# Problem with High Beams After HID Install



## jl777 (Nov 22, 2009)

I recently had a Kaixen HID kit installed in my CC 2.0T. Everything works fine except the high beams will not turn on. I tried the vag-com selection of: "Xenon Without Shutter" that eliminated flicker but did not fix the lack of high beams. I also tried both enabling and disabling DRLs and it made no difference to the high beams (or HIDs) either way - so I left them off. The error codes returned when turning on the high beams are:
02498 Left low beam reflector (v295) motor electrical fault
02499 Right low beam reflector (v295) motor electrical fault
It seems that the computer is attempting to enable the projector motor to change to a "high beam" angle which of course does not exist on this car as opposed to turning on the high beam bulb circuit. I have discussed this with several very experienced VW technicians and no one seems to have a clue.
So my question is has anyone installed an HID kit in this car and had working high beams? If so how did you program or wire it? If I need to live without high beams I can but would prefer that they work if possible.
I really appreciate any help anyone can provide!


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## RafaGolfBr (Dec 17, 2001)

*Re: Problem with High Beams After HID Install (jl777)*

check the vag-com settings again, and make sure that: " Xenon WITH shutter" is not selected. seems like a settings issue. If you flash your high beams with the lights off, do they work at all?


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## caj1 (Feb 16, 1999)

You don't need high beams putting HID bulbs in a halogen reflector housing. You're already blinding oncoming drivers.


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## thisisnotdave (May 27, 2007)

*Re: (caj1)*


_Quote, originally posted by *caj1* »_You don't need high beams putting HID bulbs in a halogen reflector housing. You're already blinding oncoming drivers.

UMMM NO. 
That might apply to older cars, but the reflectors in the CC's halogen lights are just fine for xenons and still provide a good beam cut that doesnt blind on comming drivers. 
Also your post has nothing to do with what the person asked.
As far as the error you're getting it definitely sounds like the ECU is trying to move the motors inside the bixenon lights.


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## jl777 (Nov 22, 2009)

*Re: Problem with High Beams After HID Install (RafaGolfBr)*

Thanks for the response. The high beams do not work at all under any circumstances as currently configured. I think it is because the "Xenon WITH shutter" is selected. If this is not selected the high beams work but the voltage appears to be cut somewhat to the low beams causing the HIDs to flicker. Does anyone here actually have HIDs working with high beams and if so what exact vag com settings? Or perhaps did I need to use a relay directly off the battery?


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## jl777 (Nov 22, 2009)

*Re: (caj1)*

As respects the HID "blinding other drivers issue" at least for this vehicle it is utter nonsense. The cutoff is very sharp and well within tolerances. I have taken the car out on a quiet street and had a friend drive up and advise me there is no blinding or problem what so ever. My other car is an 08 Altima Coup with reflector HIDs and the pattern the CC and Altima produce is almost identical - in fact the CC has a slightly lower and sharper cutoff. There are a lot of cars that come with stock reflector HIDs. 
The reason I purchased HID is for safety reasons. My last car an 06 VW GLI had projector HIDs and after using them I just cannot go back to halogens. The difference in visibility is huge particularly in poor weather conditions which are common in Connecticut. As far as I am concerned all cars should be required to have HIDs by law. It amazes me that VW sees fit to sell a $37,000 car with no HIDs - not even as an option and I have no intention to spend $3000+ to add projector HIDs.
So please do me a favor and do not lecture me about blinding other drivers in less you have at least some inkling what you are talking about. Thank you.


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## thisisnotdave (May 27, 2007)

*Re: (jl777)*

AFAIK, you only need to use a relay if you don't have access to Vag-Com.


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## jl777 (Nov 22, 2009)

*Re: (thisisnotdave)*

Thanks - I can get access to vag com if there is a programing fix avoiding the need for a relay. I there some setting for not reducing voltage to low beams when high beams are selected?


