THQ taillight problem

[The Flying Scotsman]

I’m getting a problem with my lights.
I’ve got THQ rear LED lights and not long fitted THQ V3 headlights with their LED bulbs. At the same time I fitted bumper and bonnet DRLs and a fog light kit as my startline had none.
The fog light kit required a wire to be added to the light switch plug.
THQ said aftermarket DRLs or headlight switch can give you fault codes and bother.
So I connected the bonnet and bumper DRLs to an ignition feed so they were not attached to my lights.
The problem im getting seems intermittent. Some times when I start my van everything is fine but then a bulb out light comes on on the dash and my main rear lights don’t work.
Other times when I start the van the dash light is on and the rear lights don’t work. The indicators, brake lights and reverse lights still seem to work but no main lights.
I’ve noticed when I have this problem the DRLs in the headlights switch off on main beam when they normally don’t.
Today I disconnected both bonnet and bumper DRLs and fog lights and even removed the pin wire I fitted in the light switch in case it was that. I also got a VW light switch as one supplied with the fog light kit was aftermarket.
I’m still getting the same problem.
Does anyone know what this problem is ?
I’m hoping to go away in it soon. But no rear lights is a big problem.
Any help is most appreciated. Cheers

 

[Dav-Tec]

Not a normal situation and not one we've experienced have you had it plugged in to see if there's any other fault codes triggered

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Not a normal situation and not one we've experienced have you had it plugged in to see if there's any other fault codes triggered

Not yet. Hopefully Friday if Dundee_Kev has time. It’s just the coding left do on my MFSW so will kindly ask him to check for codes at the same time.
Thanks for the reply. I’m hoping THQ helps also. I’ve emailed them.

 

[Johny]

I’m getting a problem with my lights.
I’ve got THQ rear LED lights and not long fitted THQ V3 headlights with their LED bulbs. At the same time I fitted bumper and bonnet DRLs and a fog light kit as my startline had none.
The fog light kit required a wire to be added to the light switch plug.
THQ said aftermarket DRLs or headlight switch can give you fault codes and bother.
So I connected the bonnet and bumper DRLs to an ignition feed so they were not attached to my lights.
The problem im getting seems intermittent. Some times when I start my van everything is fine but then a bulb out light comes on on the dash and my main rear lights don’t work.
Other times when I start the van the dash light is on and the rear lights don’t work. The indicators, brake lights and reverse lights still seem to work but no main lights.
I’ve noticed when I have this problem the DRLs in the headlights switch off on main beam when they normally don’t.
Today I disconnected both bonnet and bumper DRLs and fog lights and even removed the pin wire I fitted in the light switch in case it was that. I also got a VW light switch as one supplied with the fog light kit was aftermarket.
I’m still getting the same problem.
Does anyone know what this problem is ?
I’m hoping to go away in it soon. But no rear lights is a big problem.
Any help is most appreciated. Cheers

Thread 'Bulb warning after fitting THQ lights' Bulb warning after fitting THQ lights

Check out this thread, don't know if it applies to you.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Thread 'Bulb warning after fitting THQ lights' Bulb warning after fitting THQ lights

Check out this thread, don't know if it applies to you.

Thanks it’s not just the bulb out light on the dash I’m getting my main rear lights go off as well.
So just coding out the light on the dash won’t solve this.
I wouldn’t mind coding out the dash light if that sorted my problem but no rear lights is a big issue.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

After all the hassle I had last night even disconnecting the battery the fault remained dash light on no rear lights.
I’ve went out today and everything is working great. No dash light either.
I’m going to take it for a run and see if I get problems then start connecting the other DRLs and fog lights one by one to see if it’s any of them.
Waiting on THQ getting back to me. They’ve been really helpful so far.

 

[Johny]

After all the hassle I had last night even disconnecting the battery the fault remained dash light on no rear lights.
I’ve went out today and everything is working great. No dash light either.
I’m going to take it for a run and see if I get problems then start connecting the other DRLs and fog lights one by one to see if it’s any of them.
Waiting on THQ getting back to me. They’ve been really helpful so far.

Dirty connections maybe

 

[Bav]

After all the hassle I had last night even disconnecting the battery the fault remained dash light on no rear lights.
I’ve went out today and everything is working great. No dash light either.
I’m going to take it for a run and see if I get problems then start connecting the other DRLs and fog lights one by one to see if it’s any of them.
Waiting on THQ getting back to me. They’ve been really helpful so far.

Don't you just hate it when that happens.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Don't you just hate it when that happens.

