[chittychittybangbang]

I'm working on a writeup but in the meantime, here are some notes on the progress. This thread will serve as a support thread for the writeup, has a little more detail not essential to the procedure, and some background info. Once the writeup is finished I'll add the link here.

The car is a 2006 VW Jetta TDI but you can add it to any mk5 Golf too. The mk5 Passat procedure is the same except with different part numbers. As far as I know, it will also work on mk6 Golf and sportwagen. I don't know about the mk6 North America Jetta since it uses a Polo wiring layout and I don't know if the control module is compatible. A scan of the CECM coding and options will show if it might work so if you have one, please post a follow up with a screenshot. The 2012 mk6 North American Passat comes with a rain sensor according to early specs.

I bought a used OEM rear view auto-dimming mirror and new rain sensor. The rain sensors are on sale for $9 from ecstuning so I couldn't pass it up. The final cost will be around $160 with the used mirror vs. the $500 with all new parts it was back in 2006.

My windshield had a few stone chips in it that I've lived with and the last chip convinced me to get a replacement windshield instead of filling it with repair epoxy as with the first few chips. My insurance company covered it but was reluctant to use anything other than the direct replacement. After a few phone calls to verify that the rain-sensor windshield was CHEAPER than the direct OEM replacement, they agreed. The older part number rain sensor windshield (1k5845011p) 1k5 845 011 p is discontinued and is therefore significantly cheaper (still a bunch of new ones in dealer stock as of this writing). The superceded part number for rain sensor (1k5845011bm) 1k5 845 011 bm isn't as cheap. The standard replacement for the mk5 Jetta is (1k5845011bf) 1k5 845 011 bm.

The advantage of using a new windshield instead of gluing on a mount to your existing windshield is that you don't have to glue on the mount and worry about it falling off since it comes with a new OEM windshield. An aftermarket rain sensing windshield might reuse your old mount which requires that you buy the mount. Also, the mount will be placed correctly under the black ceramic paint which hides the mount glue. If you scrape off the existing round dot the mirror is mounted on, you'll be able to see the glue from outside. To fix this, you could just tape off the area so that the glue edges are uniform.

If you only want auto wipers and headlights, you can also just keep your original rear view mirror or use the Gentex direct replacement as seen in this writeup: http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/a6/auto-dimming-mirror-vw-jetta-golf.htm and stick the rain-light sensor to the side as seen below.

Many thanks to bigboy45, Pelican18TQA4, maloosheck, and jkmboler for some pictures and info to help do this.

 

[chittychittybangbang]

http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/multi/rain-sensor-auto-wiper-retrofit-vw.htm

Writeup is done and can be viewed here.

My windshield already had a few stone chips so I took the opportunity to add the rain light sensor (which are being discontinued from VW (only $9 from ECStuning as of this writing)) and OEM auto dimming rear view mirror. I got the oem dimming mirror from a junkyard so the final price was about $160 plus my time (insurance covered the windshield). The sensor used to be around $200 and the auto dimming mirrors are still quite expensive new. Auto dimming mirrors can be found on ebay. The same generation Passat mirror is the same as the Jetta-Golf. The Touareg part looks like it may also fit the Jetta-Golf mount and also has 2 LEDs on the bottom.

Overall it wasn't too hard but I had to figure out a lot of stuff that wasn't in previous writeups. There were a few details that left me scratching my head so I hope this writeup covers everything from start to finish. Like does a new windshield come with the mount? How do you wire the fusebox?

One thing I still don't know is if the mk6 2010+ Golf and Sportwagen windshields for rain sensor come with a new mount already glued to the windshield. No North American car came with the sensor from the factory but they have rain sensor windshields listed in the parts catalog. There is a note for the Golf part which makes me think that it's not glued. I'm guessing the Sportwagen mount is. Other than having the mount, the difference is the black painted area. There is no rain sensor windshield for the mk6 Jetta. If you have a Golf or Sportwagen and find out, please post a follow up and let me know so that the article can be improved.

One cool feature is that it let me enable the auto rain closing windows and sunroof. If the car is locked and rain is detected, it closes the windows and sunroof. See here for how to do that mod: http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/a5/auto-close-windows-rain-sensor-vw.htm

The writeup should cover every step from:

to

 

[chittychittybangbang]

Changed most of the non-essential pictures to thumbnails.

