# "Check Headlight Range Control"



## doc_j (Jul 21, 2004)

Has anyone had this error message on the MFI? It appeared this afternoon each time the car was started. By evening it was replaced by the "System Fault Running Gear Workshop" message accompanied by the flashing lights on the differential control.
I guess it was too good to last, 5300 miles and no problems to this point!


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## TREGinginCO (Jan 4, 2004)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (doc_j)*

Do a search!


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## shervinf (Sep 17, 2003)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (TREGinginCO)*

I've only gotten this problem once, and my battery died the next day.


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## DenverBill (Apr 18, 2003)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (doc_j)*

See my 05/18 response to "System Malfunction WTF..."


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## gklobuchar (Sep 10, 2003)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (doc_j)*

I had the message "check headlight range control" pop up about 3 months ago, no dead battery as others have described. I'll be bringing it into the dealer next week. I've heard it's caused by a bad leveling sensor located somewhere in the front end. There's a posting around here somewhere that addresses this more indepth.


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## prhim (Nov 27, 2003)

Had the same thing. The dealer swapped out a couple of sensors behind the Xenons and all was well again.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (TREGinginCO)*


_Quote, originally posted by *TREGinginCO* »_Do a search!

Y'know, it really, really pisses me off when I see a reply like the one above.
Posting a comment like that does NOTHING of any value for the person who posted the original question, and it can be argued that it had a very undesirable effect on the forum as a whole, because it gives many members the impression that the forum is a hostile, rather than hospitable, environment.
The only thing that I can see that such a comment achieves is that it gives the poster a feeling of superiority - kind of like "Hey, dummy, I know what's going on here, I know how to find information, you don't, and I'm gonna tell you so!" That's about as useful as pissing down your pant leg - it might give you a nice warm feeling, but it does squat-all for anyone else.
If you think about it - the forum would be far better served if people who were inclined to post comments like that just kept their fingers off the keyboard, and said nothing at all. If the smart-alecs kept their mouths shut, then eventually someone would come along and post a useful and friendly answer. However, it seems that the smart-alecs and know-it-alls seem to get hold of these posts within 30 seconds of them appearing, and post a slam like the one above, which kind of removes the incentive for someone else to post a useful, helpful reply.
To sum up: *If you are not prepared to post a helpful response - Don't post anything at all. *
Now, as for the question that the original poster made, asking for assistance with the warning messages:
There could be several different things causing this problem. Because you have had two totally unrelated problems appear the same day (a headlight range control error, and a suspension level fault error), there is a fairly high probability that these messages are spurious, and they are being caused by low battery voltage, rather than defects with the headlight system or the suspension system.
I'm not a Touareg expert, so I can't give you any good background information about the low battery voltage that I suspect may be the cause of your problems. But, there is a list of "Frequently Asked Questions" here on the Touareg Forum - it is here: The "Official" Touareg Forum FAQ. Try browsing through there and looking for 'battery problems' or 'charging problems'. If you have any questions about anything you read, just append a post onto the end of the existing discussion, and one of the more knowledgeable members will help you out.
If it turns out that you actually do have a headlight range control problem, this post might have some good information about that problem: "Check Headlight Range Control". But, I'll bet you a cup of coffee it is a low battery voltage condition. If your dealer is experienced, they will probably check battery charge capacity first.
Michael


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## Curjo (Nov 21, 2003)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (PanEuropean)*

Michael -- Glad to have you back!
On to business...

_Quote, originally posted by *PanEuropean* »_Y'know, it really, really pisses me off when I see a reply like the one above.
Michael

That comment seems to fit into the category of:

_Quote, originally posted by *PanEuropean* »_
To sum up: *If you are not prepared to post a helpful response - Don't post anything at all. *
Michael

The rest of your remarks are to the point, contribute to the collective knowledge, and are reminiscent of Michael's helpful responses... 
(Maybe you should look in the mirror...?)
It seems that one poster is demonstrating his frustration with folks that don't bother to look anything up for themselves, and you're demonstrating your frustration with the folks that are wont to demonstrate their frustrations... Which is the "loftier" frustration?
Cheers,


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## doc_j (Jul 21, 2004)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (doc_j)*

Had the Treg in the shop on Friday. Dealer did the "clean the grounding cable" TSB, says the cable checked out OK. Numerous low voltage fault codes were present. We'll see if this fixes the problem or if it progresses to the "replace the harness" TSB. All the error messages appear to be the fault of the low voltage even though I had been watching the voltage gauge carefully and had never seen it less than 14V.
They also did an update on the Nav software. I was surprised by this since I had just installed the 2B CDs and they had performed the update that others have already noted.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (Curjo)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Curjo* »_It seems that one poster is demonstrating his frustration with folks that don't bother to look anything up for themselves, and you're demonstrating your frustration with the folks that are wont to demonstrate their frustrations... Which is the "loftier" frustration?


