Anyone with a service manual?

[artronics]

Does anyone know what's that small pyramid on top of the dashboard, in the middle, by the window? It's a shallow piece, about 1 inch square, black plastic. Looks like a sensor or something...
Thank you.

[TIGSEL]

Does anyone know what's that small pyramid on top of the dashboard, in the middle, by the window? It's a shallow piece, about 1 inch square, black plastic. Looks like a sensor or something...
Thank you.

Without pisc I'd assume you're talking about headlight sensor.

[seabird81]

I did some more digging, the auto headlights are indeed controlled by the RLS attached to the back of the rear view mirror, The little hump in the dash near the windshield is a light intensity sensor for Climatronic HVAC. It's purpose is to control a temperature flap and the fresh air blower depending on light intensity. The instrument console lighting is controlled by yet another, separate sensor in the cluster.


Copied from SHAWNG in this forum

[artronics]

I should have mentioned I have an SE with a 'stupid' mirror - no electrical on it. And the A/C is manual, no Climatronic. Could this be just a dumb cover? You can see it in the middle, behind the tray recess, right under the glass, it's a wee plastic protrusion. Here -v

[bradsvw]

That's a great looking interior...

[Techvet]

I remember reading about this earlier. It is a light sensor, just not the one for the auto headlights. I think it is for the dash lights as well as for the HVAC system. I admit it seems sort of wierd to have two sensors that in essence do the same job, but apparently that is the set-up.

[D-Caf]

I've always wondered what that was too. Sits there right at the bottom of the windshield in the middle where the windshield interior meets the dash edge.

Mine is an SE, and I've seen them in the SEL, not sure about the S models, but believe they have it as well.

[guten_tiguan]

I believe it's for the climate control. I've noticed that when an intense/moderate beam of sunlight hits it, the air from the vents becomes cooler for a bit. I also remember this feature mentioned in the manual, though it did not mention where the sensor was.

The sensor that the auto headlights use is behind the rear view mirror. This is also for sensing rain. I covered it with a cloth during the daytime and the leaving home lights (headlights, tail lights, puddle lights, etc.) were triggered when unlocking with the remote.

[artronics]

Danke shoen.

To be honest, I was looking at buying an after-market auto-lights switch and it comes with an external photocell. I thought that little pyramid would have made a great spot for concealing the photocell, had it been a just a cover. But if it's a sensor, tough luck, I gotta find another spot.

And that pic with the brown interior isn't from my car, just so you know. It was one of the few pics on the web that was showing the piece I was talking about.

Thank you all.

[AKTigWolf]

The eBahn service manual shows it as a sunlight photo sensor for Climatronic (automatic climate control) Tiguans. The part number appears to be 1Q0907539B. (ECS Tuning seems to incorrectly describe this part as, "Dashboard mounted photosensor turns on headlights automatically in low light conditions.")

On Tiguans with the Climatic (manual climate control), it is just a cover. I have a Climatic and have popped the cover off to confirm it is just a stylish plastic cover.

For Climatic equipped Tiguans, this does seem to be a good location to add an aftermarket photo sensor for an auto headlight switch. There are some on ebay, and Bold-Sport.com seems to have a less conspicuous version.

[artronics]

The eBahn service manual shows it as a sunlight photo sensor for Climatronic (automatic climate control) Tiguans. The part number appears to be 1Q0907539B. (ECS Tuning seems to incorrectly describe this part as, "Dashboard mounted photosensor turns on headlights automatically in low light conditions.")

On Tiguans with the Climatic (manual climate control), it is just a cover. I have a Climatic and have popped the cover off to confirm it is just a stylish plastic cover.

For Climatic equipped Tiguans, this does seem to be a good location to add an aftermarket photo sensor for an auto headlight switch. There are some on ebay, and Bold-Sport.com seems to have a less conspicuous version.

AK Dude, you are the man! This is exactly what I was after.
I didn't have the guts to pop it off but my BoldSport kit is on its way and I was doing some preliminary research. I have the manual A/C too.
Did you use a tool to pop it up, or just a plain ol' blade? I really don't want to ruin it or scratch the dashboard.

[D-Caf]

How much space is under there, would make a great place for the puck for the GPS (I installed my RNS-510 myself, and the puck is currently hiding under the dash above the radio). I get pretty good signal now, but would likely be better there.

[AKTigWolf]

AK Dude, you are the man! This is exactly what I was after.
I didn't have the guts to pop it off but my BoldSport kit is on its way and I was doing some preliminary research. I have the manual A/C too.
Did you use a tool to pop it up, or just a plain ol' blade? I really don't want to ruin it or scratch the dashboard.

