Here it is the Real Info: 2012 VW CC HID slim ballast installation

[booranshow]

The Story:
I have spent countless hours looking for instructions on how to install and HID kit on my 2012 CC. I found a few threads with some directions but they were not clear enough to follow or some steps were missing. I also searched for videos but could not find one on a CC.

Finally I had enough of the searching... and today I decided wtf lets just give it a try.


Kit: USP HID slim ballast
Tools: 1 small flat head screw driver, 1 needle nose pliers. 1 wrench
Prep: Turn headlight to 0 position inside the car. Use wrench to unscrew the negative battery terminal

Steps:
1. Unscrew light cover to remove the halogen bulb.

2. Turn counter clockwise to remove the bulb.

3. In order to get the bulb off the stock connector take a small flat head screw driver and pry both ends of the metal clip that is holding the halogen bulb.

4. Once you have the bulb and metal clip off the stock connector remove the bulb from the clip by pulling it off.

5. Take your HID bulb and unscrew the plastic cover

6. Remember to take the bottom of the plastic cover off as well. Just pull the wires through to get the plastic completely off. (or you can just break it off by squeezing it like I did =).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At this point you should have the HID bulb with 1 male plug and 1 female plug at the bottom as well as 1 positive connecter and 1 negative connecter.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
7. Remove the positive and negative connecter wires from the grommet by pulling them through the rubber grommet..leaving you just the HID bulb and the male and female connector pieces at the bottom (you will put the positive / negative wires back shortly).

8. Take the metal clip from the original halogen bulb. You will see two flat connecting pieces on each side sticking up in the air. They are small. You have to flatten one of those pieces. The one you flatten is on the NON Rounded side. Look at the base of the HID bulb it is a round circle with 1 small piece sticking out. That circle layout matches the metal Clip layout. In the spot that matches you have to bend that one little piece flat or else the clip wont be flush to the back of the HID bulb. I used needle nose pliers to flatten it.

9. Once that piece of flat. You need to put the clip onto the back of the HID bulb. So pull all the wires through including the rubber grommet. It is a bit tough to get the male female plug ends through the clip as well as the grommet but it all fits.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Now you should have the HID bulb with the metal clip behind it. Along with the male and female ports at the bottom
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
10. Take the positive and negative connectors and feed them back through the rubber grommet to its original position.

11. Holding the back of the metal clip slip the HID bulb into the light housing and twist the metal piece in place going clockwise. This is a pain but use you eyes to see where the metal clip locks in place. There is a hole you can look down into in order to see whats going on.

12. Once the HID bulb is secure plus the positive and negative wires into the original plug from the halogen bulb. You may have to switch the positive and negative port if the light doesn't turn on because the +/- are not marked. You will get to that in a minute

13. Take out the ballast and plug the male and female plugs together as well as the large plug from the HID bulb.

14. Reconnect negative battery terminal and turn on headlights to see if the HID bulb works. If it does not light up you have to switch the +/- ports.

15. Once the HID bulb works its time to put all the wires away.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This is where many people have different opinions about the ballast and wire placement. I chose to put the ballast and wires inside the light housing. You can also drill a hole in the light cover and run the wires out and mount the ballast inside the engine compartment.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
16. Take the ballast and slid it to the bottom of the headlight housing. Then proceed to push the rest of the wires inside. It takes a minute or two but using the Slim ballast kit everything will fit inside.

17. Reconnect the light housing cover.

18. Repeat all steps for the other light.

Remember I am no professional but this is what I did...other people may do things in another order or completely different

[booranshow]

Sorry I did not have any pictures =(

[VDUB PANZER]

Nice write up. Pictures would've helped. First time I did it, it took me about 3 hrs to do it. lol.

I can now do an install in about 20 min tops.

The clip is the most pain in the arse job.

[booranshow]

Nice write up. Pictures would've helped. First time I did it, it took me about 3 hrs to do it. lol.

I can now do an install in about 20 min tops.

The clip is the most pain in the arse job.

After I finished I said to myself...damn I should of taken pictures! But I was not about
to uninstall and re-install . I would say it took me at least 1 hour to finish the first bulb and about 5-10 minutes for the 2nd one. Once you know what your doing you can fly through it. LOL

[martin11222]

Great diy....btw did you get error cancellors with your...cause im about to throw out my ddm kit...nothing but problems and errors and now my engine light is on for some odd reason ...how can i erase the error code...can i just unplug the battery wires and it will reset?

[OnlineAlias]

I'm still a fan of drilling holes in the bulb housing, rather than bending the clip. If you do that, you modify absolutely no parts on the car.

[booranshow]

I'm still a fan of drilling holes in the bulb housing, rather than bending the clip. If you do that, you modify absolutely no parts on the car.

Drilling holes would work as well. But you need a drill with the correct drill size, most people in my spot don't have ready access to a drill. Bending the 1/16 of a inch metal piece is a simple way to do it.

[xclusiveHB]

This is awesome! Good DIY!

[booranshow]

This is awesome! Good DIY!

Hope it helps those who are looking for some info

[martin11222]

Did you get the error chancellor's with ur usp kit?

[booranshow]

Did you get the error chancellor's with ur usp kit?

