Follow me home lights on a new A3 without autolights ~ solved

[Helifella]

Well after a lot of head scratching - both mine & Trups we ran out of ideas of how to activate this function.

Trups had done the coding but as the layout has changed beneath the dash we didn't know where to put the repair wire.

I believe Wes was on the phone saying he didn't think a wire was needed.

Anyhoo, after giving my car its first ever wax I also dusted the interior (not that it needed it being less than 2 weeks old) but I knocked the high beam stalk.

Not thinking anymore of it I decided i'd put the upgraded bulbs in the fogs to match them closer to the xenons and noticed the fogs and LED sides were lit...

Mystery solved.

Like my Volvo V50 I chopped in for the Audi, to activate the follow me home lights, flash the headlight stalk, lock and walk away in a flood lit path to your front door.

Obviously you need the coding for the feature to appear in the DIS, but once done, no wire is needed.

NB: As yet I haven't managed to activate the lights when I unlock the car - maybe this does require the repair wire??

UPDATE: just been informed if you install the repair wire the above & approach lights will activate everytime, day or night without flicking the stalk etc.

 

[nally]

say what ? i want it doing

 

[wesley]

Definately on an 08 plate the wire is not needed as I have done three in this year now, good to know you've got part of it working, now just to work out if the wire method will work and where to put it on the new layout??

 

[basssound]

So what do you need to do on an 07 to activate the locking and unlocking walk away lights?

 

[Goner]

^^ Repair wire and then coding.

 

[Samboii]

HeliFella, Thanks for the update, however I'm still not sure were the repair wire is fitted. Are you abel to advise for a 2011 A3?

Regards

Samboii

 

[Ash187]

i dont think a repair wire is needed to activate it as its all there on the DIS. iirc you dont even need VCDS to code it anymore.
if however someone wants to go down the route of finding out if a repair wire is needed then on the newer facelift cars the pin you need is plug C pin 18.

 

[Goner]

i dont think a repair wire is needed to activate it as its all there on the DIS. iirc you dont even need VCDS to code it anymore.
if however someone wants to go down the route of finding out if a repair wire is needed then on the newer facelift cars the pin you need is plug C pin 18.

Was needed on my 56 plate A3.

 

[Ash187]

the comment was made on the newer facelift cars... 2010 -
the older cars needed it... i think it changed over in about 2008

 

[Samboii]

I think that the activation is only possible if you have "Auto" Lights. Are you suggesting that with the aid of the VCDS i can activate this function to appear in the menu settings of the DIS?

 

[Ash187]

I am sure i have seen several cars after 2008 that already have the option to switch on the CH/LH lights on the DIS. whether or not this will actually activate it i honestly cannot remember.
in my car i used the wire and VCDS coding to activate it and yes it would come on in the daytime but it still looked good with the xenons. also bare in mine i have a 2005 A3... but since i have retrofitted the Auto lights pack and properly wired in the ch/lh button from the auto light switch so it works properly and only comes on at night.

 

[Helifella]

Just to clarify, I don't have auto lights, but do have the DIS. When the car was delivered the other week the only option in the DIS lights menu was "interior lights", where I can choose the dimmer setting for the footwell lights (interior light package).

After Trups connected it to VCDS he enabled the "exterior lights" sub menu within the "Lights" menu.

Clicking into this menu gives two options

Coming home lights ~ where you can adjust the time the lights stay on for 0-60sec in 5 sec increments
&
Leaving home lights ~ which is just a tick box option.

So by turning the engine off, flash the headlight stalk, get out and the sides & front fogs stay on for the chosen time.
I also noted that the green sidelight symbol is lit up on the light switch once the stalk is flicked (even if the switch is left at off or DRL)

I got in touch with Avus last night and he said to activate the Leaving home lights (illumination upon unlock) I would need the repair wire.

By fitting the repair wire will always automatically illuminate the lights when leaving the car and unlocking the car regardless of the time of day, without the need to flick the stalk, making this a passive mod.

All this is based on my car which is a 2 week old A3 Black Edition Sportback with the Xenons & LED DRL's / sidelights.

 

[Goner]

the comment was made on the newer facelift cars... 2010 -
the older cars needed it... i think it changed over in about 2008

I see mate, i'll get my coat!

 

[JamS3]

Tried this on my MY10 TTRS as really wanted this function but doesn't work!

Coded it and got the options via dis but lights won't activate after flashing the main beam?!

 

[ryanstewart9]

I'm sure I read on here somewhere that you don't have to permanently connect the repair wire, you only have to earth it once to the relevant plug/socket?

 

[slade777]

Tried this on my MY10 TTRS as really wanted this function but doesn't work!

Coded it and got the options via dis but lights won't activate after flashing the main beam?!

Same on MY10 A3!!!

 

[t8ups]

Hi Guys,

like helifella said, it wont work with just the VCDS, i opened up the bottom of the fuse box and it looks completly differant to lets say an 08 car.

Ash, if you ccan get someone local down your way to do the wire then i think you may be able to crack it.

and here is the link for you guys with the pre facelift cars - cominghomelights - Audi Retrofit

Trups

 

[JamS3]

Apparently the wiring blocks are different on the TT to the facelift a3's?

 

[Dave's A3 sport.]

Hi, i have a 2010 A3 BE and really want this on my car. I have located the wire that needs to be installed (T52C brown plug pin 18), however which control units have to be coded? the dash cluster and the onboard power supply? as i can't seem to find any options to code this? Any help much appreciated, thanks Dave

 

[t8ups]

it will be in 09CE and you need to activate coming home and leaving home lights then the options will apear on your DIS

 

[Helifella]

Well I spent the morning on Avus Sportback's driveway trying to sus this mod out, sadly with no joy despite his best efforts & coffee

This man is a top bloke.

We've left it with the repair wire plugged into C18 and just coiled up so I can have another go (hopefully tomorrow). We had it earthed and no joy. We're also not quite sure which items to have enabled in VCDS as the obvious doesn't seem to have worked. I am gonna dab the wire to earth and see if that would trigger it (due to what we did today)

Its currently set on manual over auto which I think is how the headlight stalk triggers FMHL. But there are a few other codes linked to the CH & FMH lights which we're not entirely sure about. My VCDS options are different to Avus' 2009 car just to add confusion.

 

[Helifella]

Also found this...

Audi A3/S3 & A3 Cabriolet (8P/FM) Tweaks - Ross-Tech Wiki Ross Tech are the makers of VCDS.

I remain undeterred

 

[Helifella]

Does anyone know if the ignition needs to be on when I earth the c18 pin? And is it a simple dab then insulate or to be bolted down?

 

[A3-8PA]

Even i tried on MY08 with repair wire, which has CE module ending with J and I been told it wouldnot work because of basic module... Anybody confirm pls?

 

[mike foster]

Does anyone know if the ignition needs to be on when I earth the c18 pin? And is it a simple dab then insulate or to be bolted down?

Why don't you just try it ? You can't do any harm.

 

[Helifella]

Wasn't sure if it would arc or do any harm if I did it with ignition on?

 

[Spin140]

Watching this thread with interest, yet another item that really should be standard on cars at this cost level

I'd really like this function on mine especially during the depths of winter.

 

[Helifella]

Well just been out to dab the wire to earth and no joy. Not sure how we left the VCDS when I went to see Avus Sportback.

I can still flick the stalk for coming home but nothing when locking or unlocking.