Headlights on without key on

[Excoastie]

Is it even possible to make so that the headlight switch will function like every other car on the planet?

Currently in my 2014 GLI I am unable to turn my headlights on without the key being on. If I turn on my headlights without the key on, the parking lights and day time running lights will come on, but not the headlights. I'm wanting to make it possible to turn on the headlights without the key on.

I thought that I had seen a "tweak" out there that made this possible, but after looking around the central electronics area I didn't see anything, nor have I had much success either here or at the Vortex when I did a search.

If it's not possible, so be it, I'll just chalk it up to another of VW's quirks.

Thanks

Exco

 

[Nicoleise]

Hi Exco,


It's very rare, that you see a VAG vehicle in need of a jump-start, and there's a reason for that. Both interior lights, reading lights, trunk lights and so on will all turn off a while after ignition off, even if they are manually turned on. The only lights that are allowed to stay activated are those required by law, in this case front and rear parking lights.

To answer your question, it is not possible in any sensible way. You would have to build something manual (relays) in conjunction with the cars own controls as;
1) The headlights are not nessacarely served by a constant 12V power source. Instead, it's a switched power source that shuts down a while after ignition off.
2) Your light switch is no longer purely a mechanical switch that switches the main current of the headlights themselves. Instead, it uses electronic switching and just communicates this to the central electronics. When the vehicle "sleeps", so does the central electronics control module, and as such there is no method of being able to switch on and off the lights any longer. The power source for the light switch is also disabled when the car sleeps (ignition off + delay and untill unlock or door open, roughly speaking)


May I ask why you wish to achieve this? Maybe it can be solved in another way. For instance, the vehicle is most likely capable of coming/leaving home lights, and they can be configured in a way that means you wont have to pull the high beam lever to start the sequence (which is only so in the US and probably due to some odd regulation). Doing this would allow you to remotely activate the headlights by the remote, and of course also unlock the car. After something like 30 seconds, the car will disengage leaving home lights and lock once again, unless you open a door, in which case it will be 60/90 seconds depending on vehicle controller configuration.

If you *really* need/miss a "worklight" feature, it would probably be quicker and better to put some LED lights in the grille somewhere discrete, and hook them up to a fuse and switch. Although I personally wouldn't like such a solution, it would function simpler and with LEDs it would be able to be in use without draining the battery too fast.


Many regards,
Nicolai

 

[Excoastie]

It's just a feature that I'm used to having on previous vehicles. It's not something that I must have.

thanks for the response Nicolai

Exco

 

[Uwe]

Yeah, you have to wonder why VWaG won't make the lights work the way most radios do these days: If the ignition is off and the operator turns the 'em on, they come on, but only for a while. In modern cars it wouldn't be hard to make how long that while is dependent on the battery's SOC.

Sady, VWAG does not ask us how we want the cars to work.

-Uwe-

 

[jyoung8607]

Sady, VWAG does not ask us how we want the cars to work.

I doubt that most of the lighting behahvior is really under their control. FMVSS 108 section 5.5 specifies a lot of the NAR behavior that people like to tinker with. As for going to city-lights only with the ignition off, I don't know if/how that's specified but I feel like many modern cars behave that same way, so there might be another rule set somewhere.

I am still curious about the OP's need for this. "Because I want to" is a good enough reason, I suppose, but if you're just looking for a visible marker you might try the Euro-style turn signal activated side warning lamps. I forget what the feature is called, but it works on my Phaeton. My older Passat is missing the contacts on the turn signal switch. I suspect it's controlled by coding on modern platforms. It uses the city lights so it doesn't throw off a ton of light, but it's visible and doesn't use a ton of power.

Jason

 

[Dana]

Euro-style turn signal activated side warning lamps.

I'm not sure what the exact coding bit is labeled either but that feature was possible on my 2010 GTI...the only catch was the turn signal lights on that side of the vehicle never shut off. (I think I left it on for 2 to 3 hours and decided that was long enough to determine they would shut off when the battery was dead.)

If I recall correctly that was a combo of a bit in the PQ35 BCM and tweaking my Instrument cluster to RoW but we can dig into that if the OP is interested.

 

[Nicoleise]

[...]you might try the Euro-style turn signal activated side warning lamps. I forget what the feature is called[...]

Here, we just call it parking light, but it's confusing as we also call the "all four corners" position on the light switch parking light. It has to do with it's use; the single sided parking light feature is basically only mandantory in France as far as I'm aware. Elsewhere in EU, we use the normal parking light, and you really only ever see the one-sided version when peoples indicators were on when they switched their ignition off.

the only catch was the turn signal lights on that side of the vehicle never shut off.

The parking lights/marker lights/city lights themselves never turn off, whether appled single-sided or both sides, as they are a safety feature mandantory by law here. The actual indicator / turn signal bulbs should stop blinking and turn off completely when vehicle ignition is off, unless four way hazard flasher is applied. This is also a safety feature that will remain on till battery is flat. But the normal turn signal should disengage immediately after ignition key is turned from ON to OFF/ACC position.

I can't think of a coding option that would change this, other than maybe country setting, as you refer to. Changing the instrument cluster will do many things though. For instance your coming/leaving home lights will activate by remote keyfob unlock signal and light switch/sensor position, rather than by pulling the high beam stalk. And many other things of course.

By the way; as a totally general thing - let me know if you guys are wondering how various details work on Euro cars and would like clarification. I don't mind shooting a quick video of these things.

 

[Excoastie]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I will just live with the fact that it's not possible. Just another thing added to the list of what I consider to be strange things that VW does.

"Because I want to" is a good enough reason, I suppose,

This about sums up my reasons for wanting to do this. Every other vehicle that I have ever owned had the ability to turn on the headlights without the ignition on. I wanted the ability to do the same with my GLI. I can't do so, I've accepted this, and moved on

Exco