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## caj1 (Feb 16, 1999)

*Re: (jl777)*


_Quote, originally posted by *jl777* »_
So please do me a favor and do not lecture me about blinding other drivers in less you have at least some inkling what you are talking about. Thank you.


Ignorance is bliss. 
DOT banned and made aftermarket HID kits illegal because they promote safety, huh? What you see behind the wheel is much different than what oncoming drivers see.
Halogen headlamps and HID headlamps require very different optics to produce a safe and effective—not to mention legal—beam pattern. How come? Because of the very different characteristics of the two kinds of light source.
A halogen bulb has a cylindrical light source: the glowing filament. The space immediately surrounding the cylinder of light is completely dark, and so the sharpest contrast between bright and dark is along the edges of the cylinder of light. The ends of the filament cylinder fade from bright to dark. An HID bulb, on the other hand, has a crescent-shaped light source -- the arc. It's crescent-shaped because as it passes through the space between the two electrodes, its heat causes it to try to rise. The space immediately surrounding the crescent of light glows in layers...the closer to the crescent of light, the brighter the glow. The ends of the arc crescent are the brightest points, and immediately beyond these points is completely dark, so the sharpest contrast between bright and dark is at the ends of the crescent of light. When designing the optics (lens and/or reflector) for a lamp, the characteristics of the light source are the driving factor around which everything else must be engineered. If you go and change the light source, you've done the equivalent of putting on somebody else's eyeglasses: You can probably make them fit on your face OK, but you won't see properly.
Now, what about those "retrofit" jobs in which the beam cutoff still appears sharp? Don't be fooled; it's an error to judge a beam pattern solely by its cutoff. In many lamps, especially the projector types, the cutoff will remain the same regardless of what light source is behind it. Halogen bulb, HID capsule, cigarette lighter, firefly, hold it up to the sun—whatever. That's because of the way a projector lamp works. The cutoff is simply the projected image of a piece of metal running side-to-side behind the lens. Where the optics come in is in distributing the light under the cutoff. And, as with all other automotive lamps (and, in fact, all optical instruments), the optics are calculated based not just on where the light source is within the lamp (focal length) but also the specific photometric characteristics of the light source...which parts of it are brighter, which parts of it are darker, where the boundaries of the light source are, whether the boundaries are sharp or fuzzy, the shape of the light source, and so forth.
Some more information:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...edded#
Stick that in your pipe and smoke it. Thanks


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## jl777 (Nov 22, 2009)

*Re: (caj1)*

I appricate your obvious knoledge and time to respond in detail but none the less from actual testing on a real road with a real driver comming from the opposite direction there is no problem of glare with this set up what so ever. So perhaps there some exceptions to what you state?


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## thisisnotdave (May 27, 2007)

Once again, this is something that applies more to older cars than newer ones. You're right in copy and pasting from whatever article you just read, but the optics of the CC's housing are workable with both Xenon and Halogen bulbs. This has been tested, in the real world.


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## RafaGolfBr (Dec 17, 2001)

*Re: Problem with High Beams After HID Install (RafaGolfBr)*


_Quote, originally posted by *RafaGolfBr* »_check the vag-com settings again, and make sure that: " Xenon WITH shutter" is not selected. seems like a settings issue. If you flash your high beams with the lights off, do they work at all?


read my post again. 

Select Xenon without shutter. And make sure xenon with shutter is not selected.


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## caj1 (Feb 16, 1999)

*Re: (thisisnotdave)*


_Quote, originally posted by *thisisnotdave* »_Once again, this is something that applies more to older cars than newer ones. You're right in copy and pasting from whatever article you just read, but the optics of the CC's housing are workable with both Xenon and Halogen bulbs. This has been tested, in the real world.
Please - point me to the tests. I would love to read about this impossibility considering reflector design is based on the bulb and it's arc/filament position, which is completely different between HID and halogen based bulbs.


