LED tail light problems, please help!

I replaced my stock tail lights with LED bulbs but i'm getting a VDC error and my brake light/traction control light is flashing on the dash. I have 6 ohm 50 watt resistors to splice in but I don't know which 2 out of the three wires to use. Its on my 2014 3.6R there is black,red, and black/white wire coming from the tail/brake lights. I'm assuming the black is ground. any help would be much appreciated

6Ω 50Watts resistors? You're kidding, right?

These are the resistors that were sold by the place where I got the lights specifically for hyper flashers and tail light bulb warnings

What size should I go with then??

Okay, I think I may have been a little off on this one. I didn't consider that the tail lights are on the same circuit. I think 50Watts may be excessive, 10Ω & 20Watts ought to be fine. The resistor is paralleled with the either bulb (they are in turn parallel with each other).

You could get a TapTurn module to replace your standard flasher module. No wiring changes and a LOT more features...

Okay so here is the breakdown of what I've done so far with the lights on my 2014 3.6

 

Replaced all inside/outside lights with LEDs from carid and diode dynamics.

 

The flashers need resistors to stop the hyper blinking , which was easy enough b/c there's only 2 wires. (Will probably take them out and switch to the tap turn module down the road tho).

 

The reverse, city (small bulbs inside high beam housing) lights, side markers, and all other inside lights don't need anything and worked pnp

 

The tail lights were a different story...

 

Was getting a vdc warning and traction/brake light flashing in my dash after about 10 minutes of driving...this feature is to let you know a tail light bulb is out...

 

I put in 6 ohm 50 watt resistors in to fake out the computer and draw some power from the circuit.

 

The trunk lights were fine b/c they only have 2 wires so it was easy enough

 

The corner tails have 3 wires b/c the wires are for ground, running lights and the brake.

 

First put the resistor on the black and red wire, but still got the dash warnings after 10 minutes so then I changed to the black and black/white. This was the combo you need to tie the resistor in. All dash warnings went away

 

But the problem is my tail light resistors are getting way too hot. I mounted them properly with thermal compound onto metal surfaces but the heat was intense and I didn't want to risk it...ended up putting in high performance Phillips halogens which are pretty damn bright too so I'm not even that upset about it but I liked the LEDs for the instant on/off and they sync'd better with my spoiler LEDs...oh well

 

The 6ohm 50 watt seems so be the wrong size for these LEDs so maybe on another day when my back feels better ill get back into the trunk and try the smaller 10ohm 20 watt resistors. I was also thinking about just wiring in the stock bulb and housing into the circuit with the LED to get rid of the bulb out warning.

 

I just wish I knew what size I needed to make the warning go out but not pull too much power that it gets so hot. Think I'll consult my electrician friend

 

Hope this helps anyone trying to do the same conversions..

I just switched all of my lights to LED today and I also have the hyper flashing on the turn signals which I didn't realize you need to put a resistor in. Going to try and research that more. The other problem I'm having is also with the brake light, but not any lights on my dash. When I have the LED in the brake light it just somehow turns all the brake lights on and can't shut them off. So I have them removed for now. I have no idea why this is happening or what the fix would be. Any help would be greatly welcomed. I couldn't find anywhere else this was discussed.

+1 for tapturn, might be my favorite mod lol

+1 for tapturn, might be my favorite mod lol

 

Do you think this will solve all my problems? What about the brake lights just wanting to be in all the time?

The flashers need resistors to stop the hyper blinking , which was easy enough b/c there's only 2 wires. (Will probably take them out and switch to the tap turn module down the road tho).

 

Did you end up switching to the electronic relay module?

 

The tail lights were a different story...

 

Was getting a vdc warning and traction/brake light flashing in my dash after about 10 minutes of driving...this feature is to let you know a tail light bulb is out...

 

I wonder if this "tail/brake light out" is a new notification feature on the '14 model. I've installed these (45HP-LED 16mm Wedge Base 7443 Tower bulb) in the tail/brake light in my '13 model, and have yet to experience any issues.

 

I put in 6 ohm 50 watt resistors in to fake out the computer and draw some power from the circuit.

 

 

The trunk lights were fine b/c they only have 2 wires so it was easy enough.

When you say the trunk light, i.e. the "where's my luggage light"...that required a resistor? Why, was something going off? I just dropped in another LED equivalent and off to the races. Elaborate please.

 

The corner tails have 3 wires b/c the wires are for ground, running lights and the brake.

