I intend to move to the BCM controlled feed which I have already run into the door for the wing mirror puddle lights, but I hate to think that someone else will have this problem after fitting puddle lights that are available on the forum.
Problem with aftermarket puddle lights connected to door lock on 2019 T6
- Thread starter Andysmee
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- indicator puddle lights
The other red / white wire? That would be a thing, where is that on the door loom?
If I recall the red/white wire is on the top loom behind the door, you need to use the thicker one off the two. The thinner one gave the puddle lights a weird effect where it would turn on when I opened the door then it would dim to off.
Hope this helps.
Sadly, I am using the thicker one at the top.
Pictures here
I'll double-check mine as per instructions tomorrow...
Meanwhile - any difference (even tiny) when door is open (thus puddle lights on) and then indicating (any brighter, dimmer, flasshing)?
When indicating doors "closed", are they steadily bright(er) or do they follow indicator flashing pattern?
When indicating doors "closed", is it on both sides or only on the indicating side?
What about hazard flasher - the same?
They don't flash, they both come on full brightness while the stalk is set to indicate but not once the stalk is back to centre, even though the indicators continue to flash two more times!!! Writing that makes it seems a very bizarre problem. Noticed while sat at the traffic lights with my indicators on. Thought for a moment it was related to stop start, but no.
I just tested my setup(both sides) again and it behaves exactly the same way as described above.
For full context, would you mind to post your up to date VCDS Autoscan?
Can you also briefly list any modifications you have done that would relate to your BCM wiring?
I haven't got a VCDS, sadly, but it's highly unlikely the one owner before me did anything to the settings, as they were Avis and churn through these vans on standard settings.
The BCM wiring has been extended with saxoboy's footwell lights which I extended further to one wing mirror so far, taking both lines (ground and courtesy line) into the door card and through to the mirror. Those lines never cross into the door card loom, they go directly to the puddle light in the mirror trim. Then I've extended the ambient circuit with a W8 interior light, LEDs in the door pockets and a e-wire around the footwell and gearstick trim. Pretty standard stuff.
The non-BCM bit is the puddle lights in question, and you can see the cores I tapped into in those pictures.
Plot thickens... around the BCM there indeed are signals (left/right turn signal) which are active (=earth signal) as you describe - along the stalk position, no flasher timing. Actually wired from the stalk to BCM T73b pin 33 black/white, 32 black/green.
However, no good idea how they would/could relate to your wizardry
Hazard indicator flasher - does that cause the same effect?
So I've just been out to the van and pulled the driver's door card off to check my wiring. Firstly, even with the driver's door card off, the behaviour remains on the passenger door puddle light, so my tapping isn't creating the issue on that side. Here's the wiring, I tore back my loom tape to make sure there wasn't another black core on this side:
That connector hanging down is the connector I made to attach the door card. It has four cores, two for the puddle lights and two for the ambient, since they cannot share an earth (the former has a permanent live and comes on when the black wire goes to earth, the latter has a permanent earth and comes on when the ambient light feed goes from earth to +ve). The other door is identical (except it's black / brown, not black), and pictures are earlier on this thread.
Out of interest, was door puddle lighting ever a factory option? As my persistent theory is that using a door-open signal wire to drive lighting is flawed - it won't be designed to drive it. It's also why I'm bemused by saxoboy's introduction of relays relating to canbus errors. I don't think the canbus ever expected a load on these wires, except the door lock sensor (which isn't a load). But I can't understand why my van is behaving differently, unless there was a change before the 2019 vans. That might remain in the T6.1, so it is of interest.
(I will move to the courtesy circuit anyway, as I need the BCM protection when camping, as the doors may stay open for long periods)
(I will move to the courtesy circuit anyway, as I need the BCM protection when camping, as the doors may stay open for long periods)
The answer's right there on the chart all along...we have assumed that the black(/brown) wire is either ground or open circuit, but it's attached to the ECU. So while we know that the wire will be the ground side of a circuit when the door is open, we cannot tell under what circumstances it will be open circuit, if ever, at the ECU end.
So we have created a flasher which shows the status of the black(/brown) wire based on offering it a 12V feed. It goes to ground when the door's open, sure, but varies when the door is shut - undocumented on this diagram. Any assumption that it will be open circuit is dangerous.
A quick check, I am using the accepted pair of wires to tap into for door puddle lights, aren't I? As over a couple of months, I have been challenged on this more than a couple of times!
P.S. The fact that most puddle projection lights don't expose this is purely coincidental, and not by design.
@Robert perhaps you'd do me the courtesy of testing the voltage on these lines with an oscilliscope or meter that you trust, as you have on many occasions suggested that I have been at fault...
Hey mate. I think you are missing the point altogether.
You have asked me for help so I am trying to help you but you are not willing to cooperate for some reason.
This is not about showing off who has higher degree in electronics (although it would be perfect opportunity for me).
If you know better then get the job done properly and show everybody your results.
This mod has been done successfully by me and few other people and no one had any glowing issues.
With your kind of case there are always 3 types of issues(installer making incorrect assumptions, wrong equipment/tools used, wrong/incorrect/unsuitable components used).
All you need to do, is simply eliminate and you will get to the bottom of this problem.
By allowing for these lights to stay on all the time you will most likely experience "quiescent current" problems and faults.
@Robert in response to this question:
You responded:
which is why I have had to ask other members to test this for me and came to the conclusion that you were right, and that my van was different. You even said my multimeter was likely to be faulty.
You can't have it both ways, either it is 0V and you can prove it, or my van is the same as yours.
