Converting the rear turn signals...

[v10]

I thought I remember seeing a thread about this but I searched and couldn't find it. Has anyone converted the rear turn signals on a US spec R8 to the Euro style? US spec cars flash the tail lights, whereas the Euro cars flash the thin clear horizontal stripe beneath the tail lights.

It looks like the US cars have the rear lens but I'm not sure if there is a bulb in it.

[KfabR8]

Yes and no.

If your car's wire harness has six wires going into the plug that runs the tail lights (what I believe my 09 V8 has, but have not checked), it's fairly easy and straight forward. If it only has 5 (as my 2011 V8 does), then no. And yes, is sucks having Euro spec GT tail lights in my car and NOT being able to isolate and use the amber blinker. (insert appropriate swearing here)

If your wire harness is correct, all you have to do is use a Ross-Tech system and reprogram the rear tails - I can't recall the exact module, but it was easy.

The US spec cars do NOT have the LED turn signal strip. You MUST have Euro spec tail lights for the amber blinker strip to be available.

fwiw: six wires out of the Euro spec tail lights are:
reverse power
reverse ground

tail ground
brake light power
tail light power
turn signal power

[v10]

Yes and no.

If your car's wire harness has six wires going into the plug that runs the tail lights (what I believe my 09 V8 has, but have not checked), it's fairly easy and straight forward. If it only has 5 (as my 2011 V8 does), then no. And yes, is sucks having Euro spec GT tail lights in my car and NOT being able to isolate and use the amber blinker. (insert appropriate swearing here)

If your wire harness is correct, all you have to do is use a Ross-Tech system and reprogram the rear tails - I can't recall the exact module, but it was easy.

The US spec cars do NOT have the LED turn signal strip. You MUST have Euro spec tail lights for the amber blinker strip to be available.

fwiw: six wires out of the Euro spec tail lights are:
reverse power
reverse ground

tail ground
brake light power
tail light power
turn signal power

Thanks for the info. Where is the wire harness located?

[KfabR8]

Easiest access to the harness is by removing the inner fender liners. Wheel has to come off too. Once that's out of the way, you'll be able see where the wire harness and plug go into the back of the light ass'y.

[elvis692]

I had it done to mine at oemplus. Looks great and i get compliments all the time too

[KfabR8]

I had it done to mine at oemplus. Looks great and i get compliments all the time too

I have it on my 09 - and yea, it looks great. The problem is that it appears that Audi's changed the wire harness for newer year model vehicles and w/o that 6th wire, well... Magic's gonna have to happen to make it work.

[v10]

I find it odd that thin amber strip doesn't mean US requirements for turn signals but a flashing tail light does. The amber strip is more noticeable IMO... especially with the hazard lights on.

I'm taking my car to a German dealer soon, I will have them look into converting the signals if possible.

[KfabR8]

I believe that it's Audi's choice here more than dedicated by the US DOT.

Think about it - you see both types of brake/tail/turn systems on vehicles here. Toyota pickups (maybe older models, not sure of the new ones), for example, have the separate turn signal, while Ford runs a setup like a US market R8 (brake lights double as signal).

I agree - the separate signal strip is much more visible and (at least in my eyes) more aesthetically pleasing.

[rmicroys]

If your car's wire harness has six wires going into the plug that runs the tail lights (what I believe my 09 V8 has, but have not checked), it's fairly easy and straight forward. If it only has 5 (as my 2011 V8 does), then no. And yes, is sucks having Euro spec GT tail lights in my car and NOT being able to isolate and use the amber blinker. (insert appropriate swearing here)

Can somebody look at ETKA and find out when the production date changed for the differences in the wire count to rear harness to the taillights?