Dave Class

Hi there. Just received my kit from vagparts. It took 10 minutes to fit & works fine but I can't find the matching green/black & white/black wires on the car to get the indicators flashing on open/close. The instructions are a bit vague on location - "rear of back-up lights". Surely can't be reversing lights which are different coloured wires anyway. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

cybrey

Apparently ( and I've yet to do this myself) its the red wiring block thats attached to the rear wing of the car. I'm going to do mine this weekend so I'll let you know if it works..

deanjay-A3T

Ah, I saw that one but couldn't find the right coloured wires. They could be hidden inside the bundle though. The wires are wrapped up pretty tight. I'll go an' have another look. Thanks for the info.

Dave Class

Hey, I don't know what happened there. My auto-logon logged me in as this deanjay dude.
I checked that connection bundle - couldn't find a red plug though, just a black one & a blue one. I found a white wire with a black trace but not the green & black one. I did notice a green wire with a grey trace. I hope you have more luck than me!
PS Just checked vagparts site. I see what you mean about the red plug. That plug is definitely not on my A3 in fact the door that covers this area is totally different too! Mine is a lot longer & has a different door handle. Could be a facelift model?

cybrey

Wondered about the deanjay post.. this forum software aint't the best in the world.

Mines a 97 1.8T sport and looks identical to the ones in the picture..

Dave Class

Did a bit more ferreting about. I discovered a bundle under the c/locking pump and found two black wires, one with a green trace & the other with a white trace. Guess what? They go to the left and right indicators. I pushed one of the wires from the kit into the plug at the back of the lights & pressed the remote button. The indicator flashed so I am going out now to connect the wires properly :-))) Thanks again for the pointer. (My A3 is a 1998 1.8 Sport by the way.)
I feel a bit daft having to ask for help about this but I was afraid of hooking the wires up wrong and fragging my ECU or something.

cybrey

Yeah I'm exactly the same... which is why I haven't got around to do doing it yet..

I take it you took the wire from the bottom of the vortex unit ( ie the pins it shows in the manual) to that red plug ??

Dave Class

I don't actually have the red plug. My loom runs over the top of the wheel well and down, under the c/locking pump, then splits in two, one branch along the back to the offside lights and one up to the nearside lights.
I cut off a length of the black fabric tape covering the loom at the top of the wheel well, cut the two wires and connected the vertex wires into each.
By the way, the connectors supplied with the kit are useless. The openings at each end are only big enough for ONE wire! I used some spade connectors that I had lying about to make the join then wrapped insulating tape round each join. I then used the cable ties that came with the kit to secure the joined wires to the rest of that part of the loom.
You could save yourself a lot of fiddly work by buying some lucas connectors. You just put your vortex wire into one side of the connector and then clip it to the wire you want to connect to. the metal teeth in the connector bite through the other wire making the connection. Saves you having to cut the wires in your car.

Si A3-T

Is there a way in which the action of the lights flashing can be connected to the horn so that the car beeps in some way when locked?

I know this may sound daft, but my old car used to beep at me, and I just find it reassuring to HEAR the car lock if you aren't looking at her.

I have a 2001 1.8T sport, so she has the remote system already fitted.

Thanks
Si

Dave Class

Sorry about delay Si. I know that there is an option to make the horn beep using vag-com but it did not work with mine. Probably only works with factory fitted remote c/locking.
You seem to be able to set this option without having to register the software. I got the cable and adapter from obdtool.com for $89. Worked out at £58 including carriage and arrived 4 days after it was posted from California.

Dave