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## SellySel (Nov 6, 2009)

I installed my hid kit, but the lights flickered for a few seconds then shut off. I had it VAG'd and now they work, but no high beams. So, I go back again and the tech shows me the available selections. I come to find out there is no such "box" for "Xenon Headlights w/o shutter", ONLY "Xenon Headlights with shutter". So, inorder to get the HID kit to work, you must DESELCT "Daytime Running lights (North America)", and Select "Xenon Headlights with shutter installed". Any other suggestions to get the high beams working?
IN REGARDS TO THE BLINDING PEOPLE:
I LIKE women with big "headlights"...so i stare at them








They only blind those who stare at them...you fascist!


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## RafaGolfBr (Dec 17, 2001)

*Re: (SellySel)*


_Quote, originally posted by *SellySel* »_I installed my hid kit, but the lights flickered for a few seconds then shut off. I had it VAG'd and now they work, but no high beams. So, I go back again and the tech shows me the available selections. I come to find out there is no such "box" for "Xenon Headlights w/o shutter", ONLY "Xenon Headlights with shutter". So, inorder to get the HID kit to work, you must DESELCT "Daytime Running lights (North America)", and Select "Xenon Headlights with shutter installed". Any other suggestions to get the high beams working?

tech is wrong. There is a setting : Xenon WITHOUT shutter. 
is he using a vag com or a VW diagnostics machine?


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## SellySel (Nov 6, 2009)

*Re: (RafaGolfBr)*

I looked at the screen myself. I will try and post a pic...but there was not a box for "Xenon w/o shutter". He used a vagcom.


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## LA20 (Feb 18, 2005)

*Re: (SellySel)*

I won't be able to help with the problem but I am siding with caj1. He is right, the reflector housing on any halogen headlights are not suitable for xenon regardless if it's an older car or newer car.
Reflector housing for xenon is usually accompanied by D1R/D2R bulbs and not D1S/D2S. The R indicates it's for non projector headlight, even projectors have two types- xenon and halogen projectors. The R has an extra black stripe to reduce glare because it is being used on a reflector housing.
As far as blinding driver goes, it's true that DOT banned all xenon in any halogen based reflector headlight because of this issue. I THINK you will be fine if you aim lower.
Cut off has nothing to do with what we are talking about.


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## boneshop (Aug 30, 2009)

*Re: (thisisnotdave)*

Caj1. You are completely correct concerning the proper application of hid bulbs.


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## RafaGolfBr (Dec 17, 2001)

*Re: (SellySel)*


_Quote, originally posted by *SellySel* »_I looked at the screen myself. I will try and post a pic...but there was not a box for "Xenon w/o shutter". He used a vagcom.

tell him to keep scrolling through the screens, IT IS NOT on the first screen like the option you selected, its the same controller, but a different screen, maybe 3-4 after that one. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


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## Erwheezy (Jan 31, 2008)

*Re: (RafaGolfBr)*

where is everyone mounting the ballast for the hid kits?


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## MrCloudz (Oct 3, 2009)

*Re: (Erwheezy)*

BOOO HOOO I'm being blinded.


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## 06gliff (Nov 7, 2006)

*Re: (MrCloudz)*

So what kits are you guys running? and do you have any pics? I am thinking of doing this myself. I too came out of a GLI, and an R32 both having xenons, the halogens in the CC are good but I still prefer xenons. Thanks!


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## MrCloudz (Oct 3, 2009)

*Re: (06gliff)*

Im running 55w low's an fogs from retro-solutions. The only drawback to them is some people on the forums have had problems geting the bulbs to fit back into housing. I think people are having a better fit with the metal base bulbs. I had no problem getting the drivers side but cut my hand up on the passenger one. I removed and installed the drivers side one like 6 times just to make sure I knew what I was doing, but the passenger side has to be forced in and out but it doesn't move and looks like the drivers side. YMMV. Even if people cry about the lows you really can't say anything about the fogs in 3000k... Bet they look great in the snow, my cc wouldn't know she's been sitting in a 52F garage since the storm


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## johnny66 (Mar 5, 2008)

heres your answer if you didnt already figure it out drl"s disabled, xenon shutter without shutter installed, activate, and Byte 19 Bit 0, cold diagnosis low beam active,disable hope this helps


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## jl777 (Nov 22, 2009)

*Re: (johnny66)*

Thanks! - I will give it a try


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## thepharaohh (Feb 15, 2010)

any update? ever get the high beams working ?


