[Rapt]

DON'T buy E-code lights for your MK 4 before you check the markings on your stock units. In all likelyhood you already have E-code lights in your car. They are legal in Canada and for sure my 2002 came with the E-code lights straight from the factory.
How to tell if your lights are E-codes? somewhere on the lens or the front part of the housing (you may need to lift the hood) there should be string of markings including an E or e followed by a number and in a circle or in brackets. IF that (Ex) *where x is some number markling is there, you HAVE E-code lights.
Check http://www.danielsternlighting.com for more info on what all the other letters/numbers mean.

 

[SLI]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (Rapt)

So your headlamp covers are GLASS???
NA spec headlamps have a plastic cover.

 

[mr4te]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (SL 1.8T)

So what does that mean??

 

[SLI]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (mr4te)

Euro-spec headlamps (ECODES) have glass covers, NA ones have plastic ones.

 

[BikeBoy24]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (Rapt)

You're kidding right?

 

[Rapt]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (SL 1.8T)

What the lens is made of has NOTHING to do with it... Its all about the beam pattern the light produces. If it has the (E) designation then its European spec lighting, tested and approved. THe number that accompanies the E shows which country did the approval... (E1) which is what my lights have, means Germany was where that particular E-code light design received its approval.
If it has DOT on it instead, then its US spec. Don't lump us in with the US, saying North American... My lights have absolutely NO DOT markings anywere which means they are not legal for use on cars for sale in the US.
Bikeboy24, No I'm not kidding thats why I posted this... Don't replace something that is already what you've got.


[Modified by Rapt, 7:14 PM 2-8-2002]

 

[TDI Vroom]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (Rapt)

I know for a fact that mine weren't e-codes... But that was '01, and you have '02. I still have trouble believing it though. It's easy to tell though... take a look at the reflector on your low beam (that's the bigger reflector of the two). If both the left and right sides have ridges, you have North American lights. If one side is smooth and the other has ridges (i forget which is which and I'm too lazy to look right now), you have e-codes.
Rapt, could you go out and check yours when you get a chance?

 

[SLI]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (Rapt)

Okay...you have plastic covered E-Codes...good.
That means your highbeam is not H7.
I have plastic covered NA-spec lamps with H7 low and H7 high beamms.

 

[Deception]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (Rapt)

My '02 didn't have E-codes. I now have smoked e-codes from Hella and the beam pattern from the new lights are different than that of my stock lights. Also, my stock lights had plastic lenses and also used H7 bulbs for the high beam, and a different bulb for the turn signal.

 

[Rapt]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (TDI Vroom)

No problem I'll be happy to...
But as I said before. My lights are E-cdes by definition because they have all the European Regulatory markings. All as described on http://www.danielsternlighting.com (And NO absolutely NONE of the US markings.)
And for the others, I didn't look that carefully but I believe my high and low beam bulbs are different.



[Modified by Rapt, 7:57 PM 2-8-2002]

 

[billy-vr6]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (Rapt)

Before long, Americans will be having "Canadian E-Code Group Buys"

 

[Rapt]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (Rapt)

Ok so I went a checked and my low beam reflectors have ridges on both sides, And I can't tell if my bulbs are the same or not because the one has a metal cap over it.
This is intereting to me since the markings indicate that the light is a European spec light but the other pointer seemto shwo it isn't the same as what people who buy E-codes from Europe are getting.
Anyone who has purchased E-codes (esp Hella made ones) could you look at the housings for the markings there and list them, it'd be much appreciated. Or for those of you who live in Europe, I'd love to see whats on your light housings also... They are visible when you lift the hood along the op edge of the lens area...
My markings are, passenger side: 1b A HC B / HR (E1) 17.5
01 02 04 02 04 761 1149
and Drivers side: 17.5 (E1) 1b A HC HR /B
1149 761 01 02 04 04 02
There are also arrows under the 1b and A which mean that they refer to signals on the sides pointed to.
I'd appreciate this... Seems like maybe we get "watered down" E-codes here (I'm not sure why a company would bother with yet another variation when its unecessary, the added cost due to loss of volume and additional tracking and managing of another variation seems a complete waste.)
Looking forward to getting more info.

 

[TDI Vroom]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (Rapt)

I just checked my old OEM lights and i see where you're looking... on the black plastic, right? I have the same markings. Down on the bottom of the lense cover, there's more markings etched in. Under each of the low and high beams, it says H7. Then in the middle, it says (hella logo) DOT SSB 412 SAE HR F 98 VOL.
Strange stuff as to why it has the E logo with the circle around it on the plastic. I'm wondering if they just used the same plastic for both varieties, but marked the lenses properly.
Maybe I'll go out and check my e-codes later on.

 

[SLI]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (Rapt)

I don't mean to sound like an a$$, but they're not e-codes. Looking at the black plastic behind is not an indication of the beam pattern. E-code headlamps are not made by VW, they are bought from Hella or Valeo, and they always make e-spec units with glass covers. The plastic used on the inside can be shared on all different spec units. I asked my roommate who is a certified VW mechanic, he says they're not e-spec on 2002s.
I just found it hard to believe since there are many of us here who followed MK4s since the beginning, don't take this the wrong way.

 

[Bora Bighead]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (SL 1.8T)

Sigh...
there's one super easy way to check, and i'm surprised nobody has mentioned it yet.
Bulb Size.
E-code Golf lamps have an H7 low beam and an H1 High beam. Forgot what their DOT spec ones use ... 900X series.
E-code Jetta/Bora lamps use an H4. DOT-spec uses 9007.
Oh, and the blinkers in both are PY21W.
So, Rapt, tell us what bulbs you're using, and we'll know for sure.

 

[SLI]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (Bora Bighead)

Bora, read earlier, i mentioned that.
How do you like the euro tails???

 

[BoraSport]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (SL 1.8T)

Here is another question, if they're on a Jetta/Bora do they have city lights? If not then they are not what we all call e-codes.
Here is what an E-Code light looks like (this is not my car)

Hope this helps.

 

[F1_Fan]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (BoraSport)

quote:[HR][/HR]Here is another question, if they're on a Jetta/Bora do they have city lights? If not then they are not what we all call e-codes.
[HR][/HR]​

I think he's talking about Golf lights which (in Canada anyway) have the city light - it provides the extra 20% brightness swtching from DRL to "full" low beams.
Just for grins here are the markings from my '02 GTI's lights - clearly showing DOT on the plastic fronts and I have the double ridges on the low beam.

[Modified by F1_Fan, 4:48 PM 2-9-2002]

 

[Rapt]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (F1_Fan)

Thanks F1-fan the photos help, just went out and re-checked my lights in daylight, instead of with a flashlight.... They do actually carry the DOT markings and use dual H7 bulbs...
Apparrently what we get is a compromised beam pattern that still meets both specs... My apologies and thanks for the replies from everyone.
I'd still really like to see marking or photos of Euro-spec lights for the Golf. Just to see if they get rated the same or differently.
Oh and BTW glass lenses are a mixed blessing in my eyes. They don't scratch, or yellow like the plastic ones, but a rock will put a hole in them much easier. I use a $15 plastic shield on my motorcycle to protect my $500 glass lens.

 

[Bora Bighead]

Re: Attn!!! CANADIAN mk 4 owners (Rapt)

SL 1.8T - My tails are sweet. I love them.