Replace headlights with LED DRL units

[bezza]

I've got a 2007 S3 which has got non-LED Daytime Running Lights (DRLs). I'm wondering whether it's possible to replace the headlight units with the later facelifted version which has got the LED DRLs?

Do the later LED headlight units physically fit? Are they different in any way?

Do the LED DRLs need anything additional outside of the headlight?

Any help would be much appreciated.

 

[smudge_don]

You'll need to change the wings and most of the front end matey

Has been done, but it's a lot of work

 

[bezza]

Bummer! So I'm assuming the facelift headlights are a different size/shape?

Is it possible to replace the DRL bulb with an LED bulb? I know the DRL bulb also doubles up as the sidelight so the LED bulb would need to be able to cope with that...

 

[smudge_don]

Bummer! So I'm assuming the facelift headlights are a different size/shape?

Is it possible to replace the DRL bulb with an LED bulb? I know the DRL bulb also doubles up as the sidelight so the LED bulb would need to be able to cope with that...

Do you mean these?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220461772784&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I've just bought some, will be fitting my bi-xenons very soon and will let you know

 

[fuzion]

Im curious about this as well.

Do you mean changing the entire headlight itself? (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360237532333)

Apparently you just need a headlight DR-LED controller and its swap and go but i cant find the thread with the info anymor ethat i saved somewhere!

 

[PH1L]

you need a completly new front end ie wings bonnet bonnet hinges bumper wing brackets need fabbed to fit and youve got a choice to make as prefacelift wings have 4 mounting points on the inner wing in the chassis and facelifts only have 3, you also need a new radiator surround headlight mounts and new undercovers to fit the new bumper

in addition to this youll need to either cut the wings so you can have indicators in them or fit new wingmirrors to meet mot spec, if you fit the new mirors you need 2 new control units or you need to wire them into the central electrics unit, i belive there is also slight trimming of the mirror required to get them to fit a prefacelift door, further to this you cannot use your old bulbs or ballasts as they are d2s and the new lights use a d3s fitment

im going through the conversion on my s3 here http://vagoc.co.uk/vb/showthread.php?t=3568

if you ned any more info jsut shoot

 

[bezza]

you need a completly new front end ie wings bonnet bonnet hinges bumper wing brackets need fabbed to fit and youve got a choice to make as prefacelift wings have 4 mounting points on the inner wing in the chassis and facelifts only have 3, you also need a new radiator surround headlight mounts and new undercovers to fit the new bumper

in addition to this youll need to either cut the wings so you can have indicators in them or fit new wingmirrors to meet mot spec, if you fit the new mirors you need 2 new control units or you need to wire them into the central electrics unit, i belive there is also slight trimming of the mirror required to get them to fit a prefacelift door, further to this you cannot use your old bulbs or ballasts as they are d2s and the new lights use a d3s fitment

im going through the conversion on my s3 here http://vagoc.co.uk/vb/showthread.php?t=3568

if you ned any more info jsut shoot

Blimey!! Is it not cheaper just to buy a facelift model?

 

[PH1L]

if youre looking at buying a non damaged car, the parts alone will knock the cost of the prefaclift up to that of a facelift so yes, in my case i required new wings bonnet front bumper and rad surround anyway so why not

 

[c_w]

Do you mean these?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220461772784&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I've just bought some, will be fitting my bi-xenons very soon and will let you know

Those would probably work but you might have problems with bulb warning errors?

 

[smudge_don]

Those would probably work but you might have problems with bulb warning errors with those?

Don't know yet, but it's worth testing for the sake of a tenner

 

[bezza]

As an end to this thread and to help anybody else who reads this...

After help from other members I discovered that it's not easy (and expensive) to replace the head light units... so decided not to pursue that idea any further.

I also discovered that it's not possible to replace the current DRL bulbs with LED bulbs. (Although you can replace the bulbs with LEDs, you will either get errors on your DIS or you need to fit resistors as well. This is because the LEDs draw much much less power that a conventional bulb and the car thinks you've got a faulty bulb. So you either put up with the warning on your dash or you fool the car with some resistors.)

I've decided to replace my standard yellow DRL bulbs with whiter bulbs. After a bit of research the two favourite bulbs appear to be the PIAA H367 (although these don't seem to be available any more) and the MTEC 382 P21W Chrome Super White bulbs.

I've just bought a set of the MTEC's from eBay for £8.99!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/MTEC-382-P21W...arts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item335c532eee

 

[PH1L]

glad you got all sussed out tbh i wouldnt be doing the facelift in hindsight as a large amount of it isn't documented and ive had to get a lot more parts than i initially thought