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Author Topic: LED interior lights don't fit?  (Read 2604 times)

Bingers1978

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LED interior lights don't fit?
« on: February 09, 2017, 06:08:21 pm »
Hello.  Sorry to be posting on a topic that's been covered a zillion times before but...

I bought a full set of (error-free) interior LEDs (and front sidelights) to replace the existing bulbs in my 2008 (57) mk5 GTi but I am struggling to fit them.  When I put them next to the existing W5W bulb, there's no doubt they are a couple of mm less wide across the flat bottom bit that gets inserted (if you see what I mean).  I emailed the guy who supplied them who said he suspected it was because "some of the Golf GTI 5dr can use slightly different housing sometimes" yet having done quite a bit of research I find that the standard LED to swap with a W5W is the one I have (marked with a 221 just below the LEDs themselves).

Has anyone else experienced a similar issue?  Am I just being stoopid/ham-fisted?  Should I persevere (I've already damaged one fitting in the front, not to mention completely losing a replacement sidelight in the headlamp cluster!)?

DIY has never been a strong point.

Any advice/thoughts would be gratefully received!  Thanks...

Offline ady-uk

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Re: LED interior lights don't fit?
« Reply #1 on: February 10, 2017, 08:14:28 am »
bought some from bold sport..... new outer cases & led error free bulbs.

Not only did I get stung on import duty, the led boards, didn't fit..... were too long :(
Main reason for buying both, from same company, so they'd marry up perfectly.

I complained to Boldsport who told me to chop them down to fit..... wouldn't recommend or use bold sport again!
VW Golf 2.0 Gtd 140 4motion (2005)
Factory fitted: xenons, sunroof, heated leather seats, fold in mirrors with downlights,
Custom: Mk6 steering wheel, updated gateway, RNS510 remote boot pop, LED lighting.

Offline MrBadger

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Re: LED interior lights don't fit?
« Reply #2 on: February 11, 2017, 01:58:59 pm »
LEDs do appear to be thicker (?) At the contact end. Could also be because they are squared edges.
If you do the rear roof lights they are a piece of cake, and a much kinder angle to approach than the fronts. You'll see that they 'stretch' the contacts a bit more than the glass ones. Should also give you the confidence to tackle the fronts.
With the fronts, it would be easy to fold the contact back due to the flat/square end of the bulb. Try and catch the bottom two contacts on the bottom edge of the bulb, then kinda fold the top edge in with a bit of pressure on the lower edge.
I'm struggling to describe this!
Worst case, I'm struggling urea you can take the upper front light out altogether and do them from the upper side.
Well worth doing tho, as completely freshens up the inside and feels a lot more modern.
Good luck!

Offline 6waysforward

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Re: LED interior lights don't fit?
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2017, 06:18:07 pm »
I had the same with my bulbs.
I just adjusted (bent) the contacts slightly so the bulb fitted. Only need a small tweek to make them fit.
Tornado Red GTI DSG

Offline MC71

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Re: LED interior lights don't fit?
« Reply #4 on: February 11, 2017, 07:32:06 pm »
Yeap......bend the connectors a little, job done.
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