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## jl777 (Nov 22, 2009)

*Re: (thepharaohh)*

No unfortunately no luck - I think I am going to have to run a relay direct to the battery. 
I did try the suggestion - 
"drls disabled, xenon shutter without shutter installed, activate, and Byte 19 Bit 0, cold diagnosis low beam active,disable" 
but could not find the setting starting with Byte 19. I am not actually using Vag Com - a guy at a local shop is helping me so I need more specific instructions regarding exactly where the settings are and what they are. Anyway thanks for asking. JL


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## kdeering (Dec 22, 2009)

*Re: (jl777)*

I'd look in your regional forum for a vag-com owner and do it that way. It makes it REALLY easy to do and obviously it has worked for a lot of people here. I would help, but I'm a little ways away!


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## crazywayne311 (Jan 29, 2006)

*FV-QR*

if you want xenons...they make OEM xenons...drop in kits are horrible on other drivers no matter what your friend says...
but do what kdeering says, someone local must have one


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## thepharaohh (Feb 15, 2010)

installed HID 35w kit on one side today. Didnt really have time today but insisted on trying to squeeze it in the one hour I had. Had a bit of trouble getting it to hold in place and took longer then expected.
Point is I have it in and running and my high beams work fine. I have yet to do any VAG tweaks and still works fine. On my drive home tonight I had no proiblems and the light was neither flickering nor throwin out error codes. Will it happen when I put on the second one maybe?


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## KIDD1 (Oct 30, 2006)

*Re: (jl777)*

hey jl777 excuse my ignorance as my CC has oem hid, does your halogen equipped CC have 1 H7 for Low beams and 1 H7 for high beams or is it one bulb for both ?


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## crazywayne311 (Jan 29, 2006)

*FV-QR*

its one for each


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## Tumbao (Jun 10, 2010)

*There is a software Solution. Pay attention...*

JL777 is correct in saying the voltage is cut to the low beams when selecting xenon WITHOUT shutter as I have tested the intensity of my 6000ks myself and have found that the xenon WITH shutter does indeed provide MORE light output. You will deteriorate your ballasts quicker by selecting Xenon WITHOUT shutter.

Now, to enable the high beam while retaining the xenon with shutter enabled, you must go to the instrument control module and change the car to British setting. To do this, click on "Coding" and change the third to last digit from a 2 to a 4 and select "do it". You will now be able to use your high beams while supplying the correct voltage to the lows. The only thing I still haven't figured out is how to eliminate the bulb out light when you actually do use the high beams.

Also, when you encode the car to British spec, you will have a new seatbelt chime sound. You will also need to reconfigure the MFD to U.S. spec if you want it to read in mph.


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## B6 Panzer (Jun 10, 2008)

Hey, if i'm not mistaken, don't the high beams use a completely different bulb?

I have a HID kit in and my high beams are halogen. I really dont use the high beams unless
i'm passing someone and need to flash them.

Everyone has a different opinion about putting in a HID KIT in a Halogen housing. From my perspective,
its absolutley fine. You won't blind anyone and you'll have better output.

My buddy's VR6 CC has the same exact output, beam cutoff and look. ABSOLUTELY NO DIFFERENCE !!

Unless you want to spend $2K+ on HID assemblies, you'll just be fine.

My HID Kit came with capacitors (error elimators) which didnt even require me to do any VAG settings.
I have no error messages whatsoever and the bulbs truly look and perform great.


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