LED Light bullb replacements...

[av18tor]

As mentioned previously, I am trying to spruce my Tdi A4 a little. I thought that the fitment of some bright and shiny new replacement bulbs might have been the way forward. A nice crisp 'on/off' of the indicators and brake lights and no more skinning knuckles removing the CD autochanger from the boot to change blown bulbs made me look at LED's. (why do those bulbs on the nearside blow more than on the right?) These replacement bulbs, are infact several led's, instead of the normal tungsten fillament.

I bought a set for approx £25.00 and when delivered, fitted the lights hoping for a dramatic transformation.

WRONG! The bulbs, although the equal wattage, are inferior in every way.

The crispness of the indicators are there but they flash at more than twice the speed of normal and are dimmer in reality than before too. The same is for the brake and side lights and the 'bulb blown' indicator on the dash illuminated at the same time. So back went the correct bulbs.

In all, if you are thinking of fitting these to your car, DONT!




Anyone want to buy a set of led bulbs?? :aargh4: :aargh4: :aargh4: :Blush2: :Blush2: :Blush2:

[richjthorpe]

Reading what you've written, the reason why the indicators flash twice the speed indicates there is a bulb blown. Maybe something isn't quite right in the LEDs you've bought.

Richie.

[Dave Avant]

You need to fit resistors to the LEDs to basically fool the computer there is a bulb there. Some LED bulbs do come with the resistor built in for bulb diag. systems. I know someone who has put LED sidelights in his MG ZT, at first it gave a blown bulb warning, but he knows his stuff with electronics and wired an inline resistor - they work fine now.

LED indicators require a different flasher relay as there is much less load. You can buy these too.

[av18tor]

I appreciate that there are fixes available but these can turn out to be expensive.

The main issue is the lights are far less effective than with the standard fitment reducing the visability of the light immensely. I would estimate that the led's only produce approx 30% of the wattage of the originals. (not what is stated on the packaging/adverts)


(The reason for the double flashing speed is the lack of resistance of the led bulbs)

[Sam]

A nice replacement for the orange indicator bulbs are Osram Diadems

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v227/gasadana/Samsfront.jpg

They look clear/blue when off but are a lot brighter than standard when in operation. I bought mine from www.powerbulbs.co.uk

[Dave Avant]

Here is my modded indicator bulb, much cheaper than the 'Silver Phillips indicator' bulbs, but they don't look as good as the Phillips bulbs. :D

av18yor, the side lights you can see that are on are the Phillips blue vision bulbs, much 'whiter' than std bulbs.