Tweet
So, to start with you need your 2 LED tail lights (3157), 2 miniature bulbs, 2 bulb socket mounts, 2 wire crimps (or soldering iron if you are good), about 2 feet of 18 gauge wire in yellow, green and black and about 15-20 minutes.
Step one: Open the trunk, pull back the liner on both sides of the trunk, remove the tail lights, remove the stock bulb, install the new LED bulb (make sure you put it in right, they only work one way) and then reinstall the tail lights - trying not to over tighten the nuts down and destroying the plastic lens!
Step two: Take the 2 bulb sockets - I bought mine at NAPA for $3 each - that should look something like this...
and solder/crimp the 2 ground wires to a piece of black wire (I used 18 gauge) long enough to get from the rear fuse panel to one of the grounding studs in thr trunk - driver's side, on the rear inside of the trunk. Then crimp a lug
to the end of the black wire. You will also need to add on a length of wire to the 2 positive ends of the bulb mounts - the wire connected to the spring in the center of the cocket. I did not have the same size yellow and green wire, so I just used red and white. For this project, it really doesn't matter in the long run. As long as each turn signal wire gets one bulb wired to it.
Step three: You need to find the wire bundle coming out from the rear fuse panel - driver's side - and gentle pull of the tape. They will be about 6 wires - you need to find the yellow one and the dark green one. My car has 2 light green wires as well - these are for the back-up lights. Pull back about 4 inches of tape and cut the yellow and dark green wire in the middle. Strip back about 3/8's of an inch of insulation on all 4 ends. Grab your 2 wire crimps, or soldering iron and connect one wire from the bulb mounts to each of the 2 wires you just cut.
Like I said, I didn't have the same colors, but it really doesn't matter. Just make sure that each wire crimp/solder has the 2 original ends plus one of the bulbs wires all connected together.
Step four: Once you have crimped/sodlered the wires together, tape them back up and make it look all nice 'n purty. connect the lug to one of the grounding posts near the opening the wire buindle runs through.
Step five: For the time being, I just zip tied all of the wires up and made things look as good as i could. I am going to mount the bulbs to the little fin that sticks out past the fuse panel. but for now, they are just run through the fuse panel door in the trunk liner.
Now, go get your keys, turn on the ignition and test your blinkers. This 1893 bulb draws about .5 amps, and should be more than enough for any kind of LED bulb you decide to buy. I am using the Spider Lite 5 arm led's, but have tried the other 2 kinds i purchased. All have worked without a hitch!
Also, since these bulbs only come on with the brake, blinker or car alarm flashed, they do not get hot. In fact they should not really even get all that warm. But for safety sake, make sure that you mount or hang these bulb mounts away from anything that might catch fire...
Science section: each of the stock 3157 bulbs draws about 2 amps when both filaments are lit. You only need to draw about .75 amps to fool the BCU into thinking a bulb is not blown.
So, now you can enjoy your LED tail lights and not worry about melting your car!
Have any questions, just PM me!
Chao!
Step one: Open the trunk, pull back the liner on both sides of the trunk, remove the tail lights, remove the stock bulb, install the new LED bulb (make sure you put it in right, they only work one way) and then reinstall the tail lights - trying not to over tighten the nuts down and destroying the plastic lens!
Step two: Take the 2 bulb sockets - I bought mine at NAPA for $3 each - that should look something like this...
and solder/crimp the 2 ground wires to a piece of black wire (I used 18 gauge) long enough to get from the rear fuse panel to one of the grounding studs in thr trunk - driver's side, on the rear inside of the trunk. Then crimp a lug
to the end of the black wire. You will also need to add on a length of wire to the 2 positive ends of the bulb mounts - the wire connected to the spring in the center of the cocket. I did not have the same size yellow and green wire, so I just used red and white. For this project, it really doesn't matter in the long run. As long as each turn signal wire gets one bulb wired to it.
Step three: You need to find the wire bundle coming out from the rear fuse panel - driver's side - and gentle pull of the tape. They will be about 6 wires - you need to find the yellow one and the dark green one. My car has 2 light green wires as well - these are for the back-up lights. Pull back about 4 inches of tape and cut the yellow and dark green wire in the middle. Strip back about 3/8's of an inch of insulation on all 4 ends. Grab your 2 wire crimps, or soldering iron and connect one wire from the bulb mounts to each of the 2 wires you just cut.
Like I said, I didn't have the same colors, but it really doesn't matter. Just make sure that each wire crimp/solder has the 2 original ends plus one of the bulbs wires all connected together.
Step four: Once you have crimped/sodlered the wires together, tape them back up and make it look all nice 'n purty. connect the lug to one of the grounding posts near the opening the wire buindle runs through.
Step five: For the time being, I just zip tied all of the wires up and made things look as good as i could. I am going to mount the bulbs to the little fin that sticks out past the fuse panel. but for now, they are just run through the fuse panel door in the trunk liner.
Now, go get your keys, turn on the ignition and test your blinkers. This 1893 bulb draws about .5 amps, and should be more than enough for any kind of LED bulb you decide to buy. I am using the Spider Lite 5 arm led's, but have tried the other 2 kinds i purchased. All have worked without a hitch!
Also, since these bulbs only come on with the brake, blinker or car alarm flashed, they do not get hot. In fact they should not really even get all that warm. But for safety sake, make sure that you mount or hang these bulb mounts away from anything that might catch fire...
Science section: each of the stock 3157 bulbs draws about 2 amps when both filaments are lit. You only need to draw about .75 amps to fool the BCU into thinking a bulb is not blown.
So, now you can enjoy your LED tail lights and not worry about melting your car!
Have any questions, just PM me!
Chao!
Comment