LED Tail Lights...

Thought I would share my adventures last weekend when replacing my front parkers with white LED's and rear tail lights with red LED's.
I started by replacing the front parkers with the white LED's. They look fantastic. Extreme white colour.
Then I set about replacing the rear tail lights with red LED dual contact "bulbs".
They look magnificent, however they caused a few other problems which I was not expecting.

1. Traction control is permanently off
2. Cruise control will not switch on
3. Rear spoiler tail light comes on dimly when the parkers are on and engine is running, then lights brighter when the brake is on
4. Parkers will not turn on reliably when you approach the car and turn off the alarm

I soon discovered at least one other person in this forum who had the same cruise control problem after installing the LED tail lights in his monaro so I knew I wasn't going mad.
I know some people would say that having the traction control permanently off is a bonus but losing the cruise control probably ruins the good news.

I then discovered several posts on the web about this problem and something to do with the cruise control thinking the brake is on and therefore won't turn on etc.
Then I stumbled across these "LED Equalisers" that are actually just a 6 Ohm 5 watt resistor that adds a load back into the circuit so that the computer can sense that there is a bulb present.

Then I had an idea. I have had a tow bar installed so I figure perhaps I can install the resistor across the pins on the trailer connector that connect to the trailers tail lights. Then I realised that I don't need a resistor, I already have one, and that is one of the old bulbs I just pulled out of the tail light. The trailer connector spends most of it's time inside the boot so won't be seen from the outside. So I wired one of the bulbs across the pins on the trailer connector and BINGO, cruise is back, t/c is back and the parkers now turn on when the alarm is switched off everytime.
Sure the globe lights up in the boot evertime you put your foot on the brake, but it's no hotter than a resistor. In fact it is probably cooler than a resistor as some of the power is being dissapated as light instead of heat.
I haven't checked the rear spoiler to see if it now doesn't come on dimly when the parkers are on and the engine is running (you can see this happening in the attached pic) it's a bit late in the evening to start the car with it's new exhaust system :whistling

Hope this helps others who want to put LED lights on their commy.

 

Here...

 

Yeah the white light is very hard to pick up on the camera but it is a very brilliant white. Got them from a shop called Motoquipe <http://www.motoquipe.com.au/>.

 

Naaaaaaa I prefer to stick to the cars true roots.

*************************************
Company Name
GM Holden Ltd

Head Office
191 Salmon Street
Port Melbourne Victoria 3207
Telephone: 03 9647 1111
Facsimile: 03 9647 2550
www.holden.com.au
GPO Box 1714
Melbourne Vic 3001

Main Business
Manufacture and distribution of motor vehicles, engines, components and parts.

Parent Company
General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Michigan, USA.
*************************************

I have nothing against the Aussie "Holden" name being applied to General Motors car. Just prefer to show a symbol of the true roots if not just for the engine.

 

Thanx! I'm sure in ten years time you will have found something better LOL!

 

All I can see for SA is:

"88—Performance of tail lights

(1) When on, a tail light of a vehicle must:

(a) show a red light visible 200 metres from the rear of the vehicle; and

(b) not use over 7 watts power.

(2) A tail light fitted to a street rod vehicle may incorporate a blue lens not over 20 millimetres in diameter.

(3) A street rod vehicle is a vehicle that has been modified for safe road use and that:

(a) has a body and frame that were built before 1949; or

(b) is a replica of a vehicle the body and frame of which were built before 1949.

89—Wiring of tail lights

A tail light of a motor vehicle must be wired to come on, and stay on, when a parking light or headlight on the vehicle is on, unless an external switch is fitted to operate the tail light."

and

"99—Performance and operation of brake lights

(1) When on, a brake light must show a red light visible 30 metres from the rear of the vehicle.

(2) A brake light fitted to a street rod vehicle may incorporate a blue lens not over 20 millimetres in diameter.

(3) A brake light fitted to a motor vehicle must come on, if it is not already on, when:

(a) for a vehicle with 4 or more wheels or built after 1974—a service brake is applied; or

(b) for another vehicle—the rear wheel brake is applied.

(4) Subrule (3) does not apply if the controls in the vehicle that start the engine are in a position that makes it impossible for the engine to operate.

(5) A brake light on a trailer must come on when:

(a) the brake light of the towing vehicle comes on; or

(b) a brake control on the towing vehicle, which independently activates the service brake on the trailer, is operated.

(6) A brake light may be operated by an engine brake, retarder, or similar device if the device does not interfere with the proper operation of the brake light.

(7) A street rod vehicle is a vehicle that has been modified for safe road use and that:

(a) has a body and frame that were built before 1949; or

(b) is a replica of a vehicle the body and frame of which were built before 1949."