Thread: LED Number Plate Question

Originally Posted by aristocrat

Hi folks,

Just wondering if any of you tried replacing the stock 5W globe of the number plate with LEDs? I tried this and obviously triggered the bulb out warning. I have a Ross-Tech VCDS and disabled the cold start lamp check for the number plate. Its all good when I didn't turn the lights on, but after turning the light switch on, it triggered the bulb out warning.

Just wondering if any of you tried to replace the number plate bulb with LED and if you need a resistor to trick the computer? Or are there settings within VCDS aside from unchecking the cold start lamp check for the number plate that I need to tweak?

Thats strange i replaced the R/H number plate light with a camera /led light combination and had no problem not unless it has a built in resistor ?

Originally Posted by aristocrat

Hi folks,

Just wondering if any of you tried replacing the stock 5W globe of the number plate with LEDs? I tried this and obviously triggered the bulb out warning. I have a Ross-Tech VCDS and disabled the cold start lamp check for the number plate. Its all good when I didn't turn the lights on, but after turning the light switch on, it triggered the bulb out warning.

Just wondering if any of you tried to replace the number plate bulb with LED and if you need a resistor to trick the computer? Or are there settings within VCDS aside from unchecking the cold start lamp check for the number plate that I need to tweak?

Maverick's website has a great wealth of information...

Here's his write up for LED number plate lights: Upgrading the number plate lights to LED on the Volkswagen Golf, Jetta, GTI, R32, Rabbit and Passat | my-gti.com

I pretty much did what he wrote up and it works great

-tunzy

Thanks for that Tunzy. I normally check his website, but inadvertently forgot this time. Glad he did a write up on it. I tried initially using 2x82 Ohm 1W resistors in parallel, giving a total resistance of 41 Ohm. Although it works, and the result is a total current drainage of 0.2 Amp which is around about 2-3 Watts (as opposed to the original 5W bulb), it generates quite a bit of heat, so I abandoned the idea.

I was hoping that VCDS has some coding so it doesn't trigger the bulb out failure, rather than having to physically dissapate the energy/heat using a resistor.

I've done it to my 8P A3 (same as a Golf as you know) so i'm sure these would fit.
No resistors, just plug and play.

Festoon Plate LED - CHEAP!

There are now some FACTORY LED Number plate lights on a new Mark 6 model Golf.

Apparently they are plug and play (or may just need to turn off the Cold Lamp Test in VCDS)

Do a google search for part number 1K8 943 021 B for more information.