European Headlights--A necessary upgrade for the Corrado

It is a well known fact -- US spec headlights supplied on factory Corrados in the United States are simply awful. The light intensity is dreadful and the illumination patterns were insufficient for safe nighttime driving. It was often necessary to drive with the auxiliary lighting to augment the poor light output of the DOT headlamps. The reason Corrado headlights were such poor performers is that the Department of Transportation had very strict regulations regarding headlights on cars sold in the United States. However, these regulations were created decades earlier and were based on outdated technologies which have since evolved and progressed. To comply with the antiquated DOT regulations, VW manufactured an inferior sealed beam headlight that met US standards for cars sold in the US market. We could not get the superior Hella manufactured Halogen H1/H4 German Headlights. However our brethren in European and Canadian markets got the superior H1/H4 setup. (aka E-codes)

For safety reasons alone, it is recommended that any owner of a Corrado should replace the stock OEM US spec headlights with those originally designed for the Corrado. These lights can still be acquired from several VW/Audi performance retailers in North America.

Purchasing the headlights however, is only the first step to better illumination. Replacing the headlights is not a straight forward procedure. The wiring and electrical requirements of the H1/H4 combination is starkly different and therefore some rewiring will be required to make these work. I acquired a pair of e-codes from a longtime Corrado enthusiast in Europe named "Niko". What he sent me was a pair of headlights and brand new wiring plugs known as "pigtails". However, he has since ceased the old European Corrado parts for shipment to the US. Too bad, Niko has been a valued contributor to Corrado forums worldwide since the cars introduction 20 years ago.

Above are the two different headlights for comparison. The US Spec headlight is on the left. The superior European e-code headlights are on the right.

First off, the European spec headlights use high intensity H4 Halogen bulbs. These require different plugs and because they draw more power, they would greatly benefit from the installation of a relay. Installing a relay provides these electrical consumers with a direct feed from the alternator. Without it, the power for the headlights will traverse through the switch in the dashboard before winding its way back to the headlights up front. This additional length of wire raises resistance especially in our aging automobiles where resistance ratings can diminish power through aging wires and connectors.

In addition to the H4 bulbs, the European headlights have H1 driving lights for greater visibility at high speeds and adverse driving conditions. These H1 bulbs replace the low intensity parking lights that are installed in the US Spec lights. These tiny parking lights serve no functional purpose and are purely cosmetic.

One additional benefit of the European lighting is that there is provision for optional motorized adjuster which allows the driver to aim and focus the headlights from the drivers seated position. Apparently in Germany, where driving conditions allow for much higher velocities, it is imperative to be able to adjust the headlights to illuminate farther up the road to avoid overdriving the headlights. If I decide to activate the motors, it will be an entirely different wiring project.

Someone with electrical knowledge can fabricate the necessary wiring to hook up the Euro lights.. However, I've opted to purchase a pre-made setup specifically for this conversion. Jeff at EUROWIRES.NET is a knowledgeable VW enthusiast who has been creating wiring harnesses for VWs for many years. He is familiar with all of the current VW models and has created packages with the proper relays, switches, and connectors custom made for each application. In addition, his package comes with a CD with illustrated powerpoint presentations to visually guide a DIYer like myself, through the installation process.

I emailed Jeff with my inquiry. He suggested I send him the "pigtails" which were included with my headlight purchase. He would wire them into a harness specifically for my car and subtract the cost of connectors from his prepackaged price. What a deal!

Ten days later, a package arrived at my front door. Inside was a complete kit to hook up my European headlights. The wires were cut to exact length and his plug adapters incorporated the formerly useless US Spec parking lights into the nightlights of the European setup. His harness looks like a factory installation and makes the H4 and H1 installation a plug-n-play. The harness is well made, perfectly fit, and a well crafted product. It saved me the heartache and frustration of acquiring the necessary relays, plugs, and cable and then cutting and fitting of all of the parts. With his part, the installation was a mere 30 minutes.

If you own a US Spec Corrado, you must get a set of E-code headlights and the wiring harness from Jeff. For safety's sake, it is one of the best upgrades you will ever make on your Corrado.

www.eurowires.net