Golf 7 reverse lights

[martscar]

Can anybody tell me why my new Golf estate has such poor reverse lights. I have had a look and only the ones on the tailgate seem to come on, the outer ones have a 21w bulb which is not lined up with the slot seemingly, and 3 wires go to the unit. I'm at a loss

Martin

[Exonian]

Welcome aboard Martin.
Hopefully there's an estate owner here that can advise but to be honest you'd be better off popping in to a dealer and getting them to compare yours with another estate.

[Mk7-GTD]

Can anybody tell me why my new Golf estate has such poor reverse lights. I have had a look and only the ones on the tailgate seem to come on, the outer ones have a 21w bulb which is not lined up with the slot seemingly, and 3 wires go to the unit. I'm at a loss

Martin

If you look at the photo below the outer light marked in white is an indicator and the inner one marked in yellow is the reverse light as far as I know.

Not sure what car you had last but modern cars usually do have next to useless reversing lights.

You could check these out, I haven't used them myself but other have and have said that they are a very reputable company. http://deautokey.com/product/mkvii-gti-bright-10pc-cree-led-reverse-kit-error-free-plug-play

[monkeyhanger]

What ate you wanting your reversing lights to do? Indicate to other users that you're in reverse, or illuminate the way while in reverse? If its the latter then you'll be disappointed, its for indication purposes only, just like blinking indicators dont light up the corner/bend you're turning into.

[Mk7-GTD]

What ate you wanting your reversing lights to do? Indicate to other users that you're in reverse, or illuminate the way while in reverse? If its the latter then you'll be disappointed, its for indication purposes only, just like blinking indicators dont light up the corner/bend you're turning into.

I think reversing lights are supposed to actually light the area behind the car where as indicators are only there to show an indication of what you want to do. Although some drivers seem to think that they give them the right to do what they want.

[dv52]

What are you wanting your reversing lights to do? Indicate to other users that you're in reverse, or illuminate the way while in reverse? If its the latter then you'll be disappointed, its for indication purposes only, just like blinking indicators dont light up the corner/bend you're turning into.

I think reversing lights are supposed to actually light the area behind the car where as indicators are only there to show an indication of what you want to do. Although some drivers seem to think that they give them the right to do what they want.

Mk7-GTD: Truth is that with a VCDS cable and a little Leutche programming, you can make any of the tail lights do virtually any function. On my car, I've made the 3rd Brake light illuminate when reversing. Not good for pin-point accuracy, but the LED strip does provide a reasonable amount of light for general illumination (albeit in red!)

I've also heard of other folks changing the number plate lamp to a high intensity LED. They use the spill-light from the LED to provide short distance illumination when reversing. Not what the number plate lamp was designed to do, but the light from LEDs is so bright that the reflector spreads the stuff everywhere! I personally don't like this solution because it makes my car better seen by the speed cameras!
Don

[Mk7-GTD]

What are you wanting your reversing lights to do? Indicate to other users that you're in reverse, or illuminate the way while in reverse? If its the latter then you'll be disappointed, its for indication purposes only, just like blinking indicators dont light up the corner/bend you're turning into.

I think reversing lights are supposed to actually light the area behind the car where as indicators are only there to show an indication of what you want to do. Although some drivers seem to think that they give them the right to do what they want.

Mk7-GTD: Truth is that with a VCDS cable and a little Leutche programming, you can make any of the tail lights do virtually any function. On my car, I've made the 3rd Brake light illuminate when reversing. Not good for pin-point accuracy, but the LED strip does provide a reasonable amount of light for general illumination (albeit in red!)

I've also heard of other folks changing the number plate lamp to a high intensity LED. They use the spill-light from the LED to provide short distance illumination when reversing. Not what the number plate lamp was designed to do, but the light from LEDs is so bright that the reflector spreads the stuff everywhere! I personally don't like this solution because it makes my car better seen by the speed cameras!
Don

I know what can be done with VagCom, I have been using it so long that I still call it VagCom.

Another route to take is to get a small discreet LED light bar and fit it into the rear valance and connect it to the reversing lights. That is what I'm going to do when I get mine. Years ago people used to put a spotlight on the rear of their cars.

[dv52]

What are you wanting your reversing lights to do? Indicate to other users that you're in reverse, or illuminate the way while in reverse? If its the latter then you'll be disappointed, its for indication purposes only, just like blinking indicators dont light up the corner/bend you're turning into.

