Replacement Front Fog bulbs

[technik]

I've just got my GT with LEDs (standard) and think the front fog bulbs really spoil the look. If it didn't use them for the cornering of every time you reverse, I wouldn't bother, but I want to change them to LEDs to get the same white look. Has anyone done this? Wondered how hard it was to get access and also if it would create fault lights if I did?

[P Adams]

I was wondering about that as well Technik. I have the level 2 LED headlights and thought the fog lights looked strange being a more yellow light. Anyone know if it's easy to change the bulbs or make them LEDs?

[BenR]

You do know that using fog lights in clear conditions irritates other drivers and marks you out as a muppet, don't you?

[technik]

You do know that using fog lights in clear conditions irritates other drivers and marks you out as a muppet, don't you?

Oh, silly me for having a car that uses the fog lights as the static cornering function. I don't think the issue I have with the fog lights being yellow has anything to do with me wanting to drive around like a furry puppet, it was just a question about if the bulbs could be changed.

[P Adams]

You do know that using fog lights in clear conditions irritates other drivers and marks you out as a muppet, don't you?

Same here Muppet. I was only asking about changing the bulbs:zx11:

[technik]

29482
29483
29484
Easier than I thought!

[P Adams]

Thanks Technik. Where did you find the images?

[technik]

Thanks Technik. Where did you find the images?

From the online manual. Going to check it out today if I get a chance.

[technik]

Might not be as simple. Mine seems to have a Torx screw in there which I haven't got a thin enough version to get through the hole. ��

[technik]

Ok - here's a quick guide after I managed to change them in between the rain!

29752The hole on the front cover is to access an adjuster screw - not to remove the cover!
29753Hidden on the inside of the cover under the fin is a screw hole....
29754The screw can be removed with a flat head or a Torx 15
29755After removing the screw - very gently prise the cover forward - you can use the hook tool from the toolkit, but I wouldn't put it in the front hole as suggested in the manual - prise top and bottom above and below the screw hole you have just removed the screw from.
29756The cover is clipped in top and bottom along it's length and finally slots behind the main trim with these two lugs.

[technik]

29757When you've removed the cover, you will see two screws top and bottom of the light
29758Remove these with a flat head screwdriver
29759and the light assembly swings out.
29760It is retained by two lug similar to the cover. The bulbs can be easily removed now.
29761On the left is a Canbus LED - H8 Cree bulb from Autobulbs Direct (£30 a pair) H8 Twenty20 Cree LED 12V Canbus Foglight Bulb (http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/H8-Twenty20-Cree-LED-12V-Canbus-Foglight-Bulb.html)

[technik]

And here is the result - No faults and instant on/off with the cornering function.


29762

[YawnGumbo]

Looks good - does it give the same power/lumens as the halogen bulb it replaced?

[technik]

So far so good. To be honest, I only wanted to get rid of the horrible yellow appearance, but they appear every bit as bright as the halogens they replaced. Took less than 10 mins to change them both.

[P Adams]

Excellent job Technik and thanks for the images. I will change mine as soon as I can get the LEDs you recommended. The site states that the Lumens increase is from 300-400 for the standard bulb up to 750 for the LED.

[technik]

They're a great improvement.

[lordmonkey]

Hello mate thanks for the pictures, just ordered some led bulbs like the ones you have, but i am struggling to get the black plastic surround off. (don't want to break it) went to VW today and they said oh the clips break easily, and they take the front bumper off and wanted to charge £110 to take bumper off and fit two bulbs!!!
Please could you tell me where to prise the bit off. Thanks for your time Ben.

[technik]

Wow! Can't see how removing the bumper gets access to the fog light housing - you still have to pull this cover off? My dealership told me to just pull it off. They even gave me the printed off workshop manual pages that said just pull it. When I went back and showed them the right way it was quite funny. Their manual hasn't got any reference to the screw.

So if you look at pic 2, it is a side view of the cover taken under the silver strip that runs horizontally across the centre grill. That's where the screw hole is located. Undo that screw before you try to remove the cover.
The hole in the front of the cover is what you use to pull the cover forwards - there's a hook tool in your toolkit, put that in and give it a pull (only after removing the screw on the side).
As soon as it starts to come forward I'd start prising it with your fingers gently. If it breaks, the covers aren't that expensive. It would be cheaper to just break them both and order replacements than pay £110.

[technik]

The pics are just for the LED headlight version, but should be the same for standard. PM me if you need more help.

[MattB247]

I cannot find these bulbs online or in shops anywhere, any more suggestions where I can get any? Thanks!

[technik]

I cannot find these bulbs online or in shops anywhere, any more suggestions where I can get any? Thanks!

I put a link in an earlier post....

H8 Twenty20 Cree LED 12V Canbus Foglight Bulb (http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/H8-Twenty20-Cree-LED-12V-Canbus-Foglight-Bulb.html)

[M1tchy]

What have you been searching for? I typed "H8 LED bulbs" into eBay and got 5099 results!!!


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[MattB247]

I followed that but they've been showing out of stock for a while now. Can't find them anywhere else. I can find H8 LED bulbs but not 12v / Canbus versions that were 25w. I can find 30w - will they be ok and fit in a Passat with no errors?

[M1tchy]

Yep. I think you can fit upto 50w in a car.


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[MattB247]

They're only DRL's so I'll go with the 30w then, thanks. Can't for the life of me understand why VW fit halogen DRL's in the car, tight sods!

[YawnGumbo]

More likely so they get people to "upgrade" to LED lights to have the LED DRLs...

[MattB247]

Noooo I don't believe that VW would fit halogens to a £30k car then expect people to pay extra for LED's ... well, I may have that suspicion too...

[4NT]

Just want to say thanks for the pics of fitment this made the job really simple. However I bought the wrong fitment bulbs from eBay and had to trim the plastic edges of them off to squeeze them into the connection! Otherwise fairly easy and very effective upgrade. Cheers.

[zoomer]

:beerchug:

[Sh0gun]

Random thread bump (forgive me)

There is two bulbs in the fog light does anyone know if they are both H8
(Not being lazy, wife has the car In the week)

[kraff]

Random thread bump (forgive me)

There is two bulbs in the fog light does anyone know if they are both H8
(Not being lazy, wife has the car In the week)

Fog light is H8
DRL is W21W

[zoomer]

I used these for the w21w drl in my 2015 r-line ...
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F 382734891574

[lyubohar]

The reason for the fog lights to be yellow (and therefore regular bulbs) is that the yellow color gives the best possible visibility in...you know, fog.
In a car that's otherwise 100% LED (even the number plate lights are LED) it should have been pretty obvious there's a reason behind it.

[technik]

Thanks for clearing that up. That explains why the fog lights on my 5 series are pure white LEDs.

Oh wait...

[lyubohar]

You're welcome. It only means BMW cares more about how they look rather than the job they do. Which makes sense considering who buys BMWs 😀 Just avoid fogs...

[Roytay64]

Is the second bulb w21w for cornering bulb ?