HELP!!! A3 2007 Coding Issue

[hilljsr]

Hi There,

My 57 reg A3 sportback is currently in with Audi.

A few months ago I fitted the new style (2009) rear LED lights on my sportback, but the center part of the light unit remains on.

My car is in with audi, and on this forum I read they could code the lights to turn these center lights off so it just shows the LED tube.

However, Audi have now charged me £120 for looking at this and they have not really done anything. They couldnt work out how to code them.

Can anyone help so I can go back to them with this information?

I dont really want to give them £120 for no result and I dont really know how much work they have done for that.

Thanks,

Jon.

 

[hilljsr]

Anyone know? :'(

 

[NHN]

Where abouts are you?

 

[Vertigo1]

I know this doesn't help but dealers are utterly useless when it comes to coding. When I had my Bluetooth module replaced, they mis-coded it so the phonebook wouldn't transfer to the RNS-E. Told them repeatedly what was wrong and even what the correct code was but they wouldn't have it and were on the brink of replacing the BT module again because they thought it was faulty. Muppets.

BTW the rear lights on the Sportback aren't actually LEDs, they just look a bit like it

 

[hilljsr]

Yeah, but if I call them LEDS it makes me feel better

And I am in Farnham, Surrey.

 

[NHN]

BTW the rear lights on the Sportback aren't actually LEDs, they just look a bit like it

Sorry you're wrong, the rings on the facelift sportback rear lights are infact led's utilising a prism as such to create the ring effect.

There are pcb's fitted inside the light unit that runs the led's, also no bulbs (for the rings) to change, as the bulb holder purely provides power contacts to the pcb & wiring & only bulbs for brake lights, fogs, indicators & reverse iirc.

 

[Vertigo1]

Sorry but, regardless of what circuitry is in there, I don't believe they're LEDs.

You can determine categorically whether lights are LED or not by rolling your eyes around really quickly. All LEDs pulse on and off at a very high frequency. You can't normally detect this but, if you roll your eyes, you'll see an intermittent trail from the lights rather than a solid one. Try it with a Sportback - you'll see a solid trail of light

 

[NHN]

The led's in use are possibly rectified led's which run at a higher frequency, therefore flicker free as they're known, so unlike standard led's that run at 60hz that can be seen by some people & cameras, these may run at 120 hz which are near enough impossible to see.

Audi only use 3 light types on the 8P, filament bulbs, xenons & led's, there arent any bulbs to change, so they must be led as they dont use pcb's on standard bulbs either in light units on the 8P as such.

So for me, I still believe they're led's & if I get a chance I'll grab a used unit & pull it apart to show everybody.

 

[dadair13]

hilljsr, did you get your rear lights issue resolved as i have the same problem.............thanks!

 

[NHN]

Search the forum which has plenty of info for coding & the setup of these.

 

[Stampie]

I Have just fitted these to my car.

Mega thanks to a very helpful and friendly forum member who helped me to re-code the car for the new lights in exchange for some alcohol as payment :icon_thumright:
Amazing the kindness and generosity of some peeps giving up time on a weekend to help out someone they have never met!

Anyway here is the thread that shows all the coding info needed.
I tried myself to search for this at the time but sometimes its like finding a needle in a haystack and you just need pointing in the right direction.

http://www.audi-sport.net/vb/new-a3-s3-sportback-8p-chassis/82293-sportback-rear-leds.html

central electronicscodinghelp with long coding
Btye 9 to Dec = 0 - as the final brake light
Byte 10 to Dec = 0 - Fog lamps as a taillight
Byte 12 to Dec = 36 - dimming rear standlight
Byte 19 Bit 2 Cold Diagnosis rear active - this must be activated


Just a pointer that we found out the bottom line says "Byte 19 Bit 2 Cold Diagnosis rear active - this must be activated"
We actually found that this needed to be De-activaved or the LED's would flicker as the ignition was turned on.

 

[golf gti edition30]

hi, please can anyone tell me if i need to alter any wiring on the tails not the lid, instead of buying a wiring loom im sure it can be wired in the original loom for the led lights??

 

[NHN]

You can rewire, but you need new plugs & repair wires to suit as all different, soldering & heatshrink required.

 

[VWAddict]

All LEDs pulse on and off at a very high frequency. You can't normally detect this but, if you roll your eyes, you'll see an intermittent trail from the lights rather than a solid one. Try it with a Sportback - you'll see a solid trail of light

COMPLETELY wrong, sorry.

LEDs are as constant as the current which feeds them.

ALWAYS.

Keith

 

[Vertigo1]

Afraid you're completely wrong - they pulse at high frequency. If LEDs were driven constantly they'd burn out in no time at all.

Ever noticed LED lights on cars on TV flickering wildly? That's the interference pattern or "beats" between the frequency of the lights and the video camera. The trick I mentioned above and which you quoted, of moving your eyes around quickly, also reveals the on/off nature of the lights - if they were on constantly then you'd get a solid trail but you just don't.

Here's a video showing the interference pattern at work:

YouTube - Strange tail light effect

EDIT: Thinking about it - you may have thought that I was claiming *all* LEDs pulse on and off, regardless of application. I don't mean this - obviously you can drive an LED constantly if you want to - merely that, in car applications, they always pulse on and off in this fashion

 

[rosso rocket]

You are right Vertigo....just watched Top Gear with BMW and Merc on ICE and both headlights (LEDS) were going on and off - interfernce pattern with the interlacing and video content.