LED license plate lights to replace trunk light
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From: Ontario
Re: LED license plate lights to replace trunk light
Great write up. I ordered another set of these after the license plate upgrade and installed one to replace the OEM one. I had a hard time with the spring clip so I trimmed the inner lip on the plastic spring clip and pryed it open a little further to help install it. It does fit like a glove and man what a difference, one is all I need. Thanks.
One light should be enough, I have two and the trunk is like a Broadway stage. Hence Showtime.
Last edited by onehundred80; 08-27-2013 at 02:40 PM.
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From: san antonio
Re: LED license plate lights to replace trunk light
I replaced mine last night....didnt add a resistor or anything,just changed the old bulb with an LED which i ordered from ebay(3 of them for $1.99+free shipping)...and i did t like the look so far haha i guess i am going back to the old ones tonight.
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From: Texas City, Texas
Re: LED license plate lights to replace trunk light
Link to the item you ordered, please?
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From: san antonio
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From: Texas City, Texas
Re: LED license plate lights to replace trunk light
Wonder if these would work without the 'Light Out' indicator coming on? The last set I got worked for about a month, then the indicator came on. I replaced them with standard bulbs, and the light is out now...what about a link to what you bought?
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: san antonio
Re: LED license plate lights to replace trunk light
http://m.ebay.com/itm/171246850369?nav=SEARCHThey seem like good quality and they dont cause 'Light Out' come on. At least not yet
By the way, he states that the life span is around 50k hours. So if something goes wrong in a month or so I would contact him anyway
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: san antonio
Re: LED license plate lights to replace trunk light
I am saving them for Christmas
Option 1)My friend is going to Houston tomorrow night for a concert, you can pick them up from him
Option 2)I need your address
haha
Option 1)My friend is going to Houston tomorrow night for a concert, you can pick them up from him
Option 2)I need your address
haha
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From: Texas City, Texas
Re: LED license plate lights to replace trunk light
The address is: Michael Durisseau, 7600 E. F. Lowry Expy., #714, Texas City, TX, 77591
Thanks, man!
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From: san antonio
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From: Ontario
Re: LED license plate lights to replace trunk light
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From: Texas City, Texas
Joined: Jun 2013
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From: san antonio
Re: LED license plate lights to replace trunk light
All of the exterior lights do work except the led strip on the back and the L. O. Indicator throws an error.
I disabled the led when i bought the car and the indicator was not on, so it is not related to the led.
I dont know what causes this problem :/
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From: san antonio
Re: LED license plate lights to replace trunk light
I tried all of them on my car before sent it to you and they were working, not causing a 'light out' error. I dont know what happened to them on the way -.- haha
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From: Ontario
Re: LED license plate lights to replace trunk light
Show time Act 1! LEDs in the Trunk PDF
Show Time Act 2 ! LEDs in the Foot Wells PDF ............I used these lights in the foot wells.
I took out the driver side panel with the trunk light in it and fitted the LED license plate light in place of the OEM trunk light and it fits like a glove. The spring clip has to carefully lifted to clamp over the thicker panel. I used a small screwdriver to pry it up and over the panel thickness.
I will now wire it up using the proper socket and fit another light in the other side, it is bright enough with one light but it may be better with two lights. The wires are in corrugated plastic loom and routed behind the rear hatch panel. I was going to cut out the old light plug and replace it with the new one but bluecoupe suggested that I keep the old plug. The new wire uses spade terminals in the old plug to get the power. I cut down 1/4" spades to 1/8" to fit the old plug. One of the new plugs with pigtails was soldered to the new wire and insulated with shrink tubing. The spade terminals used were the crimp style.
Access to the socket at the rear is obviously achieved through the access panel for the rear lights.
The OEM light loses more than half its light because it has no reflector, as a result the area behind the trim panel is brighter than inside the hatch area.
Anyone who replaced their license plate lights with LEDs could use their old license plate lights in the trunk and wire them up as shown here.
These are the lights I used.
Ideally you would use the Mercedes socket #A 036 545 11 28 as I did for this application (from MrMopar), these are the same as the ones on the license plate lights, but you can use suitably insulated 3/16" female crimp on spade terminals. The Mercedes socket is hard to get, so use the spade terminals if you cannot get them.
The first picture shows the light installed in the original trunk light hole.
The second and third pictures are the rear of the installed light.
The fourth picture shows a close up of the spade terminal to fit the OEM trunk light plug.
The fifth picture shows the two ends of the cable between the two lights.
The sixth and seventh pictures show the illuminated trunk.
The eighth picture shows the cut out dimensions for the second trunk light.
Show Time Act 2 ! LEDs in the Foot Wells PDF ............I used these lights in the foot wells.
I took out the driver side panel with the trunk light in it and fitted the LED license plate light in place of the OEM trunk light and it fits like a glove. The spring clip has to carefully lifted to clamp over the thicker panel. I used a small screwdriver to pry it up and over the panel thickness.
I will now wire it up using the proper socket and fit another light in the other side, it is bright enough with one light but it may be better with two lights. The wires are in corrugated plastic loom and routed behind the rear hatch panel. I was going to cut out the old light plug and replace it with the new one but bluecoupe suggested that I keep the old plug. The new wire uses spade terminals in the old plug to get the power. I cut down 1/4" spades to 1/8" to fit the old plug. One of the new plugs with pigtails was soldered to the new wire and insulated with shrink tubing. The spade terminals used were the crimp style.
Access to the socket at the rear is obviously achieved through the access panel for the rear lights.
The OEM light loses more than half its light because it has no reflector, as a result the area behind the trim panel is brighter than inside the hatch area.
Anyone who replaced their license plate lights with LEDs could use their old license plate lights in the trunk and wire them up as shown here.These are the lights I used.
Ideally you would use the Mercedes socket #A 036 545 11 28 as I did for this application (from MrMopar), these are the same as the ones on the license plate lights, but you can use suitably insulated 3/16" female crimp on spade terminals. The Mercedes socket is hard to get, so use the spade terminals if you cannot get them.
The first picture shows the light installed in the original trunk light hole.
The second and third pictures are the rear of the installed light.
The fourth picture shows a close up of the spade terminal to fit the OEM trunk light plug.
The fifth picture shows the two ends of the cable between the two lights.
The sixth and seventh pictures show the illuminated trunk.
The eighth picture shows the cut out dimensions for the second trunk light.
LED lights added to foot well kick panels.
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From: Kellyville, Ok
Re: LED license plate lights to replace trunk light
Putting the LED tag lights in for DRL's .. and discovered these left over from my boat LED project will fit the pins on the lights. Since the OEM style plug is about impossible to find this might help a few out.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/lots-5-x-2-pin-Connector-Wire-Cable-For-Led-Strip-3528-PCB-Single-Color-/221397241562?hash=item338c4dceda
http://www.ebay.com/itm/lots-5-x-2-pin-Connector-Wire-Cable-For-Led-Strip-3528-PCB-Single-Color-/221397241562?hash=item338c4dceda
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Senior Member
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From: Ontario
Re: LED license plate lights to replace trunk light
Use the male equivalent if you need something to go into the socket.
They are cheap, so you save money.
I got my OEM socket from MrMopar last year.
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