GUIDE: Fitting a W8 light (Mk5 Ibiza)

[markmeus]

What is it?

The W8 light is an interior dome light that was fitted to the Passat W8 and some other VAG models. The main advantage it offers is backlit buttons, and ambient red LEDs that shine on the centre console, nice for adding a bit of class to the Ibiza. The W8 light contains 4 W5W bulbs, 2 for map reading lights and 2 for the centre light so, if you’ve got a base model Ibiza this is another advantage.

What do I need?
At the very least you need the W8 light itself:
3B7 947 105 F 2EN - W8 Light Grey
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0031.jpg

The rest is optional, and only required if you want to make a plug and play wiring loom, this makes the light a little easier to install and a lot easier to remove if you ever decided to sell the car with the original light.

3B0 972 706 - Flat Contact Housing
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0038.jpg

893 971 993 – Housing
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0037.jpg

2x 000 979 131 EA – Wires
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0092.jpg

2x 000 979 103 E – Wire Set
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/connector2.jpg
You can also buy pre made looms from eBay, they cost a fortune so don’t bother, these parts cost next to nothing from any good VW or SEAT dealer. I personally recommend David at SERE Motors (see dealer section of the forum)

Creating the loom
You can skip these steps if you’ve bought a loom of eBay.
Take the 6 pin W8 plug (3B0 972 706) and insert the 4 ends of your two wires (000 979 131 EA) into pins 1, 3, 4 and 5 of the W8 plug, like so:
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0039.jpg
Take the 3 pin female plug (893 971 993) and insert the wires (000 979 103 E)

Cut the loops on the wires so you have 4 individual wires coming from the male plug and 3 from the female plug.
Wire them like so:
W8 6pin plug ------------------------------3 pin female plug

4--------------------------------------------------------------3

5--------------------------------------------------------------2

3--------------------------------------------------------------1

1------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------(this wire runs down to headlight switch and connects to blue/grey dimmer wire at the back of the main light switch, so you will need to make it longer)
Your loom should look like the following when completed:
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0063.jpg

Removeing the existing light and fitting the new one
Pull off the plastic cover
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/Img0001.jpg

Undo the two torx screws and remove the light with a bit of force, be careful not to remove the metal surround between the light and the roof lining.

Disconnect the wiring plug from the light, and if you have Bluetooth you will need to remove the Bluetooth mic from the light as well. This takes a little bit of force, so be careful not to damage the mic. It will fit into the same position on the W8 light, but you will need to remove the foam as shown below.
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0034-1.jpg

Connect the W8 light to the cars existing loom with the loom adaptor.
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0073.jpg
All being well the W8 light should be working correctly, but the buttons will not be backlit, nor will the ambient LED’s be working because we need to connect them to a 12v feed coming from the light switch.

[markmeus]

Wiring up the backlit buttons and ambient LEDs
Feed the long wire from pin 1 across the roof lining over towards the driver’s door, the roof lining is pretty flexible so this isn’t as hard as it sounds, then run the cable down the A pillar, again all you need to do is pull back the rubber door seal a bit and you can see where to run the wire down towards the dash.
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0069.jpg

The tricky bit is at the bottom of the A pillar, I removed the panel at the side of the dash and was able to run the cable behind the dashboard and up towards the light switch.
The pictures should explain what I’m talking about.
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0067.jpg

Remove the light switch by pushing the switch in and turning it to the sidelight position, then pull it out.

Find the 12v dimmable cable at the rear of the light switch, in my car is was the blue/grey wire circled in the photo below and I’d imaging all Ibizas are the same.
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0070-1.jpg

Connect the wire from the W8 light to the blue grey wire, either by soldering directly to it, or by using a scotch lock. We could have a long debate on which method is better but it's entirely you’re choice I'd say soldering is the better option but I’ve temporarily used a scotch lock.
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0072.jpg

Turn the sidelights on and check that your buttons have lit up.
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0074.jpg

Refitting the W8 light
Push the light back up into the roof lining until it clicks into place, no need for the Torx screws from the existing light, the mounting points in the roof don’t line up with the W8 light anyway. It’s a snug fit and there’s no chance of it going anywhere!

