I got it!! how to get around L.E.D tail light issues for upgrade without ballasts!

[Gadget]

After 2 months of research, I finally figured it out. (how to get the check lights off of your cluster without disconnecting it). I wired up OEM LED tail lights on my wife's 97 E39. After wiring up the lights, The check signal kept appearing on the dash like there was a bulb out on the back of the car. I could have easily taken apart the cluster to remove the indicator all together, but chose to figure it out. I wanted the sysem to still be functional. The indicator also lights up when your reverse, turn, or brake lights go out. I tried resisters, capisitors, relays etc. nothing worked. What worked was another bulb on the circuit. due to the fact that a led light has no filament, the system thinks that there is a bulb out. Now at the same time I did not want to hang big bulbs in the trunk either. Nor was I about to buy expensive ballasts to remedy the problem. So, I tried various small bulbs until I finally came up with the right combination for the job. Something small, and not hot! The answer is: tiny instrument cluster bulbs tapped in line with the parking lights. they are cheap and cool enough not to melt anything. I pulled them out of an old VW VDO cluster. Tapped them in; hid them behind the panels and they were good to go! No more nuthin! Cheap, Fast, and Nice! This info here can save a whole lot of money for my fellow E39 peeps!
Well, there you have it! the million Dollar question has finally been answered!
Good Luck!
p.s. they dont call me Gadget for nuthin.....

[Gadget]

...

[sauzajw]

Sounds great. Are you planning on making this a step-by-step DIY with some pics?

[Gadget]

I might if I get a big enough request.

[pahhhoul]

Requested

[burnout325]

Hello, looks very good.
Can you give some pictures and a step-by-step DIY.
I have at this moment the L.E.D tail lights, with an error in the BC.
So I'm looking forward to your advice.
thx

[Alpina540i]

Why would the proper sized resistor not cure the OBC fault, after all a incandesent light bulb is just a fancy resistor.

Explain this to me OP.....

[Buildscharacter]

Request ++

[ViolinARC]

Does this count as a request???

[FP5241]

Great work!!!
Hopefully this'll help everyone with this problem....


12cooldude... too bad it's too late for your old LED's...

[Gadget]

Well, I'm sure with a certain resistor yes that might work also. But after trying 6 different resistors I was unsuccessful at finding one that did the job. The small bulbs were the cheapest and the fastest. The first thing I did was purchase adaptors for the tail lights from the dealer. These were 40 bucks. They were not plug and play. I cut one end of the adaptor. I then found the ground wire on the adaptor. You just look at the tail light and follow the tracer. You will see one tracer that touches every bub on the tail light panel. Then you check with a test light on the factory harness to locate the ground wire. After that I just connected 1 wire at a time. Just turn on your parking lights and find the 2 wires that are putting out power. One of the 2 you will not use. You then connect a small bulb on the first wire not used that is putting out power when the parking lights are on. Then you find the led wire on the tail light through the harness. Touch each wire one at a time unitl you find it. then you cut and splice and ad another little bulb on line. No biggie. then you just go 1 wire at a time. Have somebody step on the brake so you can find your brake wire from the car. you do have to cut off the old harness.
When cutting it off leave about 2 extra inches just in case you need to re attach it. Wiring is fairly simple and not complicated. You dont need to be a tech or a brain surgeon to do it. And of course there was some smacking with a hammer to make them fit. I tapped on the lower corner behind the tail light with a hammer to make them fit. When I test fitted the light, The studs left marks. You then drill out with a 7/16 bit 2 extra holes for the lower studs of the tail light. The uppers you wallow out a little with the same bit. The holes are a lot bigger then factory, but they allow you the adjustability for the tail light alignment. you may have to tap the car 3 or 4 times before they sit perfect. Just remember only hit the car with a hammer behind the tail light. you do not hit the car in any place it can be seen with the tail light on. dont be afraid, it's no big deal. Just make sure your keys are not in the ignition. You do not want the car to think somebody rear ended you and blow air bags. This process take min. skill.

[ViolinARC]

Great work!!!
Hopefully this'll help everyone with this problem....


12cooldude... too bad it's too late for your old LED's...

Yeah...and now I'm in for twice as much BUT it's gonna be Hella Celis LED FTW!! I saw a couple bimmers with the OEM vs. the aftermarket today during my commute and I think I'm gonna be REALLY happy once I've completed the mods for install...

