[SnowboarderX216]

City Light Bulb Install
Parts Required: 2 W5W Bulbs
Tools Required (optional): Small Flat Head
Step 1:
Pop the hood

Step 2:
Locate your city lights
Circle: Where city lights are located externally
Arrow: Where city lights are located internally

Note: May have to refer to side step, see below
Step 3:
Locate your city lights internally.
They are located inside the smaller of the two rubber covers behind your head lamps.
Circle: Smaller of the two rubber covers.

Step 4:
Remove the smaller of the two rubber covers.

Step 5:
Locate the city light bulb housing. It will be inside, and to the right, of the smaller rubber cover.
Circle: City Light Bulb Housing

Note: This picture was taken side ways you may want to refer to the actual sight picture found below.

Step 6:
Pull/Pry out the city light bulb housing. Located on either side of the city light bulb house are flat spots. I found it easier to use a small flat head and pry it out myself. If you can get it out with your fingers by all means do so.
*DO NOT PULL ON WIRES*
Arrow: Flat spot, on city light bulb housing, I used to pry out the city light bulb housing.

Note: This picture was taken side ways you may want to refer to the actual sight picture found below.
Step 7:
Replace your city light bulb with the W5W bulb you chose. This is done simply by pulling out the original bulb and replacing it with the aftermarket bulb.

Step 8:
Put the city light bulb housing back into the hole. You will hear a slight click when the housing is in completely.
Circle: Hole where the city light bulb housing goes back in to.

Note: This picture was taken side ways you may want to refer to the actual sight picture found below.
Repeat for opposite side of the car.
Note: May have to refer to side step, see below
Step 9:
Remove anything you may have used from underneath the hood and close your hood.
Step 10:
Find a dark area to check your new city light bulbs out. If you do not have a Euro switch simply flip your lights on with the ignition off.

Side Step:
I have an intake installed on my car, so to install the drivers side city light bulb I had to remove my intake to gain access to the city light bulb housing.
Before:

In between:

City Light Bulb Install Complete
Actual Sight Pictures:
Step 5:

Step 6:

Step 8:

Note: All pictures were taken of the passengers side


Modified by SnowboarderX216 at 2:38 PM 3-17-2007

 

[Izzy GTI]

Re: DIY: City Light Bulb Install (SnowboarderX216)

Great DIY! Thanks for putting in the time...how much were the bulbs if you don't mind me asking?

 

[SnowboarderX216]

Thanks

The bulbs were $12.00 + shipping which was like $8.00... I also got fog lights bulbs at the same time too...
Bulbs are Hoen W5W which are in their xenonmatch family...
Hoen W5W Link:
http://www.hoen-usa.com/city2.htm
I ordered them Tuesday and they were here yesterday... Orgeon to PA in 3 days.... very quick IMHO


Modified by SnowboarderX216 at 1:48 PM 3-17-2007

 

[bestvw]

Those bulb was so hard to remove, do you need to twist the bulb?

 

[das pui]

Re: (bestvw)

thank you sir! http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

 

[SnowboarderX216]

Re: (bestvw)

Quote, originally posted by bestvw »

Those bulb was so hard to remove, do you need to twist the bulb?

A small flat head screw driver makes it come out really easily... like i said you can make it come out with your fingers, all power to you... I couldnt do it... I found the flat head to work perfectly...
My St. Pattys day present to vortex

 

[computer888]

Re: (SnowboarderX216)

does this work for non HID headlights as well? I noticed that the city driving lights are located in a different location.
I want my city driving lights to be in the same place yours are. i rkn it looks cool.

 

[lunchbox_85]

Re: (computer888)

For some odd reason, my car will not allow the LEDs to stay lit. You are not using a load equalizer if my assumption is correct, so am I doing something wrong? They will stay on until I turn the car on, then the "light out" light comes on the dash and they shut off...any suggestions, or will I just need an equalizer? http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

 

[peachypotpies]

Re: (jlanch)

Wait, sorry for my ignorance but when are the city lights on? How much do they illuminate? Are they pretty much the parklng lights?

 

[hid3]

Re: (peachypotpies)

A question here: how do I turn on those "City lights"? I have European Golf V.