Your point is legitimate, and well taken. The only difference I see is that I am a (volunteer) moderator here on VW Vortex, and one of the responsibilities of all the moderators is to try and provide some guidance within the different forums to make the forums the best they can possibly be.
I raised the same issue here in the Touareg forum, but much more graciously, about a month ago. This time, I didn't speak as softly. Whether that was appropriate or not, I don't know.
Michael


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## Curjo (Nov 21, 2003)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (PanEuropean)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PanEuropean* »_Your point is legitimate, and well taken. The only difference I see is that I am a (volunteer) moderator here on VW Vortex, and one of the responsibilities of all the moderators is to try and provide some guidance within the different forums to make the forums the best they can possibly be.
I raised the same issue here in the Touareg forum, but much more graciously, about a month ago. This time, I didn't speak as softly. Whether that was appropriate or not, I don't know.
Michael

Michael -- I understand your concerns and I agree with them entirely. I also understand the position of the folks that get frustrated with people that are too lazy, as opposed to a lack of forum knowledge, to look up the answers for themselves (I'm one of them). I step aside slightly as my primary complaint lies with people that don't read the owner's manual and expect the forum members to tell them the answer. (It reminds me way too much of my childrens' homework questions... Just give me the answer, Dad.) I'm a little more tolerant of folks that don't know how to use the tools in the forum, as I work in the computer industry. However, that excuse (not being familiar with the forum) is getting lame, as everyone should be able to go to the help posts, and if they can't, then perhaps they don't belong at a keyboard.
As was discussed in the earlier posts, both "sides" are legitimate and worthy of being ignored or treated with respect, and not the converse. Spockcat has kept a draft of one of your early posts re: welcome, how to use the forum... and simply pastes it into the appropriate replies. I wish more of us would use that response, it's a good one.
Anyway, welcome back, and my apologies for hijacking this thread...
Cheers,


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## spockcat (Jun 5, 2003)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (Curjo)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Curjo* »_Spockcat has kept a draft of one of your early posts re: welcome, how to use the forum... and simply pastes it into the appropriate replies. I wish more of us would use that response, it's a good one.
Anyway, welcome back, and my apologies for hijacking this thread...
Cheers,

But in this case his "welcome post" wasn't appropriate as the starter of the thread has been around for almost a year and has done some posting himself. I only use the "welcome post" when the person starting the thread has just one post and registered very recently.


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## cybulman (Dec 18, 2003)

I also think that very often unless you use the exact search words contained in the article text or subject header...even if you do a search the answer will not pop up.
So, in the interests of a good and resposive forum lets try and help out the newbies and the lazies!!!
At least let's point them to the thread.
Cy


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (doc_j)*


_Quote, originally posted by *doc_j* »_... Numerous low voltage fault codes were present. We'll see if this fixes the problem ... All the error messages appear to be the fault of the low voltage even though I had been watching the voltage gauge carefully and had never seen it less than 14V.

