I've had a few people PM me about how to install LED tail light bulbs without the car thinking the bulb is burned out.

First, buy a high quality bulb. Crappy $4.99 LEDs can have as little as a 5 degree spread, and may actually appear 'dimmer' when installed in your tail lamp assembly. Higher quality LEDs go as high as 120 degrees, closer to an incandescent bulb and more visible from all angles.

LEDs typically use around 26 mA. You'll need a resistor to 'trick' the circuit into 'seeing' the LED as a normal bulb, otherwise the lower draw of an LED will make the circuit think the bulb is burned out and trigger the dummy light on the dash (as well as possibly blinking your turn signals faster - makes your car look a bit ghetto) A 6 ohm 50 watt resistor spliced from the light 'hot' wire to ground usually does the trick.

 

cool, has anyone done this with success? It would be cool to do the same thing to the turn signal bulbs as well.

 

it's been done several times over in many different types of cars and motorcycles

 

cool, but i wouldnt even know where to start making that.

 

I recently just tried swapping the stock bulbs with LED replacements from Autozone. Each side cost about $15 US and got you 2 bulbs. Honestly I think this is sorta a rip off, seeing as how you can purchase all the components to do the job yourself for about the same price. I'll try to post up a step-by-step for how I did mine tomorrow, so that I don't start claiming you need to remove things that don't exist.

Quick question, were do you think is the best place to splice in the resistor?

 

someplace that allows you to mount the resistor where it won't start a fire (it'll get hot)

2 for $15 are gonna be so-so LEDs...

 

you minght want to consider checking out laminaceramics.com they have some super bright LED's that are tried and true in the workplace.

 

Anyone have pics of LEDs on the FB?