 

First put the resistor on the black and red wire, but still got the dash warnings after 10 minutes so then I changed to the black and black/white. This was the combo you need to tie the resistor in. All dash warnings went away

 

Moments like these I'd love to have a wiring diagram. How did you wire resistor in parallel, cut into original wire?

 

But the problem is my tail light resistors are getting way too hot. I mounted them properly with thermal compound onto metal surfaces but the heat was intense and I didn't want to risk it.

That's a valid concern. However, I highly doubt you were drawing 50W in parallel with each bulb. Some basic electrical laws dictate the following:

 

Volts/Ohms=Amps

Volts*Amps = Watts.

 

If we are really conservative we'll assume battery is 14 volts.

 

14V/6ohms = 2.3 amps

14V*2.3A = 33W, in theory that's the worst case (if the resistance is right).

 

The 50W is the maximum power rating of the resistor before it starts disintegrating. Without resistor data sheet and verifiable quality it's uncertain if the listed specs are true. I suppose the safest bet is to oversize the heatsink such that the overall surface temp decreases to the point where it does no harm to its surroundings(used CPU cooler, for instance). 33W is still a lot of power to dissipate, so your concern is not unfounded.

 

..ended up putting in high performance Phillips halogens which are pretty damn bright too so I'm not even that upset about it but I liked the LEDs for the instant on/off and they sync'd better with my spoiler LEDs...oh well

 

The 6ohm 50 watt seems so be the wrong size for these LEDs so maybe on another day when my back feels better ill get back into the trunk and try the smaller 10ohm 20 watt resistors. I was also thinking about just wiring in the stock bulb and housing into the circuit with the LED to get rid of the bulb out warning.

Good idea. For those wanting to understand why, the idea is to find the highest resistance, or in other words the smallest power draw in parallel to LED such that the car is duped into believing there's an incandescent bulb present.

 

I just wish I knew what size I needed to make the warning go out but not pull too much power that it gets so hot. Think I'll consult my electrician friend

 

Hope this helps anyone trying to do the same conversions..

Do you think this will solve all my problems? What about the brake lights just wanting to be in all the time?

 

I have this particular flasher, which works on the '13 model:

 

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/car-install-supplies/cf18-08-led-bulb-electronic-flasher/786/

 

I have no experience with the TapTurn.

 

 

As far as you brake lights, if i understand correctly, you replaced your 7443 halogen bulbs (dual filament - tail / brake light) with LED types, and tapping the brake pedal the first time turns LEDs to full brightness and they don't dim back to tail lights? Or are they full brightness without tapping the brake?

 

What is the exact item that you bought? Link me pls. Curious whether or not you bought the 7440 (used for turn signals on the 2010 series), which have one intensity.

i replaced my blinkers and tail lights with led and put a led flasher to fix hyper blink however my tail lights blink with my blinkers if my lights are turned on anybody else have this problem? if i turn my lights off and use my blinkers then only the blinkers blink...

I have this particular flasher, which works on the '13 model:

 

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/car-install-supplies/cf18-08-led-bulb-electronic-flasher/786/

 

I have no experience with the TapTurn.

 

 

As far as you brake lights, if i understand correctly, you replaced your 7443 halogen bulbs (dual filament - tail / brake light) with LED types, and tapping the brake pedal the first time turns LEDs to full brightness and they don't dim back to tail lights? Or are they full brightness without tapping the brake?

 

What is the exact item that you bought? Link me pls. Curious whether or not you bought the 7440 (used for turn signals on the 2010 series), which have one intensity.

These are the lights I am trying to use,

 

https://www.superbrightleds.com/moreinfo/tail-brake-turn/7443-led-bulb--dual-intensity-28-high-power-led/1648/4171/

 

And it's not that the lights turn on and stay on when I hit the brakes, it's that they all turn on as soon as I turn the lights on including the rear deck brake and spoiler brake light.

Resistors are designed to get hot. If you don't use a LED relay or the TapTurn module, I usually throw these resistors in 25w 6.8ohm.

 

http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/pp5/chutoyymymb/DIY%20LED%20bulbs/IMG_2566.jpg

Sorry to bring up an old thread. I have a similar question as the OP.

 

Many years ago I tried the LED conversion but I kinda gave up after running into problem after problem. LED flasher module crapped out, brake lights gave the vdc and AT temp dash lights.

 

So anyway, I want to try again with this mod. I ordered the Philips Canbus Canceller for the brake lights, which is pretty much a resistor. I just want to confirm which of the wires to tap. I know the OP tapped the black wire and the black/white wire to get rid of the dash lights.

 

My question, if anybody knows, is what each colour wire is. What is the black wire? What is the red wire? What is the black/white wire?