Hi Joel:
I am very happy to hear that things went well for you, that is great news.
You raised an often misunderstood issue when you wrote _"...I had been watching the voltage gauge carefully and had never seen it less than 14V..."_ We had a very good technical question and answer session with the VW engineers in Dresden, Germany this past weekend, during the German Phaeton Owner's GTG, and one of the topics that came up was the problem of exactly the same spurious fault code messages occouring on the Phaeton when the battery *capacity *(not voltage level) gets low. The engineers pointed out that it is possible for a battery to have very little electrical charge in it - for any number of reasons, for example, owner listening to the radio with the engine off, frequent 'short cycle' driving trips, defective battery, electrical connection problem such as is described in the TSB you had performed - but, the voltage gauge will still indicate 12.5 volts with engine off or 14 volts with engine on.
Think of it this way - if you hooked up eight AAA batteries, the ones you use in a pen flashlight, to your Touareg or Phaeton, you would still see 12 volts (8 x 1.5 = 12) on your voltage gauge, but the capacity of those batteries would not be enough to do anything for you, and thus you would have fault codes all over the place, not to mention that your Touareg or Phaeton would not start.
The engineers emphasized that it is *critically important* that before any work of any kind is performed on a Touareg, Phaeton, or new Passat that comes into the shop with any kind of complaint relating to electrical systems that the CAPACITY of the battery be tested. There is a special VW test tool that is used to determine battery capacity. I don't know the proper name for this tool (I forgot it), but the engineers told us that in the old days, it was just two heavy metal prongs that were connected to the positive and negative terminals of the battery, with a big resistor between them. You stuck it on the battery, and the resistor heated up - the amount of heat you got indicated how healthy your battery was. Nowadays, of course, the whole process is done with a tool that has a small computer processor in it, but I think you get the idea.
Anyway - for the benefit of anyone else who is reading this thread - before ANY investigative work is done on electrical problems, the battery capacity must be checked. There can be two results from this check, they branch out as follows:
*1)* Battery capacity is good: In that case, further troubleshooting - usually with the VAS 5052 scan tool - can be started.
*2)* Battery capacity is not good: In that case, the battery must first be charged back up. Then, the fault codes cleared and the affected systems re-adapted if necessary, and the affected systems function-tested - in the normal way the owner would function-test them - to see if they work OK. If they do work OK, then the cause of the decline in battery capacity needs to be identified - there is NO OTHER PROBLEM with the vehicle.
If, after charging up the battery (restoring its capacity, not just its voltage), and clearing fault codes and re-adapting systems if needed, the affected systems do not perform as they should - then, and only then, should further trouble-shooting work be done.
Also, if a Phaeton is in the shop for any kind of service, then power must be supplied from an external source to the 'Vehicle Power Supply Battery', to prevent it from discharging while the ignition is on but the engine is off (typical conditions in the shop). It is not sufficient to hook up this source of external power to the starter battery, nor to the two 'boost start' terminals under the hood. The power must be hooked up to the vehicle power supply battery ("comfort battery") directly. I think that some Touaregs also have a dual battery system - the V10's, if I recall correctly. This may also apply to them, you folks might want to investigate this. Below is a photo showing the only acceptable place to hook up external power to a dual battery Phaeton, for the purpose of keeping a healthy battery from discharging while the Phaeton is being serviced.
Michael
*External Power to maintain the battery charge is hooked directly to the vehicle power supply battery, not the starter battery or the boosting terminals, in the case of dual battery Phaetons.*
_This may also apply to dual battery Touaregs - I am not sure, though. The picture below was taken on the Phaeton production line in Dresden - where it is quite safe to assume they KNOW what they are doing._


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## 4x4s (Dec 18, 2003)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (PanEuropean)*

Very informative post, as usual, Michael. Speaking for myself (and probably at least some others here) when I recommend watching the voltmeter, I mean when the engine is running. With the engine running, you will be looking at charging voltage from the alternator. The battery is a critical component of the entire charging circuit, so clearly a faulty battery can effect this voltage, but even with a "weak" battery the charging voltage should be well above 13.5V.
Your post is completely accurate regarding a Touareg (or Phaeton) with the engine off - a 12V value in this state is NOT a guarentee of a healthy battery.


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (4x4s)*

It is unfortunate that the vehicles do not come equipped with an ammeter - something that would allow us to monitor battery charge and discharge rate, as well as the demand that is being placed on the electrical system by the vehicle.
Michael


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (PanEuropean)*

Going back to the (off) topic of newbies, searches, etc., here is an example of how one other BB handled the matter in a very funny and lighthearted (but quite effective) way: click here to view.
Michael


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## Curjo (Nov 21, 2003)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (PanEuropean)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PanEuropean* »_Going back to the (off) topic of newbies, searches, etc., here is an example of how one other BB handled the matter in a very funny and lighthearted (but quite effective) way: click here to view.
Michael























Now, *that's* perfect! Wouldn't it be great if viewing that clip was a prerequisite to forum memberships (everywhere)?
Thanks for the chuckle.


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## leebo (Dec 17, 2003)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (PanEuropean)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PanEuropean* »_Going back to the (off) topic of newbies, searches, etc., here is an example of how one other BB handled the matter in a very funny and lighthearted (but quite effective) way: click here to view.
Michael

If I'm not mistaken, a link to that video has been posted on the Touareg forum before. A search might find it, but I'm too damn lazy to do so.
Curjo, can you do the search and let me know if I'm correct?


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## 4x4s (Dec 18, 2003)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (leebo)*

Yep, it was, over a year ago. Still cute tho - worthy of a repost.


