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HowTo: Tiguan Sidemarker/License Plate/City Light Replacement |
| Last updated: 3/05/09 |
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Just like my MKIV Jetta, I was not a big fan of some of the stock lighting
on the Tiguan. Mostly that the colors were boring orange. Without changing the housings
you can easily change the color and brightness using LED's.
The one thing you have to be careful of is that the LED's are made for this application.
Newer VW's (and probably most cars) are very finiky about the voltage being drawn, so without
proper resistors you will actually throw a code by using the wrong kind of lights.
Also I replaced the stock head lamps with better bulbs, I find that aftermarket (and still legal!)
bulbs put out a much brighter temperature of light that you can see all the deer around here better with.
I purchased all these from ECS Tuning. They have good deals
on hard to get stuff, excellent customer service, and I hope they don't mind me using a few of their
photos for this guide!
Please note two important things. LED's need correct poliarty to work, so if it doesn't turn on just flip
it around, the contacts were connected to the wrong side of the plug. Also the LED's are not nearly as
blue as they look in the photos, especially the city lights. THEY LOOK AWESOME.
Equipment:
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European Spec Lighting Switch
(Tiguan European Headlight Switch - Without Coming Home)
*Please note that although this switch has fog light capibility,
because the Tiguan S does not come with fog lights it won't do
anything nor will it throw a code since the wiring doesn't even exist.*
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Ziza City Light LEDs
Bulbs
Difference between stock and Ziza
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Ziza License Light LEDs
Bulbs
Difference between stock and Ziza
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Ziza Side Marker LEDs (Same as the City Light ones)
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Sylvania Silverstar Ultra H7 Bulbs (x4)
Tools:
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Wide flat head screwdriver to pry off the H7 clamps on the headlights
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Philips head screwdriver
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Thin flat head screwdriver with tape around it as not to scratch the paint
Installation:
First, the license plate lights. Remove the philips screws.
Pop out the old lights, bend up the highlighted tabs a bit so the LED's fit, and put them in.
Check to see that they turn on, if not just flip them around. The heat sink should be facing up,
the LED's should be facing the plastic so they project the light outward.
Now for the side markers, carefully pop them out. Best way is to unscrew the two torx (yellow),
and pop out the tab (red). Then reach behind the liner and on the top and bottom of the
side marker you will feel tabs that easy compress to pop it out. Just plug the LED into the power
connector, verify it turns on (if it doesn't just flip the plug around, polarity matters with LEDs!).
Then gently plug the LED into the side marker socket. I didn't shove mine in all the way for better
light dispersal.
Now for the city lights. These SUCKED to work with on my Tiguan S. I think
they are more made for the HID housings. There's a piece of plastic that has the
stock lights at the end of it, turn it till it pops out. Unplug the old light.
Plug in the plug of your LED and verify it turns on. Now, good f'ing luck getting
the LED into the socket. It was a nightmare. I was able to line it up using a screw driver
and gently push it in till it was mounted. You can tell from the photos that it's a disaster
but due to the way the light housing works, it does fit and it won't cause issues.
You can see in the last picture that the long plastic thing is no longer "mounted". But if you
gently "shove" it in there properly it fits with the cap on and doesn't rattle.
Now for the H7 bulbs, you can see the rubber "covers". Remember that you have 4 bulbs to do this all on. 2 per side:
With the cover off, some guts:
You can see a "knob", turn it counter clockwise as if you were sitting in the drivers seat:
Stock H7 with the clip holding the bulb to the plug, use a flat head to pry the assembly off the plug:
A picture of the clip. You can see where things line up on the bulb and clip:
New bulb on the clip and plugged in:
You can see where the bulb and clip fit together. The thing circled in RED has to face DOWN in the housing for the bulb to go back in. Turn it clockwise (as if you were sitting in the drivers seat) to secure the bulb.:
These things are f'ing bright, not sure how they are legal. Crappy shots in my bright parking lot:
Low beams:
High beams:
NIGHT SHOTS OF ALL THE LIGHTS FTMFW:
License plate:
Side marker:
Side marker and some city light love:
City lights. Such a pain in the ass to install. SO WORTH IT. (Very Audi'ish now.):
Congrats, doesn't look silly with those orange lights anymore. Plus you can see things on the road now. WHAT A TIME TO BE ALIVE!
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