I also added mk6 installation notes, some people are starting to add these sensors to their mk6 Golf. If you have a GTI or TDI you should have the highline CECM module and it should be compatible. The exact part number was tested on a 2010 GTI but adding the rain light sensor to a 2011, 2012 should be the same. The wiring is also slightly different. I don't know if it will work on the 2011+Jetta because I don't think they have highline CECM (I could be wrong)

I am also adding this to the Passat TDI section because Comfortline and Trendline 2012 VW Passat TDI in Canada do not come with the auto dimming rear view mirror. They only come with the rain light sensor. If you wish to add the auto dimming rear view mirror, the hard part is already done - you just have to add power and ground to the mirror and slide it on. At this time, I believe the mounts should be the same IF you have the rain-light sensor from the factory.

 

[Aseras]

Is it possible to do this on a 2010 Sportwagen? I already did a HID retrofit and have a highline CECM, and I've got a nice chip in my windshield from a rock.

 

[chittychittybangbang]

Take a look at the CECM, you should be able to do it as the mk6 electronics have already been tested for Golf. The mk6 Jetta has Polo electronic layout so I don't know if it will still work. The parts catalog does list a rain sensor windshield but your insurance company may not like it since it didn't come on the car and every single person you talk to will tell you it won't fit....even though it does. I convinced mine because the mk5 Jetta rain sensor windshield is being discontinued and is cheaper than the correct replacement. I don't know if the same part number will fit on your 2010 and the part for your car is listed in the writeup.

If it works, please post a follow up

 

[chittychittybangbang]

Added a picture of VW's magic cleaner and polyurethane glue and windshield primer. I don't knwo what's in them but the glue seems to work. I wouldn't buy the cleaner though, some water and paper towels should do the trick as long as it's cleaned well.

 

[smrtypants44]

Okay I've wired everything up on a mk6 (GTI) and I cant seem to get the auto headlight function to work. In the measuring blocks the lighting and other information changes when i shine a flashlight into the sensor, however the car doesn't seem to know what to do with it. When I code RLS activated and ADL activated, the auto position on the euro switch still cycles on and off with the engine. The wipers work fine, but it looks like without further coding tweaks the auto headlights do not.

 

[chittychittybangbang]

What is ADL?

Are your DRL active?

Your 2010 euroswitch isn't the same as the 2006-2009 euroswitch, it may require an additional trigget wire: http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/a6/euroswitch-drl-vw-golf-jetta.htm

Ignoring the light sensor or auto headlight function, does the euroswith otherwise work OK in off, parking position, and ON?

 

[smrtypants44]

What is ADL?

Are your DRL active?

Your 2010 euroswitch isn't the same as the 2006-2009 euroswitch, it may require an additional trigget wire: http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/a6/euroswitch-drl-vw-golf-jetta.htm

Ignoring the light sensor or auto headlight function, does the euroswith otherwise work OK in off, parking position, and ON?

ADL is assistance driving light. Before I had that checked in the coding the light switch gave me an error. Afterwards the error went away. And yes I installed the trigger wire. Right now the auto position cycles with the engine, and the parking and on work fine.

Right now im using the R revision rainsensor, hopefully thats not the problem. I would rather not have to shell out the $200 for an AH revision.

Could you post up a screenshot of the sub-coding inside the rainsensor. Mine is only 3 bytes long, but I think the mk5s are 4 bytes long, I'd be interested to see what options the mk6 is missing.

 

[chittychittybangbang]

Here is my RLS module coding, it looks the same: http://www.myturbodiesel.com/forum/f24/how-adjust-rain-light-sensor-auto-wiper-speed-headlight-sensitivity-vw-8187/#post36070

 

[smrtypants44]

Here is my RLS module coding, it looks the same: http://www.myturbodiesel.com/forum/f24/how-adjust-rain-light-sensor-auto-wiper-speed-headlight-sensitivity-vw-8187/#post36070

Okay yeah that looks the same as mine. I'm wondering if there's some sort of separate coding for the euro switch w/auto. Either that or I need to get my hands on an AH revision sensor that I can plug in and test out.

 

[smrtypants44]

Okay so I figured out how to enable the AUTO headlights function on mk6s. Under adaptation you have to change "assistance driving light activation time" from 6seconds to 0 seconds. Now my auto headlights work!

 

[chittychittybangbang]

Ah ha! I will add this note to the FAQ, thank you!

 

[graphys]

Can br encoded RLS with VAS? Do you know the encoding of use VAS?

 

[digitalextremes]

First of all, thank you for gathering the information in the article and publishing it, I completed my Sensor and Mirror install today and the article was really helpful.

My car: 2010 Jetta Sedan TDI Highline (mk6 elect.)