Well, I'm sure with a certain resistor yes that might work also. But after trying 6 different resistors I was unsuccessful at finding one that did the job. The small bulbs were the cheapest and the fastest.

(1) The first thing I did was purchase adaptors for the tail lights from the dealer. These were 40 bucks. They were not plug and play.

(2) I cut one end of the adaptor & find the ground wire on the adaptor. You just look at the tail light and follow the tracer. You will see one tracer that touches every bulb on the tail light panel. Then you check with a test light on the factory harness to locate the ground wire.

(3) After that I just connected 1 wire at a time. Just turn on your parking lights and find the 2 wires that are putting out power. One of the 2 you will not use.

(4) You then connect a small bulb on the first wire not used that is putting out power when the parking lights are on.

(5) Then you find the led wire on the tail light through the harness. Touch each wire one at a time unitl you find it. then you cut and splice and add another little bulb on line. No biggie. then you just go 1 wire at a time.

(6) Have somebody step on the brake so you can find your brake wire from the car. (you do have to cut off the old harness)

(7) When cutting it off leave about 2 extra inches just in case you need to re attach it. Wiring is fairly simple and not complicated.

NOTE: You dont need to be a tech or a brain surgeon to do it. And of course there was some smacking with a hammer to make them fit. I tapped on the lower corner behind the tail light with a hammer to make them fit. When I test fitted the light, The studs left marks.

(8) You then drill out with a 7/16 bit 2 extra holes for the lower studs of the tail light. The uppers you wallow out a little with the same bit. The holes are a lot bigger then factory, but they allow you the adjustability for the tail light alignment.

NOTE: You may have to tap the car 3 or 4 times before they sit perfect. Just remember only hit the car with a hammer behind the tail light. Do not hit the car in any place it can be seen with the tail light on. dont be afraid, it's no big deal. Just make sure your keys are not in the ignition. You do not want the car to think somebody rear ended you and blow air bags.

Level of difficulty: This process take min. skill.

This is very cool of you to post but is slightly confusing (fixed it for ya). If you don't mind a suggestion, next time think about a book outline and list the process in steps for clarity...thanks for sharing though.

[FP5241]

Ooooh.... hellas FTW indeed!!!

[burnout325]

Hello everybody,
I've fixed it yesterday with the dashboardlights, the problem is completely gone.
I put later today some pictures.
greets

[FP5241]

Welcome burnout325...

[burnout325]

Thanks FP5241

[burnout325]

[img]G:\DCIM\100MLT14\PICT0087[/img]

[wheresthewagons]

All you need is a proper resistor to put a load on the circuit in place of a light bulb. I had some LED's in my corners for a while and used the proper value resistor with no issues at all. I believe i ended up needing a 6ohm 10w resistor. Im no electrical engineer but ill see if i can dig up some info on finding the proper value.

[DouglasABaker]

Why would the proper sized resistor not cure the OBC fault, after all a incandesent light bulb is just a fancy resistor.

Explain this to me OP.....

A resistor will work just fine. But it will get hot and that may not be desirable. Light bulbs also get hot (how hot varies), but because they dissipate some of the energy as light they don't get quite as hot...

d-

[Gadget]

well, ya gotta look at it this way, after I had 2 resistors catch on fire in my trunk while testing, I walked away from that completely. A bulb that is safe in a dash surrounded by no ventilation, plastic and wiring harnesses that comes oem is definitely safe enough for me. Cheap, idiot proof and easily replaceable. One other thing, there are side vents in the trunk by the tail lights that actually are there to circulate air into the trunk. that made me feel good too.

[wheresthewagons]

Just curious, what wattage did you use on the resistors? This is a 10w like i used. I think a couple of these with a heatsink would be ideal.

[Gadget]

I used 1k ohm, 3.3 ohm which was the same resistance as the bulb, 10 ohm and 100 ohm with various wattages, I just cant remember which ones did that to me, but what a pisser!

[Gadget]

just out of curiousity what did you do with the leds off the wagon? I just bought a wagon myself and starting a new project

[biscuitnd]

Anybody have actual pictures of this???

I'm looking at doing this ASAP, and a picture is really worth a thousand words.


Please.

[Wagoooon]

Yes could you please post up some pictures of this.....Thanks