Job Done!
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0087.jpg
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0086.jpg

Ambient lighting at nite:
http://i301.photobucket.com/albums/nn69/markmeus/IMAG0079.jpg

Hope this guide was useful. I’ve probably made it sound awfully complicated, but trust me, it’s pretty straight forward. Any problems send me a PM and I’ll do my best to help.

[markmeus]

Other good sources of info...

Creating a loom on UK-MKIVS (http://uk-mkivs.net/forums/t/392810.asp)
Installing a W8 light on seatforum.de (http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=de&u=http://www.seatforum.de/forum/showthread.php%3Ft%3D56161&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dseat%2Bibiza%2B6j%2Bdvd%2Bradios%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26hs%3D9UT%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official&rurl=translate.google.com&twu=1)

[skeat12]

Excellent guide, :clap:

One question though, are you considering a holiday anywhere near Northampton in the near future :D

[VRSLOZ]

Brilliant guide mate, first class

[Theowls88]

How much did you pay to make up the loom? I've just seen one for £17 on eBay. Also how much did you pay for the light unit?

[ozzyfizzle]

that looks smart.. good guide thanks

[markmeus]

How much did you pay to make up the loom? I've just seen one for £17 on eBay. Also how much did you pay for the light unit?

The loom cost me about £3 to make, all I had to pay for were the two black socket, my dealer gave me the wires for free.

The light was about 42 I think, dont have the invoice to hand but I'll double check.

The total was just under £45 for the light, two plugs and 4 wires.

[markmeus]

Excellent guide, :clap:

One question though, are you considering a holiday anywhere near Northampton in the near future :D

:lol: Nothing planned... but I'm finishing Uni this year, and there are no jobs here, so I might end up on the mainland somewhere.

Never say never lol!

[nantucket]

don't forget to clean the unit while it's out

[C4RL]

Can you get the w8 in black?

[jc_boc]

Not really mate, I believe they are really rare to find and apparently pop up on german e-bay on the odd occasion.

[Theowls88]

Seems like these W8 lights in any colour are a rarety. Ive got Donny Motor Spares just down the road and even they dont have one in. Pretty surprised seeming as they have the largest stock in the UK of cars to break. There again it could be just a retarded worker i was dealing with that didnt have a clue what i was talking about....

[markmeus]

I had trouble getting a second hand one too, but the W8 passat is probably quite a rare model.
I paid £45 for the light, brand new, which i didn't think was too bad.

[jc_boc]

Need a black one as I am not keen on painting one.

[gregdaisley]

Firstly great post mate! I wonder if this will fit in the Mk2 Leon? First seen it in my aunties new 5 series, looks brilliant! Hope it will fit my car...

[blackmagicibiza]

Hi I just found a website that sells the w8 light

http://www.oemvag.es/en/3bg-2000-2005/106-w8-dome-light-assembly-gray.html

The same site also has the wiring adaptor but what Im wondering is with the adaptor they sell would the led lights work? Or would I need to wire them up to the side lights using a separate wire?

http://www.oemvag.es/en/3bg-2000-2005/183-luz-w8-cable-adaptador.html

Thanks

[markmeus]

That "adaptor" is the same thing I created, to get the LEDs to work you still have to extend the loose wire in the photo and connect it to the light switch.

[blackmagicibiza]

Oh ok. I think I will order them both when I get paid :)

Thanks

[34UU2367]

perfect guide dude, next week I'll definitely go for this.

[Maxt890]

Do you think the W8 light housing would fit into this setup, slighty different with the sensors next to the light housing.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/114876768/Public%20Photos/Interior%20Light.jpg

[markmeus]

Can't see the pic, but i know what your talking about, i did see a guide where someone with an alarm had fitted it, it was exactly the same.

The interior light is the same size/shape regardless of whether or not an alarm or sunroof is fitted. The only thing I noticed on the pic i saw was that the W8 light was a slightly different shade of grey to the plastic surrounding the sensors, but it was very subtle.

If i can find the pic I'll post it up

[Maxt890]

Thanks for the reply, might have to give this a go soon. Sorry about the pic I use dropbox and there settings have changed alot.