Hi Folks, I'm after some advice.

 

I thought I would replace a blown sidelight bulb on my car with a pair of LED ones as an upgrade. Normally I use the standard 501 12V 5W bulb but thought I'd try a 501 LED 12V 1W set instead:(http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_1000015_langId_-1_categoryId_165538)

 

They didn't work at all and threw up the bulb fault light on the dash. Can LED builds work on my car if I use a resistor upgrade thingy: (http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_864523_langId_-1_categoryId_272449)  

 

Or would that be throwing good money after bad? I'd like to upgrade my sidelight bulbs as I don't like the dull yellowy colour of the standard bulbs. Anyone know of another possible option?

 

Thanks. 

Don't you need the no canbus error ones?! I'm not sure, the first set I bought did the same as yours, the second set I bought from Autotechnica in Hull and they worked just fine. To be honest the colour difference is pretty negligible anyway.

Check the polarity of the bulbs. LED only work one way so try rotating them around to see if that makes a difference, I've installed LED into my car with pout needing anything else other than the bulb. My Skoda had no issues with them when I had it. But I did find that cheaper bulbs didn't work for as long so I invested in some philips LED 501 off of amazon and they are still going to this day in my new car.

Ok, thanks for the replies. I'll try switching the bulbs 180 degrees tomorrow to see if that helps. I may have been unlucky and got them both the wrong way round.

If you give up on the led bulbs u can try philips blue vision side light bulbs which give a nice whiter look

I've found the blue vision bulbs nasty, don't like them at all.    If you fit led's as sidelights then the main lights don't look right as they are still yellowy.   If you do still want to fit them and the bulb failure light stays on then you can parallel wire the normal bulbs in another holder and hide it behind the light unit, this fools the canbus system and extinguishes the bulb failure light.

Quick update - I decided to buy a resistor module kit so that I could try and get the LED sidelight bulbs to work and they do! I am really pleased with how they look on the car. Gone is the pasty yellow light, the colour change is quite different. The LED bulbs give the car a much cooler, more modern look. I think LED sidelight bulbs are the perfect compromise between overly bright, flashy DRLs and boring regular sidelights. 

 

Result!

Quick update - I decided to buy a resistor module kit so that I could try and get the LED sidelight bulbs to work and they do! I am really pleased with how they look on the car. Gone is the pasty yellow light, the colour change is quite different. The LED bulbs give the car a much cooler, more modern look. I think LED sidelight bulbs are the perfect compromise between overly bright, flashy DRLs and boring regular sidelights. 

 

Result!

 

Any pictures of the lights working. Considering this myself

i did my side light bulbs about 8 months ago with canbus error free ones off ebay, have worked fine with no errors ever since they went in and look much better.. search for Fizzmouk or something like that on ebay, very good guy and genuine to deal with, even sent me a new set for the interior when i cocked up the size free of charge.. have since used him for all LED bulbs for my car, motorbike, brothers car.. etc etc

Or you can buy a no canbus error bulb in the first place....

On older cars the canbus system did not monitor the side lights but newer cars do and since 2008 the canbus monitors lights in a different way. So the usual canbus error free bulbs are not much use in this case.   There is a trader on Audisport.net that supplies the correct led bulbs for Audis, so I guess they would be good for VW, Seat and Skodas and they are the ones I have fitted.

Soot1e. When you say not monitored what do you mean?

On my 2005 Octy Elegance when the side light went 2 weeks ago the Maxidot told me so, is that the same thing?

Sidelights and other external lights have been monitored since about 2004 .   The cars after about 2008 are monitored  different again so you would have to have a different type of canbus friendly bulbs, that's why the ebay sold led's often don't work.

 

In your case either parallel the old bulb to keep the warning light out or find some compatable bulbs.   This guy has all the answers on led's ......and they don't pack up after a few months. http://www.emtuning.co.uk/

Edited 12 June, 201412 yr by Soot1e

Don't know how to post a link but use this Ebay item number :- 120733598571

 

These are the bulbs I have been using for a few years now with no error codes. The polarity has to match so check they are working before you refit the lamp (because the sidelights are a total mare to get at)

Sidelights and other external lights have been monitored since about 2004 . The cars after about 2008 are monitored different again so you would have to have a different type of canbus friendly bulbs, that's why the ebay sold led's often don't work.

In your case either parallel the old bulb to keep the warning light out or find some compatable bulbs. This guy has all the answers on led's ......and they don't pack up after a few months. http://www.emtuning.co.uk/

That's a big help Soot1e

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Edited 12 June, 201412 yr by gav_is_con

That's a big help soot1e

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