LED stop and tail lights errors on the dashboard! Can I fix this myself or shall I return them?

[ntp]

Hi all,

I hope you guys can help me sort my problem. One of my stop and tail lights went off last week and I thought it is time for LED now - more lights and safer in terms of braking instantly (better visibility for the driver behind). I have a b7 A4 3.0l 55REG and I know that my ECU system is very sensitive and may not allow installing LED's (stop and tail). However, I found these beauties (http://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/382...-bulb.html)and the customer service people assured me that they will work with my car. Well, I have just installed them and they ... still give the error. I also noticed that the right one kind of flashes for 5 seconds when I turn them on.

Now, I would normally return them and get a refund but ... I really like the light they give. Is there anything i can do myself (i.e. like clear the error code) to keep them.

Has anybody got any ideas? Has anybody know where I can get LED's that work.

P.S. I have actually ordered another 2 (whites) for my reverse lights as I can hardly see anything behind night time. I may need to cancel that order too.

Thanks in advance!

[darich]

Normally places sell leds with built in resistors or you can buy separate resistors that are wired in parallel to simulate a "real" bulb and remove the error.

I've got some LEDs (front sidelights and repeaters) and get an error on my repeaters but not the front sidelights - I have resistors in series in the sidelights.
I have wondered about simply adding another repeater bulb holder in series to the LED repeater, but the sidelight would be inside the wing adn not visible. In the meantime I just live with the error.

Resistors are not expensive on their own, but when you end up needing several the cost mounts up

[ntp]

Normally places sell leds with built in resistors or you can buy separate resistors that are wired in parallel to simulate a "real" bulb and remove the error.

I've got some LEDs (front sidelights and repeaters) and get an error on my repeaters but not the front sidelights - I have resistors in series in the sidelights.
I have wondered about simply adding another repeater bulb holder in series to the LED repeater, but the sidelight would be inside the wing adn not visible. In the meantime I just live with the error.

Resistors are not expensive on their own, but when you end up needing several the cost mounts up

Hi Darich,

Thanks for your advice. The problem is that I am not a technical guy and don't know how to connect the resistors. I don't even know what they look like or where to buy them from. Is is difficult? I remember seeing thread somewhere explaining how to do this but I can find it any longer.

If it is too fiddly I might as well just give up and get regular bulbs. Have you got any extra strong bulbs in your stop and tail lights?

Also, I am getting the errors now but could something happen to the car? Could the LED burn out? Shall I take them off immediately?

[darich]

I've had front sidelight leds with resistors for, I would guess, a couple of months.....no problems. Side repeaters with no resistors (and giving me errors) for slightly less. Other than the DIS error message, the car is fine and the leds work perfectly well.

Here are the resistors I bought for my front sidelights on ebay
They're really easy to fit.....female connection at one end and make at the other - the resistors simply connect into the light fitting, then the led connects into the resistor. Due to the nature of resistors, they get warm so I've left the "lids" off my headlamps to prevent them getting too hot inside.....but I may well be overreacting.
I don't doubt the same resistors would work for side repeaters but never bought them. In the correspondence I had with fizzmocouk I found him to be very helpful and accommodating si I'm sure he'd answer any questions you had.

One thing he might not tell you is that I read somewhere if you change your rear lights to leds, then get red ones for side and brakelights. Apparently, if you get the normal white ones, they look pink through the red lenses of the light fitting. I've also got orange led side repeaters, not white ones.

EDIT : just to add, the only leds I've got on the car are the front sidelights and repeaters. All other bulbs are incandescent.

[ntp]

I've had front sidelight leds with resistors for, I would guess, a couple of months.....no problems. Side repeaters with no resistors (and giving me errors) for slightly less. Other than the DIS error message, the car is fine and the leds work perfectly well.

Here are the resistors I bought for my front sidelights on ebay
They're really easy to fit.....female connection at one end and make at the other - the resistors simply connect into the light fitting, then the led connects into the resistor. Due to the nature of resistors, they get warm so I've left the "lids" off my headlamps to prevent them getting too hot inside.....but I may well be overreacting.
I don't doubt the same resistors would work for side repeaters but never bought them. In the correspondence I had with fizzmocouk I found him to be very helpful and accommodating si I'm sure he'd answer any questions you had.

