Swap out OEM Xenons for aftermarket?

[Sneakzter]

Hey all, first post here.

Picking up my mk6 GTI in a few days, and I've noticed that it has the Xenon package from the factory. From what I can tell, a lot of you guys love those lights, but I'm not a huge fan of the DRL's personally and I like the look of the MK7.5's headlights a lot more. I've looked around but I can't find any info of anyone swapping the factory xenons out for other aftermarket headlights, has anyone done this? I know OSRAM and VLAND make a couple of decent looking LED headlights. How complicated would a swap be?

Thanks!

 

[tdream1]

Hey all, first post here.

Picking up my mk6 GTI in a few days, and I've noticed that it has the Xenon package from the factory. From what I can tell, a lot of you guys love those lights, but I'm not a huge fan of the DRL's personally and I like the look of the MK7.5's headlights a lot more. I've looked around but I can't find any info of anyone swapping the factory xenons out for other aftermarket headlights, has anyone done this? I know OSRAM and VLAND make a couple of decent looking LED headlights. How complicated would a swap be?

Thanks!

You can always code out the DRLs, unless you don’t like the look of the stock xenons at all. I actually upgraded my Xenons to the Xenons with the LEDs. I‘m a sucker for the look, but have them coded out, so the LEDs only come on when I turn on the parking or headlights.

 

[Sneakzter]

I do actually like the look of the xenons, just not the DRL's so that might be an option. Those MK7.5 drls look so clean though

Relatively new to this, so how difficult is it to code out the DRL's? Can I do that myself or would I have to take it to a shop?

EDIT: My confusion is mostly that pretty much every aftermarket set of lights has a disclaimer that says they will NOT fit MK6's with factory HID's. Anyone know why that is? An example: https://www.urotuning.com/products/helix-vw-mk6-golf-gti-mk7-5-style-headlights-with-red-trim

 

[Thumper]

I do actually like the look of the xenons, just not the DRL's so that might be an option. Those MK7.5 drls look so clean though

Relatively new to this, so how difficult is it to code out the DRL's? Can I do that myself or would I have to take it to a shop?

You can do it yourself if you have or get a VCDS cable and software from Ross Tech, or I think OBD11 can do it as well but no experience with that.

EDIT: My confusion is mostly that pretty much every aftermarket set of lights has a disclaimer that says they will NOT fit MK6's with factory HID's. Anyone know why that is? An example: https://www.urotuning.com/products/helix-vw-mk6-golf-gti-mk7-5-style-headlights-with-red-trim

Because those are halogen lights. HID, or Xenons use a different harness. Those aftermarkets are giving you the look of the newer model but still run a halogen bulb in the projector housing.

 

[Grabbit]

I actually upgraded my Xenons to the Xenons with the LEDs. I‘m a sucker for the look, but have them coded out, so the LEDs only come on when I turn on the parking or headlights.

Did you need to swap out anything other than the headlight housings themselves, like the CEM? I have a 2010 GTI with OEM Xenons but would like to swap them out for the OEM Xenon and LED DRLs. Any tips such as VCDS coding required would be awesome.

 

[tdream1]

I do actually like the look of the xenons, just not the DRL's so that might be an option. Those MK7.5 drls look so clean though

Relatively new to this, so how difficult is it to code out the DRL's? Can I do that myself or would I have to take it to a shop?.

To code them out, you will need have or know someone that has VCDS or an ODB Eleven device. The ODB Eleven is a much less expensive alternative and is much easier to use. You can always take it to an indy shop that would be able to accommodate the coding using VCDS.

 

[tdream1]

Did you need to swap out anything other than the headlight housings themselves, like the CEM? I have a 2010 GTI with OEM Xenons but would like to swap them out for the OEM Xenon and LED DRLs. Any tips such as VCDS coding required would be awesome.

I actually had my shop install the new Xenons w/LEDs when I upgraded to the APR Stage 3 kit. It took him less than 5 minutes to do the coding as he wanted it all set for me before I left the shop. I'm sure if you google it, someone will have a post on the RossTech discussion page or another forum.

 

[Grabbit]

I actually had my shop install the new Xenons w/LEDs when I upgraded to the APR Stage 3 kit. It took him less than 5 minutes to do the coding as he wanted it all set for me before I left the shop.

So no other parts required other than the housings, ballasts and bulbs? What year is your car?

 

[tdream1]

So no other parts required other than the housings, ballasts and bulbs? What year is your car?

I have a 2010 and nothing else was needed. My shop just swapped over the parts from my original ones to the newer ones.

 

[Yai]

I seen the Osram lights on MK6 here at the local meet and looks real nice. You can get the 14 to 10 pin adapter and is pretty much plug and play with the Osram halogen tk xenon lights.

https://www.mk6ix.com/product-page/14-10-pin-vw-mk6-headlight-harness

I know the guys that made these harness and hit fitted MK6, and was plug and play. He’s a whiz woth electrical and the BCM.

Cheers,

Ron

 

[Chisel_86]

I know the guys that made these harness and hit fitted MK6, and was plug and play. He’s a whiz woth electrical and the BCM.

Cheers,

Ron

So, with the 10 to 14 pin adapter you can plug in OEM xenons to a halogen car? What coding does that need? I'm assuming AFS and auto-level won't work?

 

[Yai]

So, with the 10 to 14 pin adapter you can plug in OEM xenons to a halogen car? What coding does that need? I'm assuming AFS and auto-level won't work?

yeah I didn’t bother with the AFS and I coded via obdeleven pretty easily and got the oem LED DRLs to work. If you get to that part, just a few changes. Can also disable the DRLs via MFS as enabled it on obdeleven. I keep the DRLs on though, as looks nice on black.

 

[Dzyur]

yeah I didn’t bother with the AFS and I coded via obdeleven pretty easily and got the oem LED DRLs to work. If you get to that part, just a few changes. Can also disable the DRLs via MFS as enabled it on obdeleven. I keep the DRLs on though, as looks nice on black.

Hiya,

I recently got the adapter and installed Supernova headlights. I also get error codes for both headlights and for the AFS. Would you mind explaining how you coded this out ? Also I have the Euro headlights switch and was wondering if there is a way to have the DRL's always on rather than only coming on when I manually turn on headlights ?

Thanks

 

[Yai]

Hiya,

I recently got the adapter and installed Supernova headlights. I also get error codes for both headlights and for the AFS. Would you mind explaining how you coded this out ? Also I have the Euro headlights switch and was wondering if there is a way to have the DRL's always on rather than only coming on when I manually turn on headlights ?

Thanks

I’m not sure for your application but you can read what I did, for my halogen to xenon retrofit, below. Pretty sure you can code out those bulb out errors with OBD Eleven.

https://forums.tdiclub.com/index.php?threads/bi-xenon-led-retrofit-coding-help.506953/

Good luck!

 

[damianoc]

i just did my swap on the headlamps (2013 drivers edition with xenon drl led )and i got helix 7.5
i'm very happy how nice they look like and price of two brand new is one off used oem one , problem was converting from 14 pin plug to 10 set , set off oem plugs cut of any other jetta or golf works still need to play with codding but that in few days
so far looks like that