DIY - VAG- Euro Parking feature for North American owners

[DavidB8]

I've combined all my coding and write ups into one website. You can find it here: http://www.audienthusiasts.com/VagComEuroParking.html

[UmIsThisThingOn]

Dude - you're a mindreader. I was just thinking about this yesterday.
I remember a buddy's old Mini (coughBMWcough) did this in '05 and I was lamenting that we don't have the feature.

You da man!

[scottyuk]

Yet again I'm amazed.... not this time by DavidB8 but that this little feature hasn't made is across the pond as a standard feature [:/]

[DavidB8]

Oh no I've stopped amazing... Scott can you change your lights from RHD to LHD via the MMI menu?

[Superduke]

Oh no I've stopped amazing... Scott can you change your lights from RHD to LHD via the MMI menu?

I could do that...

[DavidB8]

I could do that...

Did you get your Cable working? I'm looking for 3G coding from cars that can do this..

God been up all night. Time for sleep..... zzzzzz....

[inNout]

so, basically, this makes the parking light turned on all day while parked?

[NPuter]

so, basically, this makes the parking light turned on all day while parked?
nope - it does just what DavidB8 said - When the car is off, If you push/pull the turn signal, the corresponding side of the car will light the "parking lights".

The thing that no longer makes parking lights useful for me, is my lack of amber side markers. I know the leds are used as parking lights, but I would rather have an obvious yellow bulb on the side of the car than the leds...
The strange thing is that I have use spec headlights. (As many probably know I recently complete the halogen > bi-xenon conversion) The amber side markers are enabled in the code, but they do not light, and I do not get any error messages... Any ideas David?

That being said, I'm going to enable this, along with you code for fogs with high-beams, later today. You are AMAZING with VAG-Com!!!!!!

[ikotua]

can't you just leave the turning signal on? E.g. turning signal right = lights front and rear light up.
Is that illegal in US?

[Scorpio]

is there a time frame of how long you can keep it running before it kills the battery?

[DavidB8]

nope - it does just what DavidB8 said - When the car is off, If you push/pull the turn signal, the corresponding side of the car will light the "parking lights".
The amber side markers are enabled in the code, but they do not light, and I do not get any error messages... Any ideas David?

I would need to see your code to get an idea of whats gong on with your side lights. That being said since I have E-codes I don't have the side markers. I enabled my turn signals as parking lights so I do have some amber up front. They are inset a bit so not right on the edge but I still like the effect and think it looks kindda neat. You can read in my High beam thread to see how to enable them as parking lights.


can't you just leave the turning signal on? E.g. turning signal right = lights front and rear light up.
Is that illegal in US?

The turn signal wont stay on with the car being on. The point of this mod is to enable the car to leave one side of the parking lights on and this is controlled through the turn signal. I really don't see why this would be illegal at all. To my understand, over the years some cars have had this enabled from factory, just not Audi's.


is there a time frame of how long you can keep it running before it kills the battery?

That would change depending on a lot og factors, temp, LED vs non LED. LED lights draw very little power and could probably run for days without killing the batter. Regula bulbs draw more so the time decreases. Just try and think about how long you can leave your hazard lights on and that should give you a guesstimate as to how long. Perhaps some of the UK guys can chime in and tell us the longest they have ever used them.

I certainly wouldn't think 4 hours would even bother the car much but would think 8 should be possible. Some one car to experiment?

[scottyuk]

Oh no I've stopped amazing... Scott can you change your lights from RHD to LHD via the MMI menu?

Yes I can. I so wished for this in my TT and then in my S4 as we did a lot of European driving tours. Now I've got the B8 where it's easy I've two young kids and the Euro tours are on hold for a while. Doh!!!

I don't know how effective the change is. I'm not sure if it does a complete conversion or not but I'm suspecting it just removes the element which would blind oncoming motorists. i.e. I doubt my RHD card, with LHD conversion activated would have the same light pattern as a genuine LHD car.

p.s. The name's Paul but don't worry coz everyone does it [;)]

[DavidB8]

Does that just mean your a scotty? I wont hold it against you if you are :P

I think that feature is actually active on my car but shows differently. It appears there is a tourist mode on my car and when you use it lowers the lights. I was told by the dealer it was for when you overloaded the rear of the car and you could lower the lights but as Rene has mentioned sales guys don't know shit and lie :)

It appears I've hit a wall on coding now though.. Nothing different between the cars to go looking for now.

[ACowabunga]

Again, works like a champ. I turned-off my side amber lights so only the front and rear LEDs light up which is perfect because, as you stated earlier, how much power could they really draw? This is great that the A4s and A5s are similar in their coding because all the fun mods lately are seeming to come from this forum. Thanks David.

[DavidB8]

I also noticed tonight that only half of the rear light comes on cutting down power draw even more.

[ACowabunga]

Yes, I am sorry that I didn't mention that. What's also nice is the annoying "Lights are on" buzzer goes off with this feature so there is little doubt that the turn signal switch has been activated. Too bad there isn't an auxiliary battery source so that the main battery won't be drained should we leave our cars too long as when what should be a "quick errand" turns into a "next morning".

P.S. I am just kidding about the battery thing, our cars are heavy enough...haha.

[DavidB8]

Well on that note.. You just made me remember something I was reading.. You are aware our cars have a smart battery system. They wont let the battery go dead. If the voltage drops to low it will shut down systems to maintain enough voltage to start the car. Even if it means shutting down the remote entry systems and makes you use your key. So really I don't know if we could kill the battery. Not that easily though.

[DGMVW]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread...has anyone been able to get their taillights to light up too? Mine only enables the fronts. Any help would be appreciated!

[NPuter]

Sorry to resurrect an old thread...has anyone been able to get their taillights to light up too? Mine only enables the fronts. Any help would be appreciated!

It doesn't work on my facelift either

[rlarsen]

It doesn't work on my facelift either
How are your tail lights coded ??

[NPuter]

How are your tail lights coded ??

However they come. US facelift.

[rlarsen]

However they come. US facelift.

But if parking lights isn't coded on the channel in question, then no parking lights on the tails ;)

[weagle1856]

It doesn't work on my facelift either

But if parking lights isn't coded on the channel in question, then no parking lights on the tails ;)

Sorry, don't mean to dig up an old thread, but did you ever get the rear parking lights to work on your B8.5? I'm trying to get mine to work as well. If I find a way to make it work in the meantime, I'll post back here.