One thing he might not tell you is that I read somewhere if you change your rear lights to leds, then get red ones for side and brakelights. Apparently, if you get the normal white ones, they look pink through the red lenses of the light fitting. I've also got orange led side repeaters, not white ones.

EDIT : just to add, the only leds I've got on the car are the front sidelights and repeaters. All other bulbs are incandescent.

Thanks for the info. Very helpful. I do have some more questions though.

The right LED light blinks about 5-6 times and then goes normal after I switch the lights on. I guess this is normal but why would the other light not do the same thing. It is only the right one. It does work but it blinks in the beginning.

The link on EBAY takes me to 2 resistors. Is this what I need for 2 stop lights or is it 2 resistors per light? I know that the cables go into the lid and then the bulb goes into the lid on the inside side. So, do I just unplug the cable that is in and connect it to the female of the resistor and then its male goes into the lid? Is is that simple? I will get some pics later and post here. Maybe that will help.

I did get the red LED for the stop lights so .... I got this right. I am also waiting for a pair of white ones to replace the reverse lights. I guess I will need resistors for these too. If it is £7 then is not bad.

When you left the lids off, did you make sure no rain water will go into the stop lights? Or is this possible at all? Maybe I am exaggerating here.

Thanks for your help!

[ntp]

The funny thing is that the LED's I bought are canbus type and are supposed to be working of the box. Otherwise I could have bought other cheaper LED's bulbs.

[ntp]

Here is a link to 4 photos that I have just taken. The cables plug is one for all lights so the I don't know how I can fix the resistors. It looks like i will have chop some cables - something I am not comfortable with.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1063506...COCR3JW-hcykHw

[darich]

Thanks for the info. Very helpful. I do have some more questions though.

The right LED light blinks about 5-6 times and then goes normal after I switch the lights on. I guess this is normal but why would the other light not do the same thing. It is only the right one. It does work but it blinks in the beginning.

The link on EBAY takes me to 2 resistors. Is this what I need for 2 stop lights or is it 2 resistors per light? I know that the cables go into the lid and then the bulb goes into the lid on the inside side. So, do I just unplug the cable that is in and connect it to the female of the resistor and then its male goes into the lid? Is is that simple? I will get some pics later and post here. Maybe that will help.

I did get the red LED for the stop lights so .... I got this right. I am also waiting for a pair of white ones to replace the reverse lights. I guess I will need resistors for these too. If it is £7 then is not bad.

When you left the lids off, did you make sure no rain water will go into the stop lights? Or is this possible at all? Maybe I am exaggerating here.

Thanks for your help!

In turn.......

Not sure why the LED blinks before being normal. Best person to ask might well be fizzmocouk on ebay who sells these things.

The link I sent takes you to a pair of resistors. They're only for using with a 501 type led eg front sidelight or side repeater. Rear lights are different connections. The pair of resistors will do a pair of sidelights. So one pair at the advertised price would fix your side lights. Another pair would sort the side repeaters.
Dead easy to fit the resistors.....if you have leds already in but getting the error, then all you do is fit the resistor between the led and the wiring loom of the car. It can only be fitted in one way so you can't get it wrong.

Leaving the lids off and letting in water.......never thought of that but I don't think they're watertight when on, and they've been off for around 3 months now with no issue.

[darich]

Here is a link to 4 photos that I have just taken. The cables plug is one for all lights so the I don't know how I can fix the resistors. It looks like i will have chop some cables - something I am not comfortable with.

https://picasaweb.google.com/1063506...COCR3JW-hcykHw

Looks like you have the same big led bulb (or very similar) that I have. I also decided I wasn't comfortable with cutting cables so ended up leaving my rear lighting unit as original.
Easy enought to add a resistor to the front sidelights or the side repeaters but beyond was too far for me. I've ended up with a few spare leds now but have ended up using them on my bike so not a total loss!!

As for canbus leds......I've seen a few sellers on ebay claiming canbus error free leds but they also say that certain cars (and then sometimes list Audis) are hyper sensitive and may still get an error. I think those sellers say they'll accept returns no problem. But even they don't say so, if you bought the leds from a business, then you can return them if they don't work.....but if they've claimed canbus free and it's not true, they should pay for all costs to return the item.

[A4 Lad]

None of the ERROR free leds work on the Audi system ( from my experiance ) search through my threads, there is a how to on what to do. Mine still wirk to this day