 

[kVWy]

wow this thread is really old

 

[Veedubin02]

Re: (kVWy)

These EPIC Bumps have got to stop, if you search look at the date of what you are reading before you respond.

 

[lunchbox_85]

Re: (Veedubin02)

Quote, originally posted by Veedubin02 »

These EPIC Bumps have got to stop, if you search look at the date of what you are reading before you respond.

uhhh, thanks for the help.

I asked a simple question regarding this post. Who gives a %#$^ how old it is. If I wanted to be like every other newb and make another post regarding the same thing I would've done that. I asked a simple question, and expected a simple answer. However, this is the MK5 forum, and I should've been ready to expect the sass.

So back to my question. Does MY CAR seem to be different from everyone elses in that it may in fact need a load equalizer. Does that make sense, because it doesn't to me.
Thanks. http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

 

[GTiMK5_TJ]

Re: (jlanch)

EPIC BUMP!!!! Bringing this thread to the new year!

I just got those "Hyper WHites" today but i was pretty disappointed in its light... just wishing they were more bright (seems that the stock are more bright)... Are there a more light intense bulb that would be supported?
And the bumper lens, are those the same type of bulb? I believe so bc they look the same as the city light bulb, from when i installed my clear markers

 

[Buran]

Re: (jlanch)

This was never answered, but gets asked a lot so here's the answer even though it's an old question - it will inform someone new, I hope!

Quote, originally posted by jlanch »

will I just need an equalizer?

Yep. What you are seeing is a symptom of the fact that LEDs do not have the same resistance as a halogen (filament) bulb does. This also occurs when a halogen bulb fails (filament breaks). Therefore, the assumption is that the bulb has failed, so the warning appears and the circuit is shut down to prevent any problems.
Right now there are two easy choices -- PIAA bulbs with resistors built in (I'm not sure where to get them) or the ZiZa LED city lights from ecstuning.com. Since you already have the LEDs, you can dig around a bit and find instructions on how to add resistors to the circuit -- or you can purchase one of the choices above or go with a brighter-white halogen. (I went with the ZiZa lights -- I'm LEDing everything I can so that I get better output and never have to worry about bulb failures).
And I'd rather see old threads bumped instead of countless new threads.


Modified by Buran at 7:40 PM 1-1-2009

 

[forcedfedvw]

Re: DIY: City Light Bulb Install (SnowboarderX216)

nice write up

 

[Djsupahfly]

The halogen lights basically the same?

 

[lancGTI]

Re: (jlanch)

Quote, originally posted by jlanch »

For some odd reason, my car will not allow the LEDs to stay lit. You are not using a load equalizer if my assumption is correct, so am I doing something wrong? They will stay on until I turn the car on, then the "light out" light comes on the dash and they shut off...any suggestions, or will I just need an equalizer? http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif

I'm not sure if it's due to your MY [2008], but my 2006 GTI will allow either an LED in the City Light and a Standard Incadecent in the Bumper Marker OR vice versa. I tried putting an LED in both and that side only stayed lit for about a second, but an LED in the BM & a SI in the CL worked fine.

 

[drummerc89]

Re: (lancGTI)

Are the light housings different on the 2009's? Specifically the Jetta. I just got my Ziza city lights today and couldn't locate the hole for it. Maybe I missed it due to it getting dark by the time I got to doing the install. Am I missing something?

 

[Oqsy]

Re: (drummerc89)

I had a city light and a side marker light go out at the same time (or at least within a day or so, because I noticed them both when my light out warning came up). One was the rabbit city light (much different than the GTI/GLI version, different location and bulb) and the other was a side marker. When i replaced the sidemarker bulb, the warning went away, even though the city light was still out. Replaced the city light and it lit up no problem. it's *possible* that there are variations in which bulbs are on the cold diagnostics circuits from model to model, and especially over different model years, so people's success and failures with LEDs in the different positions may be related. those are my thoughts on the matter, anyway.
thread jack: anyone found 194 replacement leds that are white, bright, and don't look like crap when unlit? all the ones I've seen would look ridiculous in the rabbit city light location. they just look too busy and messy to put on the front of your pointing directly forward. they might be fine for side markers, etc behind an opaque lens, but nothing i've seen looks as good as the incandescent bulbs.