MK5 tail lights

[Myron Nelson]

With the new coupe turn signal harness on the MK5, is the Hopkins tail light converter still needed? Thanks in advance.

[Myron Nelson]

"Taillights"

[edwardb]

No. The turn signal assembly handles the switching. Pay attention to the manual where it says to cut a couple wires in the harness to prevent any issues. Also, you won't use the purple brake light wires. Seems counterintuitive, but it works.

[Myron Nelson]

Thanks Edward. Could you please expound upon your comment about cutting certain wires. Are you referring to the purple? The electrical manual was written years before the MK5 incorporated the advanced turn signal assembly and the assembly manual only talks about mounting the light assembly, not wiring it.

[Jeff Kleiner]

Thanks Edward. Could you please expound upon your comment about cutting certain wires. Are you referring to the purple? The electrical manual was written years before the MK5 incorporated the advanced turn signal assembly and the assembly manual only talks about mounting the light assembly, not wiring it.

Myron,
Consult pages 282 and 283 ofthe manual.

Jeff

[Myron Nelson]

Thanks Jeff. My version of the manual downloaded on my shop MacBook had battery install on those pages, but I found the reference and appreciate it.
I vaguely remember doing those tasks but it has been a while since I would have done it and will verify. I wonder if there would be a way to verify with a multimeter at the tail harness rather than taking the dash apart?
I appreciate the support this forum provides.

[edwardb]

Thanks Jeff. My version of the manual downloaded on my shop MacBook had battery install on those pages, but I found the reference and appreciate it.
I vaguely remember doing those tasks but it has been a while since I would have done it and will verify. I wonder if there would be a way to verify with a multimeter at the tail harness rather than taking the dash apart?
I appreciate the support this forum provides.

Jeff has you covered. Mk5 assembly manual. Not the RF wiring manual. Plug the "hot rod harness" connector from the RF harness into the turn signal switch connector. With the car powered up, you should be able to validate the proper voltages in the rear wiring harness. Or wire up the lights as shown in the manual and they should work OK. My truck build and the new Mk5 build had the same setup and worked OK.

[Myron Nelson]

Jeff has you covered. Mk5 assembly manual. Not the RF wiring manual. Plug the "hot rod harness" connector from the RF harness into the turn signal switch connector. With the car powered up, you should be able to validate the proper voltages in the rear wiring harness. Or wire up the lights as shown in the manual and they should work OK. My truck build and the new Mk5 build had the same setup and worked OK.

Rather than tear the dash apart I took a gamble that I did it correctly originally and wired up the taillights and they appear to be working correctly. A big key is reading the card on the package the lights come in. I had never heard of white being ground and black being positive.

[edwardb]

Rather than tear the dash apart I took a gamble that I did it correctly originally and wired up the taillights and they appear to be working correctly. A big key is reading the card on the package the lights come in. I had never heard of white being ground and black being positive.

Mk5 build manual page 530 has the wire colors outlined. White ground and black positive is used in many LED bulbs and fixtures. Not what we're used to that's for sure.