Couple of learning points I wanted to share:

1) When the 2 part glue is put on the mirror mount, I would highly recommend to leave it on the mount for a minute and then attached it to the windshield, I had created a mess by putting the mirror right on to the windshield after putting the glue on (hopefully the mirror will stay on it, I had a move a little bit to adjust before putting the tape on)

2) The black dot (ceramic paint underneath the button) can be taken off using a 1000 grid sandpaper (I used a 3M one and used it wet). It requires a lot of patience through (at least one hour of sanding). Below are the pics from start to finish. I took the button off using a small butane lighter and twisted it from left to right, do not push towards the windshield or pull away from the windshield or you will break the windshield)

3) I used the AF sensor and didn't have to change the the default value of the assistance lights delay under adaptation, no matter what value I put there, the auto lights worked. my default value was 30 and it shows up as -128ms or something. If I were to make the to 0ms, I had to use 128 as the value.

4) Turn ON RLS Installation in 09 Electricals after installation and also turn ON Assistance Driving Lights (I don't think this was mentioned in the article, unless I missed it)

5) MK6 elec. fuse layout is a little different (see pics), those are the fuses I could used, #7 had no power and #17 was taken by J393 ‐ Comfort System Central Control Module, J641 ‐ Alarm Horn Relay

6) I used the following repair wire (there are a few others that also work but may have different wire width, etc), I hope mine doesn't burn out because that's the only the dealer had at that moment, I am assuming 5amp isn't that bad...

Repair Wire # 000 979 021-E

E or A at the end of a repair wire just tells you what type of metal/coating is used on the connector (gold, etc)

7) I didn't bother connecting PIN 3 from the mirror to CECM, I did run the wire up to the CECM but connect it some other time, I believe the PIN location on the CECM for the backup lights are: M28 (left backup) and P28 (right backup) (A28 and C28), so you can tap either I am assuming. (see further commets below in red)

8) I couldn't fine any grounds up in the headliner so I ran all 5 wires to the fusebox/cecm area: 2 Powers, 2 for CECM and 1 common ground for both sensor and mirror. I connected the ground with a ring connector I got for Canadian Tire and connected it on the top bolt that holds that fusebox. I used the vw cloth tape to cover all 5 wires from end-end to make it a harness.

9) I would highly recommend that you do not fish the wire through the A Pillar, instead open the trim, tape the harness to the existing wires that are already there in the A Pillar, this way you will be sure not to leave the wires/harness in front of the airbag that's there. VERY IMPORTANT!

I have rear fog LEDs so I took out the wire from A28 when I installed the LED Tails, can I just use that now empty pin for the Backup Mirror connection coming from the auto dim mirror or is it the wire that goes into A28 that I need to connect to? Can someone please confirm?

Thanks.

Please feel free to ask any questions that you may have.


Images (please feel free to modify and use them for this forum if needed)

 

[buggy9]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the glass has sanding marks, wouldn't the sensor go nuts because the glass isn't clear? Have you tried it out yet in real world rain?

 

[chittychittybangbang]

2nd, I think I might see some sanding marks.

Awesome tips, I will add them to the FAQ article, thank you!

 

[digitalextremes]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if the glass has sanding marks, wouldn't the sensor go nuts because the glass isn't clear? Have you tried it out yet in real world rain?

Test with water from a glass worked. Real world driving in actual rain is yet to be tested.

About the sanding marks, yes they are there but they are very fine, you can't see them unless you take the sensor out and really look for them while looking through glass at certain angle. Can't see them with sensor mounted. Also I used polish from headlight lens repair kit after mounting the bracket to even minimize the fine sanding marks. You can see through the glass clearly as shown in one of the pics (which i took before I applied polish) after polish it was even better. I used 1000 grid, others may want to use 1500 or 2000 when they get closer to the glass if they choose to sand.

My personal opinion: sanding gives a better bond with the glass and the sensor is not clear to start with anyways, it has a fuzzy silicon gel on the top (the AF version) so I don't believe sanding will have much -ve effect on the functionality of the sensor (light or rain). I didn't know any other way to get rid of the ceramic coating, others may have better ideas and approach then me for sure..I am just sharing my experience before I forget everything and loose all the pictures

It is suppose to rain on Wednesday, I will update you on how it goes

 

[digitalextremes]

Update: so it finally rained a little bit in the Toronto area today and the AF rain sensor did not work for me in light rain, only worked when the rain got heavy but I had another sensor: the AE version, that worked like a charm and I was able to control the sensitivity using the top dial on the wiper stack.

So everything works as expected now and the sanding of the windshield had no negative effect for my use case.

Only thing that I wasn't able to get working was "Rain Closing", either it isn't support or I don't know how to test or there is some setup that needs to be done besides checking the "Rain Closing" option under the Rain Sensor Coding.

 

[chittychittybangbang]

There are 2 places where coding has to be changed, the RLS module and CECM. http://www.myturbodiesel.com/1000q/a5/auto-close-windows-rain-sensor-vw.htm Did you do everything in this article?