headlights are on) to keep them at full brightness and also the other wire that power is cut to cause the internal headlight module (silver box) to switch off the LED when that respective blinker is activated. The next step is to trace the wires back in the passenger compartment to see if they stop at a relay. I would much rather make this modification via a Vagcom but first reports from the manufacturer where that it was not possible or not discovered yet. Tempted to order one up and do some searching myself.

Anybody investigate the harness in the DRL for the blinker switch?

I haven't gotten a service manual yet. If anyone has one, could you take a picture or scan the page that has the wiring for the harness, and I will work out a solution and a how to. I had the second person at a stop light tell me one of my lights is out yesterday. Pretty annoying.

 

[houseofg]

Heck yeah, Quattrings! And then you surely can tackle this pesky little issue, no?! Have you metered or can you meter the license plate and interior lights?

 

[YelloJello]

Damn Quatt, I'm due for service next week... can I make an appointment with you... you know more than most of the Audi service techs that's for sure.

 

[Rab88]

I mentioned a while back of how there is no setting in the VAGCOM interface to change the dimming of the DRLs - a mechanic in the Audi garage had a look at the settings for my car when it was in getting some things done, and he confirmed there would be no way of changing it.

My car is an earlier A5, and the DRL's dont dim or go out when indicating, but it was worth asking for those of you who do have this problem.

Albeit, who says he had a proper look? if we can get someone to hook the VAGCOM up to an A5/S5 and show us the lighting settings, that would be great.

 

[houseofg]

Yeah, I've been very surprised about how little VAGCOM exploration there has been with these models. Hope that changes soon.

 

[aerodave]

Albeit, who says he had a proper look? if we can get someone to hook the VAGCOM up to an A5/S5 and show us the lighting settings, that would be great.

I'd love to. I have the VAG-COM, I just don't have the A5. Rest assured it will be one of the first things I do.

When you say the technician checked it over, bear in mind he may have only been reporting what the VAS 5051 was telling him. The dealer tool, much like VAG-COM software, only shows labels for some of the bits that can be toggled in any given controller's module. The majority of settings in some modules remain totally undocumented. In the case of VAG-COM, an unlabeled bit is there becuase the people who write the software haven't been able to figure out its effect yet. But in the case of the VAS 5051, it's because the VW engineers who document the control modules and transfer that into the computer software have chosen to not make some things available for the dealer.

A good example is the "rain closure" feature for the windows of my wife's Eos; this rolls the windows up on the car if the rain sensor gets wet when the car is parked. This feature is not enabled in the US market. Even though it clearly exists in the convenience control module (I've enabled it on my wife's car), the checkbox to enable it isn't there in VAG-COM or the VAS computer. I know this because when I originally asked my dad about it (a long-time VW master technician) he nad no idea what I was talking about. He looked int he VAS computer, and it contained no information about how to turn it on. In VAG-COM, it was a case of unchecking an unlabeled box...blind faith! Luckily, someone else had figured out how to do it on MkV Golfs, and the update just hasn't made it into VAG-COM yet.

I suspect something similar may exist for the DRL behavior on the 8T platform. But It's going to take some time, and a few brave, experimental souls, to sort it out. Or maybe we'll learn that you really do have to hack the wiring in the end.

 

[houseofg]

And you are only days away from having the other part of that equation, right dave?