Has anyone noticed how bad the reversing lights location is on the mk2 octy?

I've changed my bulbs for Cree Q5 led bulbs and there is a massive dark spot right behind me as the light is directed sideways by how the bulb is located.

Is there any way round this at all?

Unfortunately it doesn't matter where they are located, 2x 21W bulbs aren't going to illuminate much more than the rear bumper.

I think reversing lights are more to warn other people you are in reverse as opposed to aiding rearward visibility.

I find when it's really dark, reversing lights, rear fogs and hazard lights help!

The only real solution is to mount more powerful light units under the rear bumper - which will I'm afraid look a bit naff!

What were the lights like before you put LED in?

LED retrofitting is not always a good idea, not if the lamp is designed to project the light in any way. The light pattern from a LED bulb is different and throws everything off.

Unfortunately it doesn't matter where they are located, 2x 21W bulbs aren't going to illuminate much more than the rear bumper.

Not that it helps the OP, but the reversing lights on our Jimny are brilliant, excuse the pun

Only one thing for it

The reversing lights are there to tell others you are in reverse, not as an aid to help you see where you are going. Fitting an LED will give you less light than a traditional bulb as the LED light is very directional and will throw the light in all the wrong directions. Fitting a more powerful bulb is out as the wiring is only designed for low current, as is the cluster and bulb holder, these will all melt or discolour if you fit a higher rated bulb.

as i said in my post they are cree q5 led's. NOT the normal SMD style bulbs. These give much much more light than the oem bulbs but the way the light is angled due to how it sits in the housing means I end up with a blind spot in the middle of the boot.

Same as these but blue rather than red casing

Edited 22 February, 201313 yr by ryan-re

I've seen people in Sweden retrofit HID kits to their reversing lights. It takes a bit of hot glue and a couple of relays, apparently. These mods are done on Volvos because it's a Volvo forum I still frequent after owning three of them, and the battery on these is in the boot making things easier.

The end result is a metric crapton of light, anyways.

Edited 22 February, 201313 yr by Perc