Time: 10 minutes each side
Level: Easy with care
Parts:
17mm Hex Drain Plug Key or equivalent and suitable socket and bars
Protective cloth
Two polarity sensing BAUs21W (offset pins) LEDs. These are needed because unusually the centre pin on the bulb holder is negative. The can is positive. It would be very difficult to repin the wiring connector as there is internal wiring and circuitry which is linked to the circuit board for the OEM LED position bars (rear lights!).
DeanC rewired his bulbs successfully as reported here:
http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=391111&page=2
I chose to use pricier plug and play CREE LEDs which were polarity independent and used these
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=161201053098&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:GB:1123
although this auction has ended.
Others which the seller said were polarity insensitive were
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=161188427809&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:GB:1123
I made this a condition of the sale.
Check you are buying CANBUS LEDs. I can confirm that the bulb warning will be triggered as expected for a bulb break but my CANBUS LEDs did not trigger a warning.
Go for maximum Lumens to enhance brightness. Ignore any wattage quoted as meaningless unless it is referring to Wattage consumed rather than light output. (Wattage in Watts = Power in Amps x Voltage in Volts)
Here are some pictures of the teardown which is also referenced in the vehicle Manual but real pics and commentary can be helpful
Pic 1 The 17mm Hex Drain Plug Key with a half inch drive
Pic 2 The Carpet Cover opened to reveal the Hex Bolt
Pic 3 The bolt removed with the hex key still attached. Note the two white plastic washers which are for water tightness and must be removed with the bolt.
Pic 4 GENTLY levering the bottom of the light cluster up and rearwards. At the front end of the cluster there are two round ended bolts attached to the cluster. These locate in two grommets which are part of the car body. (See later image)
Pic 5/6 Once the complete cluster is removed together with the flexible weather stripping, the circuit board referred to above can be seen
Pic 7 At this point place your towelling/cloth under the light cluster. It has sharp edges and you only have two hands and so it will scratch the bumper as you proceed. Here is the indicator bulb with the internal connector to the PCB which makes repining problematic
Pic 8 The wiring connector for those who really want to chance their arm and repin. Here you can see two of the three lugs which hold the bulb holder cover in place. When you prise them away I pressed down on the bulb cover so that less pressure needed to be applied to the lugs and avoid cracking them. This is what keeps the bulbs and circuits away from water run-off from the roof etc. Do each in turn little by little
Pic 9 Here you can see the new bulb in place and one of the two metal lugs at the left of the light cluster
Press the bulb cover back into place ensuring that all three clips click into place.
Locate the two metal lugs into their grommets and ease the cluster back into position.
Place the bolt and its white washers through the carpet slot and hand tighten the bolt.
You're done!
Level: Easy with care
Parts:
17mm Hex Drain Plug Key or equivalent and suitable socket and bars
Protective cloth
Two polarity sensing BAUs21W (offset pins) LEDs. These are needed because unusually the centre pin on the bulb holder is negative. The can is positive. It would be very difficult to repin the wiring connector as there is internal wiring and circuitry which is linked to the circuit board for the OEM LED position bars (rear lights!).
DeanC rewired his bulbs successfully as reported here:
http://www.seatcupra.net/forums/showthread.php?t=391111&page=2
I chose to use pricier plug and play CREE LEDs which were polarity independent and used these
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=161201053098&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:GB:1123
although this auction has ended.
Others which the seller said were polarity insensitive were
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=161188427809&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:GB:1123
I made this a condition of the sale.
Check you are buying CANBUS LEDs. I can confirm that the bulb warning will be triggered as expected for a bulb break but my CANBUS LEDs did not trigger a warning.
Go for maximum Lumens to enhance brightness. Ignore any wattage quoted as meaningless unless it is referring to Wattage consumed rather than light output. (Wattage in Watts = Power in Amps x Voltage in Volts)
Here are some pictures of the teardown which is also referenced in the vehicle Manual but real pics and commentary can be helpful
Pic 1 The 17mm Hex Drain Plug Key with a half inch drive
Pic 2 The Carpet Cover opened to reveal the Hex Bolt
Pic 3 The bolt removed with the hex key still attached. Note the two white plastic washers which are for water tightness and must be removed with the bolt.
Pic 4 GENTLY levering the bottom of the light cluster up and rearwards. At the front end of the cluster there are two round ended bolts attached to the cluster. These locate in two grommets which are part of the car body. (See later image)
Pic 5/6 Once the complete cluster is removed together with the flexible weather stripping, the circuit board referred to above can be seen
Pic 7 At this point place your towelling/cloth under the light cluster. It has sharp edges and you only have two hands and so it will scratch the bumper as you proceed. Here is the indicator bulb with the internal connector to the PCB which makes repining problematic
Pic 8 The wiring connector for those who really want to chance their arm and repin. Here you can see two of the three lugs which hold the bulb holder cover in place. When you prise them away I pressed down on the bulb cover so that less pressure needed to be applied to the lugs and avoid cracking them. This is what keeps the bulbs and circuits away from water run-off from the roof etc. Do each in turn little by little
Pic 9 Here you can see the new bulb in place and one of the two metal lugs at the left of the light cluster
Press the bulb cover back into place ensuring that all three clips click into place.
Locate the two metal lugs into their grommets and ease the cluster back into position.
Place the bolt and its white washers through the carpet slot and hand tighten the bolt.
You're done!
