Replacing VF reading lamp globes with LED’s

[mwb235]

I’ve done a search and can’t find the answer to this question.

I have a 2014 Calais V with front and rear roof reading lamps (old school incandescent bulbs, T10 / W5W wedge).

I replaced both front and rear dome lamps and they work fine. But when I replace the four reading lamps, only the drivers side (RHF and RHR) lamps will work. Passenger side lamps don’t work, or stay on (won’t turn off with button). I’ve tried different bulbs including ones I know work, so it’s not dodgy bulbs or wrong polarity. I’ve tried three different styles/brands of LED’s but they all do the same thing.

I’ve pulled out both front and rear lamp assemblies and tested them for shorts but can’t find anything wrong. When I put the old incandescent bulbs back in they work perfectly so it’s not the wiring either inside or outside of the units.

Are there special bulbs I need to use?

 

[VT&VX]

Are there special bulbs I need to use?

Well you know the originals work, when you give up.

 

[TTubrag]

I’ve tried different bulbs including ones I know work, so it’s not dodgy bulbs or wrong polarity. I’ve tried three different styles/brands of LED’s but they all do the same thing.

Which bulbs and brands have you used?

 

[mwb235]

Which bulbs and brands have you used?

Not sure, I got them all off different feeBay sellers some in AU and some from overseas. Maybe I just gotta keep trying until I find one that works. It just seems strange the centre (dome) lamps and right side reading lamps work fine, just not the left side.

 

[mwb235]

This has got me stumped!

Today I went to Jaycar and bought some expensive T10 Canbus LED’s ($13.45 each total $53.80 ouch!). Fitted them to front reading lamps and the same thing happens - dome lamp ok, right side reading lamp ok, left side stays on and cannot be turned off with switch. Exactly the same in back roof lamps.

The other LED’s I tried are from ebay sellers, two of them are “Auscarleds” and “SunlinesAuto”.

I had thought maybe BOTH my roof lamps front & rear are faulty, as unlikely as that sounds. But then why do they both work perfectly when I put the stupid old incandescent bulbs back in?

Holden must have made the PCB’s inside the lamp assemblies “LED-proof” so people cant retro-fit LED’s. What else can it be? Farked if I can figure it out!

 

[stooge]

the reading lamp circuit has a chip in it that detects load/resistance from the bulb to workout the bulbs on or off state so the switch press can toggle the correct state on/off.
the leds don't provide enough load or feedback to the chip so it does not detect if the bulb is on or off and it gets stuck(normally on).

you need to find leds that put more load on the circuit so the on/off state can be detected.

its much like how some hid kits don't work with the canbus in the vf because its looking for resistance from the bulb and the hid kits don't provide it so the canbus generates errors.
the fix for that is just a little circuit to add load/resistance between the vehicle light plug and hid kit plug.

 

[mwb235]

the reading lamp circuit has a chip in it that detects load/resistance from the bulb to workout the bulbs on or off state so the switch press can toggle the correct state on/off.
the leds don't provide enough load or feedback to the chip so it does not detect if the bulb is on or off and it gets stuck(normally on).

you need to find leds that put more load on the circuit so the on/off state can be detected.

its much like how some hid kits don't work with the canbus in the vf because its looking for resistance from the bulb and the hid kits don't provide it so the canbus generates errors.
the fix for that is just a little circuit to add load/resistance between the vehicle light plug and hid kit plug.

Thanks for that info

 

[mwb235]

The T10 reading lamps are W5W in the owner’s manual which I assume means “wedge 5 Watts”?

So I’m thinking I need a led lamp with at least 5 Watts of power.

A very quick look on ebay now brings up plenty of results, like this one (says its 7.5w per bulb):
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2Pair-W...263602700975?_trksid=p2385738.m4383.l4275.c10

Hmmm. I’ll do some more research!

 

[mwb235]

I found these on ebay & will buy a couple of pairs:

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/1X-T10-4-LED-5630-5W-Cree-Pure-White-AC-12V-24V-LED-Bulbs-Reverse-Interior-Park/302004224607?ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&redirect=mobile

24mm length (long lamps won’t fit), multidirectional which suits the reading lamp lenses, and are powered at 5 Watts. Fingers crossed these do the trick!

I’ve bought stuff off this seller before without problems so it’ll take 2-3 weeks from HK. I’ll post the results here.

 

[lmoengnr]

I bought these to replace the factory globes in a Magnum. All worked, no problems and no codes.

https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/10PCS-C...HITE-/322075524546?hash=item4afd327dc2&_uhb=1