UK-POLOS.NET - THE VW Polo Forum

I had a lot of time on my hand today so decided to install the EL Lights for Volkswagen Polo.I had seen some videos but they were not complete, and its never easy to do something on your own no matter how good the videos are. So making a simpler guide for those who want to give it a try.

Total cost of the mod: <$5

Time Taken : 10-15 minutes

Difficulty: Moderate

EL Wire Link: AliExpress (Cost $3.25) 3M Length Purple Color

Few things I wanted to achieve:

1. Turns on with headlights/at night/auto on
2. Ability to dim the lights with headunit using dimmer funcitonality

Began my opening the headlight switch. This can be done simply by pressing the headlight inside and rotating right. A video on how to do this below:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVnrIJTRz6o

Once you have opened the switch and disconnected the red harness plug, you need to tap into blue&gray wire which is the last wire on the switch and is actually the dimmer wire.A good link explaining how to do that.

https://www.autoinstruct.com.au/manufac ... tallation/

Then you need to find a ground, which is easy found by tapping into baremetal bolt right next to fuse box. And Wallah! Its done. Posting some pictures and short video below:

https://youtu.be/ru6JirOfWGk


Have fun doing this mod guys. Hope this helps someone do this.

Never even thought I needed to do this, but definitely do!

Don’t suppose you could post some closer pictures how t out run the light and wires to make it look neat and tidy?

Thanks!

Sure, I will share some pictures tomorrow. Its fairly simple mod. Now I am going to also add LED light strips for the footwell.

This is great, didnt think I needed this until I saw it too.

Is the blue wire for power and the grey for dimming ability? Also, how do you have that option in your entertainment system? I can’t find that option? Adaptation or coded?

You need only 2 wires:

Blue&Gray Wire (multi-color) that you tap behind your headlight switch - 12V Switched on with Lights and can be dimmed (this is your dimmer wire)
Ground: Any bolt in your car, there is one right near the fuse box

The dimmer function is in headhunt by default if you have composition media system. Its in vehicle settings. It allows you to dim your internal lights like speedometer console etc. You don't have to program or code anything. Its a 5 minute mod.

Things I recommend having - wire harness cloth tape, EL Light (color you like) and 5 minutes of your time

So is this to replace the white light we already have with one of another colour of our own choosing + dimmability?

Not sure whether to go GTI red, or will it look like a portable knocking shop from Amsterdam?

No it doesn't replace an existing light. We tap into headlight switch (dimmer) to make the light turn on and off with internal lights. But this is a brand new light strip added to the dashboard which was not present before.

PoloSG wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 4:08 pm No it doesn't replace an existing light. We tap into headlight switch (dimmer) to make the light turn on and off with internal lights. But this is a brand new light strip added to the dashboard which was not present before.

My car has those lights as standard, but in white. Is this specific to the GTI? The are all individually controlled via the Light function in the settings.

sc-red wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 10:04 pm

PoloSG wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 4:08 pm No it doesn't replace an existing light. We tap into headlight switch (dimmer) to make the light turn on and off with internal lights. But this is a brand new light strip added to the dashboard which was not present before.

My car has those lights as standard, but in white. Is this specific to the GTI? The are all individually controlled via the Light function in the settings.

That's why I was confused. I was wondering what was new in the mod vs what I already had. White ambuent lighting us standard on UK Polo GTI and the (and most if not all of the rest of the range).

monkeyhanger wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 10:25 pm

sc-red wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 10:04 pm

PoloSG wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 4:08 pm No it doesn't replace an existing light. We tap into headlight switch (dimmer) to make the light turn on and off with internal lights. But this is a brand new light strip added to the dashboard which was not present before.

My car has those lights as standard, but in white. Is this specific to the GTI? The are all individually controlled via the Light function in the settings.

That's why I was confused. I was wondering what was new in the mod vs what I already had. White ambuent lighting us standard on UK Polo GTI and the (and most if not all of the rest of the range).

Furthermore it can be dimmed to whatever you desire and separate from the strips in the door cards, foot wells and phone tray as standard on the GTI .

Added LED lights trip at the footwell, these can be controlled by remote, via app and respond to music as well. They also remember the last setting.
My default settings as follows:
Brightness 30%
Color - Cyan or Purple
Light Turn On - The light turns on with the headlights. Tapped into same dimmer wire to turn on. Light can also be turned off by headhunt.
4 Lights in total. 2 in front, 2 in rear. The make the car look lot bigger then it is, as they make the car brighter.

monkeyhanger wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 3:48 pm So is this to replace the white light we already have with one of another colour of our own choosing + dimmability?

Not sure whether to go GTI red, or will it look like a portable knocking shop from Amsterdam?

Volkswagen Up GTI has the red light, I think that it looks incredible!

fran_92 wrote: Sun May 10, 2020 11:04 am

monkeyhanger wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 3:48 pm So is this to replace the white light we already have with one of another colour of our own choosing + dimmability?

Not sure whether to go GTI red, or will it look like a portable knocking shop from Amsterdam?

Volkswagen Up GTI has the red light, I think that it looks incredible!

Personally I think the red on the Up is too much. The white on the Polo is more classy.

sc-red wrote: Sun May 10, 2020 11:19 am

fran_92 wrote: Sun May 10, 2020 11:04 am

monkeyhanger wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 3:48 pm So is this to replace the white light we already have with one of another colour of our own choosing + dimmability?

Not sure whether to go GTI red, or will it look like a portable knocking shop from Amsterdam?

Volkswagen Up GTI has the red light, I think that it looks incredible!

Personally I think the red on the Up is too much. The white on the Polo is more classy.

The Seat Ibiza can change the colours between white and red.. I don't know why Volkswagen didn't do the same with the Polo

sc-red wrote: Sun May 10, 2020 11:19 am

fran_92 wrote: Sun May 10, 2020 11:04 am

monkeyhanger wrote: Mon May 04, 2020 3:48 pm So is this to replace the white light we already have with one of another colour of our own choosing + dimmability?

Not sure whether to go GTI red, or will it look like a portable knocking shop from Amsterdam?

Volkswagen Up GTI has the red light, I think that it looks incredible!

Personally I think the red on the Up is too much. The white on the Polo is more classy.

Agree; I’d find that quite prominent strip of red light across the width of of the entire dashboard In the up! GTI too much and I think it’d be quite distracting for night time driving. The Polo’s slim white light strip is much more subtle, which I prefer. Just my opinion though, and it’s good we don’t all like the same things .

I had front footwell lights in my mk6 Golf GTD and had the brightness either turned down low or off completely. I didn’t really feel the need to be able to see mine or my front passenger’s shoes while driving at night .