I think reversing lights are supposed to actually light the area behind the car where as indicators are only there to show an indication of what you want to do. Although some drivers seem to think that they give them the right to do what they want.

Mk7-GTD: Truth is that with a VCDS cable and a little Leutche programming, you can make any of the tail lights do virtually any function. On my car, I've made the 3rd Brake light illuminate when reversing. Not good for pin-point accuracy, but the LED strip does provide a reasonable amount of light for general illumination (albeit in red!)

I've also heard of other folks changing the number plate lamp to a high intensity LED. They use the spill-light from the LED to provide short distance illumination when reversing. Not what the number plate lamp was designed to do, but the light from LEDs is so bright that the reflector spreads the stuff everywhere! I personally don't like this solution because it makes my car better seen by the speed cameras!
Don

I know what can be done with VagCom, I have been using it so long that I still call it VagCom.

Another route to take is to get a small discreet LED light bar and fit it into the rear valance and connect it to the reversing lights. That is what I'm going to do when I get mine. Years ago people used to put a spotlight on the rear of their cars.

Mk7-GTD: Good suggestion (about the LEDs on the valence), but because you already have a VCDS cable and because it's an easy thing to do, try the 3rd brake light tweak. It's pretty-much the same kind-of solution as your suggestion, but with the LED strip mounted up-high (albeit in red). And it's automatic, comes on every time that reverse gear is selected - so no need to remember to press other buttons. If it doesn't suit, then simply roll-back the settings and buy/fit the new LED strip (in white) - nothing lost!!

Don
PS: didn't mean to immune that you were a VCDS novice - I know from your posts that this is not the case

[itavaltalainen]

Reversing lights on the estate are appalling. A LED bulb in the halogen ones does not make a huge difference, the 'slot' is just too narrow.

The estate does not have rear light cluster with LEDs. So trick I used on some GTD/GTI/R models with increasing the LED brightness
on reversing light does not work.

You can assign functions to any set of lights - i.e. you could use the rear fog lights for reversing. Though technically this is not legal.
Personally I turn them on manually when I need to reverse into parking spot outside my house in the night.

[Mk7-GTD]

What are you wanting your reversing lights to do? Indicate to other users that you're in reverse, or illuminate the way while in reverse? If its the latter then you'll be disappointed, its for indication purposes only, just like blinking indicators dont light up the corner/bend you're turning into.

I think reversing lights are supposed to actually light the area behind the car where as indicators are only there to show an indication of what you want to do. Although some drivers seem to think that they give them the right to do what they want.

Mk7-GTD: Truth is that with a VCDS cable and a little Leutche programming, you can make any of the tail lights do virtually any function. On my car, I've made the 3rd Brake light illuminate when reversing. Not good for pin-point accuracy, but the LED strip does provide a reasonable amount of light for general illumination (albeit in red!)

I've also heard of other folks changing the number plate lamp to a high intensity LED. They use the spill-light from the LED to provide short distance illumination when reversing. Not what the number plate lamp was designed to do, but the light from LEDs is so bright that the reflector spreads the stuff everywhere! I personally don't like this solution because it makes my car better seen by the speed cameras!
Don

I know what can be done with VagCom, I have been using it so long that I still call it VagCom.

Another route to take is to get a small discreet LED light bar and fit it into the rear valance and connect it to the reversing lights. That is what I'm going to do when I get mine. Years ago people used to put a spotlight on the rear of their cars.

Mk7-GTD: Good suggestion (about the LEDs on the valence), but because you already have a VCDS cable and because it's an easy thing to do, try the 3rd brake light tweak. It's pretty-much the same kind-of solution as your suggestion, but with the LED strip mounted up-high (albeit in red). And it's automatic, comes on every time that reverse gear is selected - so no need to remember to press other buttons. If it doesn't suit, then simply roll-back the settings and buy/fit the new LED strip (in white) - nothing lost!!

Don
PS: didn't mean to immune that you were a VCDS novice - I know from your posts that this is not the case

I don't have my Mk7 yet, I have a CC and on the rear lights on that only the indicator and reversing lights are not led and they are cr@p but the rear camera is good enough except when in complete darkness and in cases like that I drive by sound alone, keep going until I hear the bang(joke) Seriously in cases like that I have a maglite in the glovebox so I just hold that out the window and the camera is able to do the rest.

I'm sure the rear camera on the Mk7 is going to be at least as good but as I will be keeping the car for 3 years I might as well see about fitting the LED lightbar.