Intermittent problems are by far the worst to deal with because every time you get someone to have a look at it. It works fine.
Sod’s Law mate.
Just back from a spin and the dash light came on. So with all the DRLs and fogs disconnected it’s still happening. Which has narrowed things down. And after THQ phoned me back Chris confirmed it.
It’s the light control switch.
As much as I’ve got a genuine VW one it’s still not designed for my startline.
So I need to refit my original one.
Which is typical as I can’t for the life of me find it.
This will make my fog lights inoperable.
So I’m thinking of connecting them to a dash switch now so they bypass the lighting system all together and allow me to use the original switch.
At least this has also told me that connecting the bonnet and bumper DRLs to an ignition feed isn’t the problem so I can connect them back up.
I’m away to continue the hunt for that OE switch. Will also look for a suitable dash mounted switch.
Determined bugger me

 

[dubber36]

Seeing as fogs lights serve no real purpose, why not wire them so that they come on with main beam? They'll look pretty cool when you flash your mates.

I know that people will come along and say fog lights should not be used if you can see more than 100m etc, but used like spot lights, they'll turn off when you dip, so no one will never be dazzled by them.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Seeing as fogs lights serve no real purpose, why not wire them so that they come on with main beam? They'll look pretty cool when you flash your mates.

I know that people will come along and say fog lights should not be used if you can see more than 100m etc, but used like spot lights, they'll turn off when you dip, so no one will never be dazzled by them.

I like the idea but am reluctant to attach anything to the headlights because they are so sensitive. That would probably throw up more problems.

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Just to update this thread.
I’m still having problems with my lights.
I’ve disconnected all the DRLs and fog lights
Removed the pin wire from the light switch plug
Fitted original light switch
Stripped out an old tracker that was tapped into the wires at the the light switch plug
Fitted my original non LED rear lights
And I’m still getting the same problem.
I start my van everything fine.
Then after a few minutes the bulb out light comes on on the dash and my main rear lights turn off.
Also the DRLs in the headlight will switch off too. But my main lights stay on. Front and rear indicators work, brake lights work and so does reverse light.
THQ have tried to help but told me to go to an auto electrician saying it’s definitely my van and not their lights.
Sparky told me to fit the original rear lights and see what happens. Did that just the same.
Anyone got any ideas?
Having no rear lights is a big problem.
I intend to take it back to the sparky and get him to plug it into VCDS and see what it says.

 

[Johny]

Just to update this thread.
I’m still having problems with my lights.
I’ve disconnected all the DRLs and fog lights
Removed the pin wire from the light switch plug
Fitted original light switch
Stripped out an old tracker that was tapped into the wires at the the light switch plug
Fitted my original non LED rear lights
And I’m still getting the same problem.
I start my van everything fine.
Then after a few minutes the bulb out light comes on on the dash and my main rear lights turn off.
Also the DRLs in the headlight will switch off too. But my main lights stay on. Front and rear indicators work, brake lights work and so does reverse light.
THQ have tried to help but told me to go to an auto electrician saying it’s definitely my van and not their lights.
Sparky told me to fit the original rear lights and see what happens. Did that just the same.
Anyone got any ideas?
Having no rear lights is a big problem.
I intend to take it back to the sparky and get him to plug it into VCDS and see what it says.

Sounds like you really need to try putting the old headlights back in

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Sounds like you really need to try putting the old headlights back in

And go back to being blind at night?
That will solve the no rear lights but I won’t be any further forward

 

[Johny]

And go back to being blind at night?
That will solve the no rear lights but I won’t be any further forward

Just to rule out the thq lights

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Just to rule out the thq lights

All my lights worked fine before I fitted the THQ ones.
But THQ are adamant that the problem lies with my vans wiring and not their lights and I believe that will probably be the case.
One thing I’ve not tried is swapping my side indicators back to non LEDs.
Other than that I plan to have a good look at the loom to each light to see if they have been modified or tapped into for anything.
It’s strange that everything works fine for a few minutes then the bulb out light comes on and then the rears don’t work.

 

[DJHJKH]

Does this problem occur when you use sidelights only?

 

[The Flying Scotsman]

Does this problem occur when you use sidelights only?

No.
There doesn’t seem to be any specific light I turn on that triggers it.
I’ve checked side lights, main lights, indicators, reverse light, brake lights and rear fog light.
It just comes on itself.
I’ve been sitting in the van with it running and it sounds like a relay clicking somewhere then the bulb out light comes on and rear go off.

 

[dubber36]

Is your new headlight switch an aftermarket 'Auto' one with it's own sensor on the end on a wire? They can be very hit and miss. We had one in the Polo, but after a few weeks it went in the bin.

 

[DJHJKH]

Sounds like the BCM is dropping the sidelights for some reason, maybe excess current for the THQ headlights causing it to overheat, or maybe not comparable with the LED bulbs.