I used a pointy, plastic trim tool to pop it off. The eBahn manual actually has an illustration of this with their VW pointy trim tool identified by number, though I popped it off last summer without the benefit of the manual and the handy illustration. The cover pops off easily. The hardest part of replacing it is getting your fingers in there against the windshield.

I'm debating on whether to do the full rain/light sensor retrofit, just install the auto headlight switch with a cabled sensor like BoldSport has, or leave well enough alone as far as the headlights. However, I've already installed the rear fog taillight and need a headlight switch upgrade anyway to make the rear fog light operational.

How much space is under there, would make a great place for the puck for the GPS (I installed my RNS-510 myself, and the puck is currently hiding under the dash above the radio). I get pretty good signal now, but would likely be better there.

I popped it off last summer so my recollection is a little faded, but as I recall there is definitely some room underneath there and the GPS puck may easily fit. I have a RNS-510 on order, so I will be taking that project up in a month or so.

[artronics]

I used a pointy, plastic trim tool to pop it off. The eBahn manual actually has an illustration of this with their VW pointy trim tool identified by number, though I popped it off last summer without the benefit of the manual and the handy illustration. The cover pops off easily. The hardest part of replacing it is getting your fingers in there against the windshield.

I'm debating on whether to do the full rain/light sensor retrofit, just install the auto headlight switch with a cabled sensor like BoldSport has, or leave well enough alone as far as the headlights. However, I've already installed the rear fog taillight and need a headlight switch upgrade anyway to make the rear fog light operational.

Thanks again. Soooo, did you really replace the tail lights? I would like to enable the rear fogs. My new switch from Bold Sport is on its way.

[AKTigWolf]

Thanks again. Soooo, did you really replace the tail lights? I would like to enable the rear fogs. My new switch from Bold Sport is on its way.

I only replaced the one taillight (on the driver's side) to include the rear fog light. I purchased the rear fog taillight from OEMplus. It installed in a few minutes, but I never upgraded my headlight switch to make it operational. That is one of the mods I had to let go until this summer.

I still need, at a minumum, a Euro headlight switch with two pullout positions for the fog lights (first position=front fogs; second position= front fogs + rear fog). You also need to run a repair wire from the headlight switch to the BCM, and the repair wire was included with the rear fog taillight from OEMplus. The upgrade also requires some VAG-COM activation.

What is not clear (to me) is whether a wire needs be run from from the BCM to a harness connection in the headliner at the rear of the vehicle. Some of the threads explain that you do, but one post (from OEMplus, no less) suggests that you don't. I plan to sort it out once I have the the headlight switch in hand. Here's is one DIY (which includes the BCM-to-connector-in-rear-headliner step) that has a photo of the rear fog at night: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...light=rear+fog.

In the last day or so, BoldSport seems to have dropped the option to get a VW OEM headlight switch with the auto headlight upgrade kit. Instead, they only offer an Original Equipment Supplier switch. You can still get the control unit/sensor by itself. This complicates things for me because I want a VW OEM switch, so I may go to a different source.

[artronics]

I only replaced the one taillight (on the driver's side) to include the rear fog light. I purchased the rear fog taillight from OEMplus. It installed in a few minutes, but I never upgraded my headlight switch to make it operational. That is one of the mods I had to let go until this summer.

I still need, at a minumum, a Euro headlight switch with two pullout positions for the fog lights (first position=front fogs; second position= front fogs + rear fog). You also need to run a repair wire from the headlight switch to the BCM, and the repair wire was included with the rear fog taillight from OEMplus. The upgrade also requires some VAG-COM activation.

What is not clear (to me) is whether a wire needs be run from from the BCM to a harness connection in the headliner at the rear of the vehicle. Some of the threads explain that you do, but one post (from OEMplus, no less) suggests that you don't. I plan to sort it out once I have the the headlight switch in hand. Here's is one DIY (which includes the BCM-to-connector-in-rear-headliner step) that has a photo of the rear fog at night: http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...light=rear+fog.

In the last day or so, BoldSport seems to have dropped the option to get a VW OEM headlight switch with the auto headlight upgrade kit. Instead, they only offer an Original Equipment Supplier switch. You can still get the control unit/sensor by itself. This complicates things for me because I want a VW OEM switch, so I may go to a different source.

Thank you. I am waiting for my Euro switch and then I will remove my tail light to see what's in there.