prevent amber corner bulbs coming on with headlights?

[slowyourrole]

Hi I just purchased a 2000 audi a4 1.8TQM. When I turn on the headlights the amber corner turn signal bulbs stay on as well. Is this normal. If so is there a way to prevent this? thanks guys

[Gumby]

http://www.socals4.com/diy.html

Pretty easy, just follow the DIY

[slowyourrole]

thanks!!

[Gumby]

No problem.

[somebody5788]

Just remember it's technically illegall for your ambers to be off with your headlights

[slowyourrole]

really? I didnt know that

[walky_talky20]

Yep. That is your corner marker light. It helps other drivers to see the corner of your car. Headlights are often not on the corner, they can be recessed into the body, flip up style, etc. So the corner light is important. Your car will fail a safety inspection (or they will sell you 2 new bulbs and charge you for the install) and you may be pulled over for it. There are very specific rules for these sorts of things. For LED tails, for instance, there is a minimum percentage of the LED's that must work to pass. Also, the fender turn signals must work if they are present. You can disable them, but the lens must be removed. If the signal is behind the mirror glass, it can just be disabled as there is no visible lens.

This is for PA, but I imagine other states have similar laws.

[teleTay]

somewhat related question. i recently did clear corners on my one piece headlights and i considered either buying or painting my bulbs silver and having them still blink amber. however i left the amber bulb for the time being at least. is it a law to have the actual bulb be amber or is it only required to blink amber?

*painting didnt seem like a great idea to me because of the fact that the paint might melt if the bulbs got to hot?

[alsabti3]

somewhat related question. i recently did clear corners on my one piece headlights and i considered either buying or painting my bulbs silver and having them still blink amber. however i left the amber bulb for the time being at least. is it a law to have the actual bulb be amber or is it only required to blink amber?

*painting didnt seem like a great idea to me because of the fact that the paint might melt if the bulbs got to hot?

^ What I did to solve this is buy a set of "replacement" turn signal bulbs from a local hardware store. They are clear bulbs that flash a standard yellowish color. Although it is not as amber as the OEM bulbs, they can still be distinguished from the actual lights, or so that is the case with me. try em out, theyre like 3 bucks, if you feel it is not "legal enough" just paint the bulbs with spray paint. ...

[chodemaster]

somewhat related question. i recently did clear corners on my one piece headlights and i considered either buying or painting my bulbs silver and having them still blink amber. however i left the amber bulb for the time being at least. is it a law to have the actual bulb be amber or is it only required to blink amber?

*painting didnt seem like a great idea to me because of the fact that the paint might melt if the bulbs got to hot?

yes it will melt

[BASARAB]

Yep. That is your corner marker light. It helps other drivers to see the corner of your car. Headlights are often not on the corner, they can be recessed into the body, flip up style, etc. So the corner light is important. Your car will fail a safety inspection (or they will sell you 2 new bulbs and charge you for the install) and you may be pulled over for it. There are very specific rules for these sorts of things. For LED tails, for instance, there is a minimum percentage of the LED's that must work to pass. Also, the fender turn signals must work if they are present. You can disable them, but the lens must be removed. If the signal is behind the mirror glass, it can just be disabled as there is no visible lens.

This is for PA, but I imagine other states have similar laws.

All the people running e-codes are illegal... How do they get away with them?

[2001A4QUATTRO]

How are e-codes illegal? I would suggest that you not hand out false information...

As long as you have working headlights that have an amber turn signal/marker light it is legal...

[BASARAB]

How are e-codes illegal? I would suggest that you not hand out false information...

As long as you have working headlights that have an amber turn signal/marker light it is legal...

Well, on my e-codes marker lights are not on when headlights are, so per walky_talky20 statement it makes my headlights illegal

[mbudden]

taken from ECS Tuning:

Driving at night is only as safe as the distance you can see in front of the car. More light projected further down the road where you need it is exactly the advantage a European “DIP” beam offers over the dated North American beam pattern.

European headlights offer a drastic improvement in beam pattern and brightness of the headlight. They reflect a much crisper defined beam of light down on the road, even without increased bulb wattage.

For off road use only in select areas, please check your local laws.

Those apply to Jetta e-codes but I do believe they apply to B5's as well. US headlights are approved headlights from D.O.T while the e-codes are not. If a cop wanted to be really anal, could actually bust you for not having proper headlights.

[2001A4QUATTRO]

Well, on my e-codes marker lights are not on when headlights are, so per walky_talky20 statement it makes my headlights illegal

What does how you wired the car/what bulb you used have to do with being legal? I was intelligent enough to modify the housings to use my factory corner marker bulbs and sockets... GL :)

[McGovs2.7TB5]

Well, on my e-codes marker lights are not on when headlights are, so per walky_talky20 statement it makes my headlights illegal

He also stated to check your states law as it could vary from state to state. If your state requires orange corner bulbs that come on when your headlamps are on (CO does) then yes, they are illegal.

[somebody5788]

Well, on my e-codes marker lights are not on when headlights are, so per walky_talky20 statement it makes my headlights illegal

They are supposed to be on. I have OEM Valeo E-codes and mine act exactly like stock headlights.

Technically we are supposed to have orange markers on the sides of the headlights but clear corners have enough of a loop hole to get around with out being hassled.

[walky_talky20]

Yeah. Truly they are supposed to have some amber "reflection", even with the car parked. The reflection is so other cars can see which end of the car is which at night, even if it's parked. Red in the back, amber in the front. Europe must not have this stipulation, which is why the US B5's got those little orange plastic thingies in the headlight housing and the E-codes are just nice looking.

There is actually measurements for how much light must be reflected back, which is why heavily tinted lamp housings are illegal, even when the bulbs shine through. The tint cuts down on the reflection factor twice as much because the light passes through it twice.

[BASARAB]

My e-codes are set to rest of the world, maybe thats why. I will try with US and Canadian mode. And in MI u can run pretty much anything u want, no emission or any other kind of check up at all.