LED lights anyone?

[Max Headroom]

I have tried (and partly failed) to get some LED number plate lights working satisfactorily. (These are can-bus error free ones which I assume include a resistor in each bulb).

While they work superbly when the lights are on, with the lights off and engine running they give a little strobe flash roughly every two seconds.

Ignition off and car unlocked they give the same strobe flash approximately 50 times before ceasing, and with car locked they flash about five times and then stop.

I am no electrician, but assume that this flashing is some kind of residual current in the circuitry(?)

Has anyone else tried LED lighting and succeeded? Is it possible to get these to work without the strobing when the car is running and lights off, and if so how?

I did see a SAAB of about the same age as mine sporting what looked to be LED sidelights at the front so thought it should be possible and that I'd give the number plate lights a try as they look so much smarter than the dull yellow glow of regular bulbs.

[sgould]

I bought a pair of "error free" indicator bulbs.  Useless. Very dim and flashed at double speed.

[Max Headroom]

It's just the number plate illumination I would like to work properly at the moment, Will.

I'm no electrickery engineer but wondered if some resistors or even bulbs wired in series might fix the anomally

[Petemate]

Thought about LEDs for sidelights, as with my HID on dip and nightbreakers on beam I find that the standard sidelights are abysmally dim. While I accept that when one is running headlights the sidelights are insignificant, it still annoys me when I see the reflection of the car on a vehicle in front and see the yellowish sides sitting there. But I have read many tales of problems even with allegedly 'error-free'. Will keep an eye on this thread......
Pete

[bignick]

I bought some LED number plate lights off ebay (for not a lot of money) and they were too big for the holders.

I quite like the look of them, nice and clean light.

I'd be keen to hear what bulbs people have bought that fit and don't look too chavvy as some I've seen are SO bright they shine through the bodywork (at least thats what it looks like to me).

[Max Headroom]

They're either 36mm long or 38mm - It's not clear which. Perhaps someone can verify this?

[philg]

I have been running LEDs for sidelights and number plates for a few years. The number plate one just failed so have just bought a big standard w5w 9 smd bulb from eBay and they work fine. I haven't attempted the brake lights as they will throw up an error and there isn't the issue with colour anyway.

I don't know if the 9-5 is the same as the 9-3 but I wouldn't bother with canbus bulbs for the plates.

[AllanJenkins]

I have tried (and partly failed) to get some led lights working satisfactorily. (These are can-bus error free ones which I assume include a resistor in each bulb).

While they work superbly when the lights are on, with the lights off and engine running they give a little strobe flash roughly every two seconds.

Ignition off and car unlocked they give the same strobe flash approximately 50 times before ceasing, and with car locked they flash about five times and then stop.

I am no electrician, but assume that this flashing is some kind of residual current in the circuitry(?)

Has anyone else tried LED lighting and succeeded? Is it possible to get these to work without the strobing when the car is running and lights off, and if so how?

I did see a SAAB of about the same age as mine sporting what looked to be LED sidelights at the front so thought it should be possible and that I'd give the number plate lights a try as they look so much smarter than the dull yellow glow of regular bulbs.

Have you got the lights you were searching for? Even I am looking for new number plates lights so can you help me with your experience?Waiting for reply thanks in advance:)

[sgould]

Welcome!

I have successfully fitted some LEDs in circuits that are the traditional type.  That is ones that go battery, switch, build, earth.

The problem with the 9-3 is that most of the circuits are controlled by microprocessor.  As such there are lots of unfamiliar things that neither I or many others have got to the bottom of.  As with others, I have tried "CANbus safe" bulbs and have not yet got any to work, either on my 9-5 or my wife's 9-3 sport saloon.  The only ones that do work are the front sidelights on the 9-5 which are "traditional" and unmonitored.

As the LEDs work on very small currents I'm wondering if the flashing is caused by the monitoring system itself, or the signals in the CANbus.

[Petemate]

With regard to LED lighting, I am informed by my lad that he is thinking of buying me a pair of Hella lights for my birthday that may go in place of my front driving (fog) lights. I haven't researched these, but apparently they are available for Volvo front fogs as a direct replacement and are a nice looking block of 4 LEDs in each lamp. I like the thought of that to use as day runners.

PS I have seen a nice pair from Car Mod Shop specified for most makes of car. Pair of lights £34.95 and the gizmo for auto-off when lights switched on £10.95. (the 'day runners' are lit when ignition goes on) I would think of some method of leaving the front fogs wired up and switched and the bulbs tidily stowed somewhere would eliminate error codes?

http://www.car-mod-shop.co.uk/saab-9-3/

Pete