_Modified by 4x4s at 10:49 PM 5-23-2005_


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## PanEuropean (Nov 3, 2001)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (leebo)*


_Quote, originally posted by *leebo* »_Curjo, can you do the search and let me know if I'm correct?

ROTFL...
Michael


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## doc_j (Jul 21, 2004)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (PanEuropean)*

Michael:
Thanks for the informative post. I happen to be a physicist, so the concept you were describing was not foreign to me. The only reason I had mentioned "watching the voltmeter" was that so many posts indicated that this was a tip-off to incipient problems. I wanted to point out that the "low battery capacity" problem could occur without visual confirmation on the gauge.
As for the discussion on whether this was an appropriate post to begin with, I would like to comment that a search for "headlight range control" produces a negative result unless one searches the bodies of the posts, which I had forgotten to do. Furthermore, the one post I later found seemed to link the message with an actual headlight problem. I wasn't sure that anyone had seen the headlight message associated with the "workshop" one.
To those I offended, I apologize. To those who have provided valuable feedback, thank you.
Doc J


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## Curjo (Nov 21, 2003)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (PanEuropean)*


_Quote, originally posted by *PanEuropean* »_ROTFL...
Michael

...And Leebo just "thinks" he's going to get his Vag-Com cable back!!


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## Curjo (Nov 21, 2003)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (doc_j)*


_Quote, originally posted by *doc_j* »_
As for the discussion on whether this was an appropriate post to begin with, I would like to comment that a search for "headlight range control" produces a negative result unless one searches the bodies of the posts, which I had forgotten to do. Furthermore, the one post I later found seemed to link the message with an actual headlight problem. I wasn't sure that anyone had seen the headlight message associated with the "workshop" one.


Hi Doc -- I did a title search in archived posts for "headlight range" and got three excellent threads, including the one where Spockcat states that he's placing the info in the FAQs. So, looking through the FAQs would've found the information, also.
And I'm not sure that there isn't anything about a Touareg that hasn't been asked and answered at least a dozen times in the forum. The old guys are still lurking, waiting for someone to come up with some newly discovered coding that will make their Treg better. They want to use their Vag-Com cable to fix things like streets and street names in the nav, $100 mod for sway bar disconnects, DVD movie playback in the MFI, and other, similarly important improvements.
What we all forget, from time to time, is that sometimes folks will have something happen to them that they simply want to share with someone else. I know my Treg is immune from all the problems that everyone else has, so if I get the "whatsit" symbol in the "frazzit" display, I'm going to post about it, regardless of FAQs and searches.
So, post away... Be prepared for flames, irritated responses from old guys (I'm one) and helpful information. Don't ever take any of it personally and always, always remember that you should seldom believe anything you read on the Internet.
Cheers,


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## Phagus (Aug 5, 2003)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (doc_j)*


_Quote, originally posted by *doc_j* »_Michael:
Thanks for the informative post. I happen to be a physicist, so the concept you were describing was not foreign to me. The only reason I had mentioned "watching the voltmeter" was that so many posts indicated that this was a tip-off to incipient problems. I wanted to point out that the "low battery capacity" problem could occur without visual confirmation on the gauge.
As for the discussion on whether this was an appropriate post to begin with, I would like to comment that a search for "headlight range control" produces a negative result unless one searches the bodies of the posts, which I had forgotten to do. Furthermore, the one post I later found seemed to link the message with an actual headlight problem. I wasn't sure that anyone had seen the headlight message associated with the "workshop" one.
To those I offended, I apologize. To those who have provided valuable feedback, thank you.
Doc J

low charge voltage and low battery capacity are linked. if you do not charge a lead-acid battery fully but continue to put a high load on it (like starting the engine in cold days) the battery deteriorates and irreversibly loses its capacity. 
therefore, any fixes of the charging system (if it is found to be faulty) have to be accompanied by the replacement of the charge accumulation device, the battery.


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## Emmasis (Dec 23, 2004)

*Re: "Check Headlight Range Control" (PanEuropean)*

It has always annoyed me when people post "Do a search"!!!
An internet forum is also a social gathering place for enthusiasts to interface.
I personally think the search function on this forum sucks compared to many I have used before. I have searched for things and never find what I am looking for.
BTW with a problematic vehicle (Like we own) New fixes are found all the time and I want to have the most current info. for when I go into the dealer.
I don't think this forum is so busy that we can't revisit old topics now and again.
It is also a way of newbs to feel comfortable posting without making an off topic 
"Hi my name is" in the Touareg forum.
I think we should chill a little, unless we get our own Touareg Offtopic forum


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