UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

Right, something I've wanted to do for ages, so I've fitted auto and coming home lights to the Polo.

The auto lights fire up the lights with the ignition when it gets dark, and likewise turns them off again when it gets light, like proper auto lights.

As the video shows, the auto lights are working OK (although the connection the xenons/number plate needs looking at, but that should be simple enough).



When you unlock the car, if it's dark enough, the front, side and number plate lights come on. They go off again when the car is locked (they mimic the interior light). If it's daylight however, they stay off. However, as you can see, they kinda do the opposite at the minute, and come on when locked/ off unlocked. Think this is something to do with the feed I've taken from the interior light, as the system works alright based on the ignition side of things.



Anyway, I'll post up the pins/connections needed once it's all sorted later on.

(I know, I know - crimps and connectors are baaaad, but our soldering iron is too weak to work in this cold!)

Very exciting!!!!!
Good on you for trying this out! Something I've dreamed of for so long now, but didn't have the guts to attempt to do it (also seriously lack the knowledge of where to even begin!!)

I am looking forward to which connections you have used, would love to do this to mine.

Good work

Right, well. Spent the weekend working on this:

The mutlimeter we were using was playing up, so the connections were based on wrong info, hence the odd behaviour when locking/unlocking. The auto-lights with ignition bit is working though, and I've got the dash backlights to come on with the sidelights again now (seems they don't work if you don't have the dimmer connected - that caused some panicking for a while!).

Anyway, due to the dead mutlimeter I seemed to have blown up my light sensitive PCB, so have had to do another one (no bad thing, it's much neater this time!). Just need some day light to wire it in, then if it's working properly I'll post up my pin outs and a bit of a guide as the one I'm working off is for a different car (still VAG), and there's a lot more differences than expected.

Fingers crossed for you mate

Great work mate, would love to do this to mine. Look forward to seeing a guide of some sort.

Small update - has a day off today and spent a very short amount of time on this (as it was coooooold!, and I took the time for other reasons, but mostly the cold!).

Few little things sorted - I plugged the number plate lights into the wrong cable, hence why they weren't working. Not fixed it yet as it was too cold. Headlights I think is down to a duff relay. There's feed from the signal cable, but the relay will either:

• do nothing
  never turn them off

Will grab another off eBay, they're only a couple of quid.

Checked it tonight, and all looks to be working well right?



However, check what happens when I shine a light over the sensor.



Yep, it's working in reverse - on in the daylight, off at night. Need to have a think about this - I've asked my dad too, see what he comes back with. Too dark and cold to look at now.

Wonder how sick the neighbours are of the beeping?

This should have been a really, really simple job, and instead I've been plagued with constant issues every step of the way. Got to the point now where I shan't let it beat me.

Oh, did I mention the recent cold? That's the warmest I saw - worst was -11.5!

TriggerFish wrote:
This should have been a really, really simple job, and instead I've been plagued with constant issues every step of the way.

If I need the boyfriend to do something on my car I have to wait for just the right moment, as Nothing is EVER just a simple job with my car (.....unless its meant to be tricky then it work out ok. )
Drives him nuts lol

Glad to see your still battering thru with it. Will be a fantastic mod whm it's all up and running 100%

I'm starting to learn this too! Jump in feet first expecting to take a couple of minutes, one weekend (3 in this case, and it's still not sorted!) and loadsa help from my dad later, the car might be going again! Still, considering it's been off the road for about 5 months out of the last 7, it's keeping the mileage down!

That said, it's not beaten us yet, which the Golf has managed instantly (misfire, but can't read the engine fault codes. )

Right, got this done now!

I'll take some pictures and write up a proper guide (might do a PDF too) later on, along with some videos when it gets dark.

Going to get insured on it again as well now, a 21st birthday present to myself.

Edit*

All done now. Search for 'Guide: How to fit coming home/auto lights' (It won't let me link it - the URL is stuck as uk-polos.net -_-)