Martin,

The error canceller is an option from DDM and some other companies.

This is what the kit from USP came with:

Kit includes:
-Ultra-Slim Digital HID Ballasts with built in "CAN" adaptors
- Plug and Play installation
- Built in resistor for no flickering or warning lights
- (2) digital HID ballasts
- (2) HID bulbs in your choice of color
- (2) Plug and play wire harnesses
- All mounting hardware

[booranshow]

Update: Its been 2 weeks since installing the kit inside the light housing. No issues up to this point. Housing is fine. Most people are worried about the "heat" with everything put inside the housing. The reality is there is less Heat with the HID kit inside the housing then with the original OEM halogen bulb.

[booranshow]

Finally took a picture.


By booranshow at 2012-02-10

[OnlineAlias]

Update: Its been 2 weeks since installing the kit inside the light housing. No issues up to this point. Housing is fine. Most people are worried about the "heat" with everything put inside the housing. The reality is there is less Heat with the HID kit inside the housing then with the original OEM halogen bulb.

I've had mine in there for almost a year....no issues.

[booranshow]

Night View

[IMG] By booranshow at 2012-02-12[/IMG]

[2SLO2RCE]

Great write up and follow up pics. This is one of the first things I want to do to.

[nolan386]

no blinding or glare? hows the cut off?

[booranshow]

no blinding or glare? hows the cut off?

They are much brighter then halogen. After install make sure you re-adjust the height.

[Getaway Car]

Wow that cut-off looks horrid.

[booranshow]

Wow that cut-off looks horrid.

This picture was directly after install. I had NOT adjusted the lights yet. I have them adjusted now. I will upload a new picture when it gets dark tonight.

[nolan386]

yeah id like to see the new cutoff

[njm23]

yeah id like to see the new cutoff

The cut off isn't going to change, that's not possible unless he took apart his headlights and started replacing/modifying things, the only thing that will change would be the height adjustment of the headlight beams.

[SHAG WAGON]

Which way is the clip suppose to be facing when you are putting bit back into the housing with the HID ?? In other words how should i have the clip when installing it back into the housing before i turn it to lock into place??



Talk about pain in the ass....

[VdubTX]

Which way is the clip suppose to be facing when you are putting bit back into the housing with the HID ?? In other words how should i have the clip when installing it back into the housing before i turn it to lock into place??



Talk about pain in the ass....

Try this pic: not mine, but taken from an older USP HID install thread.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/220/wp000025.jpg/

[SHAG WAGON]

Which way is the clip suppose to be facing when you are putting bit back into the housing with the HID ?? In other words how should i have the clip when installing it back into the housing before i turn it to lock into place??



Talk about pain in the ass....

Try this pic: not mine, but taken from an older USP HID install thread.

http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/220/wp000025.jpg/

Figured it out and it wasn't that easy especially the drivers side since I am not left handed... When installing the HID's setting the clip with the HID in my book is the hardest part of the install.

[SHAG WAGON]

Last question...

My passengerer side works perfect but my driver side turns on but then turns off (no flickering though) and then I get the light symbol on the dash with the "right side light is out" on the screen.
When I installed the kit it was working perfectly.


I have the "Error Code Eliminators" installed


What could be my issue??
I have 2012 CC

[booranshow]

Last question...

My passengerer side works perfect but my driver side turns on but then turns off (no flickering though) and then I get the light symbol on the dash with the "right side light is out" on the screen.
When I installed the kit it was working perfectly.


I have the "Error Code Eliminators" installed


What could be my issue??
I have 2012 CC

Not sure whats goin on there....Do you have the DRL's disabled?

[SHAG WAGON]

Not sure whats goin on there....Do you have the DRL's disabled?

I figured the issue already... Mine was a hit or miss and I missed.. Lol

[booranshow]

What was the issue / issue fix?

[SHAG WAGON]

What was the issue / issue fix?

Sending back the kit and had to unplug the negative side of the battery....

[booranshow]

Updated shot after adjustment of the beams.

[DaddyO]

Great write up. Did mine over the weekend. Went with 6Ks

[The5ickne55]

How in the

HELL

do I take the ring holding the bulb in place out?


Also, anyone have a link to these error canceling lights? Another question, did anyone replace their cornering lights to match the HID?

[meccausa]

Mounting with the 3M tape some where in the engine bay was bad idea. The tape failed and my ballast is done so.

I am just lucky it did not get caught up in a belt.



UPDATE: Gregg from USP Motorsports is sending me a new ballast free of charge. What a stand up guy and company.

Be sure to secure the ballast so it can not fall and damage something in the engine compartment. Putting it in the housing is not a bad idea at all. I followed the original write up of drilling holes in the light caps.

[RudydG]

Mounting with the 3M tape some where in the engine bay was bad idea. The tape failed and my ballast is done so.

I am just lucky it did not get caught up in a belt.

Wow,
Mine are going in thursday, going to let it done by a professional. Pilot 5000K slim ballast with can bus error cancellar.
Also changing all the H7 (high beam and cornering lights) to 5000K halogen, and the small lamp to a white led also. Otherwise i will have yellow and white mixing, don't like that.