LED, WTF?
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LED, WTF?
Today I thought I would treat the old girl and replace her reverse lights and all of her turn signals with LEDs. Everything worked great..until I turned the headlights on and tried the turn signals again. They don't work with the headlights on but only when the headlights are off. The front turn signals both illuminate all of the time when the headlights are on. The reverse lights are fine either way. I did use some of that dielectric jell for all of the bulbs before I installed them.
Anyone have an idea on what could be wrong? Is this just 1997 technology bumping heads with modern times?
Anyone have an idea on what could be wrong? Is this just 1997 technology bumping heads with modern times?
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,476
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From: Madison, WI
You don't need resistors if you use an electronic flasher.
Are the turn signals lighting with the headlights, or is it the parking lights? In a tungsten bulb, those are two completely separate circuits, two filaments, that share a ground. LEDs replacements usually light some of the LEDs with the parking light circuit, and more of them with the turn signal circuit. Are you sure you bought 3157 dual-circuit LEDs?
Are the turn signals lighting with the headlights, or is it the parking lights? In a tungsten bulb, those are two completely separate circuits, two filaments, that share a ground. LEDs replacements usually light some of the LEDs with the parking light circuit, and more of them with the turn signal circuit. Are you sure you bought 3157 dual-circuit LEDs?
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You don't need resistors if you use an electronic flasher.
Are the turn signals lighting with the headlights, or is it the parking lights? In a tungsten bulb, those are two completely separate circuits, two filaments, that share a ground. LEDs replacements usually light some of the LEDs with the parking light circuit, and more of them with the turn signal circuit. Are you sure you bought 3157 dual-circuit LEDs?
Are the turn signals lighting with the headlights, or is it the parking lights? In a tungsten bulb, those are two completely separate circuits, two filaments, that share a ground. LEDs replacements usually light some of the LEDs with the parking light circuit, and more of them with the turn signal circuit. Are you sure you bought 3157 dual-circuit LEDs?
I bought the LEDs off of Amazon. I'd have to dig the packaging out of the trash but the description online doesn't say anything about dual-circuit.
I am on my way to AutoZone to pick up an LED compatible EP27 turn signal switch. Hopefully that solves it.
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Postmaster
Joined: May 2011
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From: Monroe City in
I went to a couple auto stores and they didnt have the electronic flasher. I got mine from the superbrightleds.com the same place i got my bulbs. And i didnt have to take batterys out either. I bet if you put the stock style bulbs back in the rear your signals will work until you get the new flasher. Thats how mine did any way.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Madison, WI
No way you should have to remove the batteries to pull the bulbs, unless they're WAAAY bigger than the tungstens.
Do they come on at all with the parking lights? If so, do they come on "dim" (parking light circuit) or "bright" (turn signal circuit)?
What number are the bulbs, 3156 or 3157?
Do they come on at all with the parking lights? If so, do they come on "dim" (parking light circuit) or "bright" (turn signal circuit)?
What number are the bulbs, 3156 or 3157?
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No way you should have to remove the batteries to pull the bulbs, unless they're WAAAY bigger than the tungstens.
Do they come on at all with the parking lights? If so, do they come on "dim" (parking light circuit) or "bright" (turn signal circuit)?
What number are the bulbs, 3156 or 3157?
Do they come on at all with the parking lights? If so, do they come on "dim" (parking light circuit) or "bright" (turn signal circuit)?
What number are the bulbs, 3156 or 3157?
Yes, the lights come on with the parking lights. I can't tell if they are dim or bright.
I can't get my arm down in there without pulling the batteries out.
I just went down to AutoZone and threw in an LED compatible flasher module…no change. The only suggestion they had was pulling the bulbs out and flipping them over and plugging them back in. I'm about ready to say screw it and go back to the old fashioned bulbs.
Lead Driver
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Madison, WI
Pull ONE battery and use that side as your test mule so you can keep the other one hooked up until you get this figured out. And the 3157 socket _should_ not be polarized, but with these newfangled LED gizmos, you never know, worth a shot.
Hmm, wait, which flasher did you swap out? There are two, one for the directionals and one for the emergencies. Maybe you're still running the directionals on the old mechanical flasher (ooooops, sorry, one of us shoulda told you to get two....). Try the emergencies, or try putting the new flasher in the other socket (it's on the "blind" side of the fuse box). Also, when you run the directionals (or emergencies, whichever one you get them to work on), take note of the brightness. Then turn them off and turn on the parking lights and not the brightness. See if it's different.
Hmm, wait, which flasher did you swap out? There are two, one for the directionals and one for the emergencies. Maybe you're still running the directionals on the old mechanical flasher (ooooops, sorry, one of us shoulda told you to get two....). Try the emergencies, or try putting the new flasher in the other socket (it's on the "blind" side of the fuse box). Also, when you run the directionals (or emergencies, whichever one you get them to work on), take note of the brightness. Then turn them off and turn on the parking lights and not the brightness. See if it's different.
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I ended up punting. I replaced the rear lights with a new set of old fashioned Edison light bulbs and that solved the issue. The LEDs in the front act normally now, headlights on and off.
Many thanks for the help.
Many thanks for the help.
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I punted again. My break controller starting activating when I turned the lights on. I pulled out the rear LEDs and went old school once again and that solved that. What a pain. I did upgrade my interior lights to LEDs but I am done with it.
Postmaster
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From: Monroe City in
As said before you need an electronic flasher.
CF12ANL-01 LED Bulb Electronic Flasher | Flashers & Load Resistors | Car Bulb Installation Supplies | LED Car Bulbs | Super Bright LEDs
CF12ANL-01 LED Bulb Electronic Flasher | Flashers & Load Resistors | Car Bulb Installation Supplies | LED Car Bulbs | Super Bright LEDs
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