The car is mechanically fine to drive, but with one high beam out you have reduced night vision and may be driving illegally after dark, so use low beams and fix it before relying on main beam at night. 01495 is a VAG (VW/Audi/Škoda/SEAT) manufacturer fault code meaning the control module has detected the left high-beam headlamp bulb circuit as either open (no continuity) or shorted to battery positive (B+). In plain terms, the module can no longer drive the left main-beam bulb correctly, so it logs a fault and the high beam usually stops working on that side.
What 01495 means
On VAG vehicles the left high-beam bulb is switched by a low-side output stage inside the onboard supply control module (BCM) — or, on cars with adaptive/xenon lighting, inside the headlight range/AFS control unit. That output stage constantly monitors the current flowing through the bulb. When it sees no current at all (open circuit — a burned-out bulb, unplugged holder, or broken wire) or an abnormal current pull toward battery voltage (short to B+ on the control wire), it stores fault 01495. It is a manufacturer-specific code read with VCDS or ODIS, not a generic OBD-II P-code, so a basic code reader will not show it.
Symptoms
- Left high beam does not come on when you flash-to-pass or switch to main beam, while the right high beam still works
- A bulb/lighting warning symbol or 'check left main beam' message appears in the instrument cluster or driver display
- Both high beams appear dead if the module disables the output after repeated faults, even though only the left circuit is at fault
- The fault clears with VCDS/ODIS but returns after a few switch cycles or when the headlights are turned on again
- Intermittent flicker or a high beam that works only when you tap or wiggle the headlight connector
Common causes
- Burned-out or aged left high-beam bulb (commonly an H7 halogen, roughly 55 W) that has gone open-circuit
- Corroded, discoloured or heat-melted bulb-holder connector at the back of the headlight, adding resistance or breaking contact
- Water or condensation ingress inside the headlight housing corroding the terminals and bulb socket
- Chafed, pinched or broken wiring in the harness between the control module and the headlamp
- Wrong-wattage replacement bulb or an LED 'retrofit' whose low current draw the module reads as an open circuit (canbus load/plausibility error)
- Poor headlight ground or a corroded ground point causing an unstable circuit the module flags as a fault
- Failed output-stage (low-side driver) inside the onboard supply control module or the AFS/headlight range control unit
Severity & driving advice
Severity: Moderate — Not a mechanical risk, but a dead high beam is a night-driving safety hazard and can fail roadworthiness/MOT-type inspections.
Can I drive? The car is mechanically fine to drive, but with one high beam out you have reduced night vision and may be driving illegally after dark, so use low beams and fix it before relying on main beam at night.
Diagnostic approach
- Read the fault with VCDS or ODIS — Scan the onboard supply control module (address 09), and on adaptive-lighting cars the headlight range control units (55 / left, 5D right). Note whether 01495 is stored as a static (present now) or sporadic/intermittent fault, and record the freeze-frame/environmental data. This tells you if you are chasing a live open/short or a fault that only appears under vibration or when cold.
- Confirm whether it reads open or short to B+ — The fault detail distinguishes 'open circuit' from 'short circuit to positive.' An open points at a dead bulb, unplugged holder, or broken supply wire; a short to B+ points at the control wire touching battery voltage — often chafed insulation or a melted connector bridging terminals. Let the code type steer whether you look for a missing connection or an unwanted one.
- Inspect and bench-test the bulb — Remove the left high-beam bulb and check the filament visually and with a meter for continuity — an open filament reads infinite resistance. On many VAG cars the high beam is a dedicated H7 (~55 W); make sure the correct type and wattage is fitted, because an under-rated bulb or an LED unit can trip the plausibility check even when it lights.
- Examine the connector and housing — Look at the bulb-holder connector for browning, melted plastic, spread or corroded terminals, and check the headlight housing for water or fogging. Heat-damaged H7 connectors are a classic cause; clean or replace the connector pigtail rather than just swapping the bulb, and dry out or reseal a housing that is letting moisture in.
- Test the supply and control wiring — With the harness plug disconnected, back-probe and measure: verify the bulb has a good ground, then command the high beam on (or switch it on) and check the control wire delivers the module's switched output with no unwanted B+ present when it should be off. A wire that shows battery voltage on the control side with the lamp commanded off indicates the short-to-B+ that sets 01495.
- Verify against the module output stage — If the bulb, connector, ground and wiring are all good, the fault is likely the low-side driver inside the onboard supply control module (or AFS control unit). Clear the code, cycle the high beam several times, and re-scan; if 01495 returns immediately with a known-good bulb and clean wiring, the module output stage is the remaining suspect and the control unit needs repair or replacement and coding.
FAQ
Can I just replace the bulb to clear 01495?
Often yes — a burned-out left high-beam bulb is the most common cause. Fit the correct type and wattage (frequently an H7 ~55 W), then clear the code with VCDS/ODIS. If it comes back with a fresh, correct bulb, the problem is in the connector, wiring, or module rather than the bulb.
Why did 01495 appear after I fitted LED headlight bulbs?
LED retrofits draw far less current than a halogen bulb, and the module's output stage can read that low draw as an open circuit and store 01495. VAG lighting control is designed around halogen (or factory xenon/LED) load, so an unapproved LED often trips a plausibility/canbus load fault even though it lights up.
Does 01495 mean the control module is faulty?
Not usually. The vast majority of cases are a dead bulb, a corroded or melted connector, water in the headlight, or damaged wiring. The onboard supply control module's output stage is the last thing to suspect — only condemn it after a known-good bulb, clean connector, good ground and intact wiring still leave the code returning.
Do I need VCDS to read this code?
Yes, effectively. 01495 is a VAG manufacturer-specific fault stored in the onboard supply/BCM or lighting control unit, so it needs VCDS, ODIS, or an equivalent VW/Audi-capable scan tool. A basic generic OBD-II reader only sees emissions-related P-codes and will not display it.
What is 'short circuit to B+' in this context?
It means the module has detected battery-positive voltage where it should not be on the high-beam control line — typically from chafed wiring insulation touching a live wire, or a melted connector bridging terminals. Unlike an open circuit (a break), a short to B+ is an unwanted connection to power that the output stage flags to protect itself.