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LED Turn Signals/DRLs

Joined
Jul 26, 2013
Messages
562
Location
Central Ohio
My XLR/V(s)
2004 Black Raven, Ebony
5 months ago I installed a pair of headlight assemblies from a 2006 XLR. The passenger headlamps had a very small area of crazing on the DRL lens. One day, after the car was in the 95 degree summer heat and a 40 mi drive and back - I noticed some more deterioration on the Pass. Lens and a small pea size area on the driver side.

I decided then to convert to LED. I did much reading on other forums (Corvette Action) as well as learning that Chicago Dave successfully installed LEDs for his DRLs. The catch for turn signals is that the BCM interprets the low resistance from the LEDs as a burned out bulb resulting in hyper flashing of the turn signal. Installation of a resistor fixes this.

Installation:
After research, I decided on Superbright LEDs. Our DRL direct replacement bulb us a 3757 bulb. Some state a CK after the bulb, some do not. The LED replacement was a 3157 which has tabs centered on each side of the socket whereas the 3757 are offset. The 3157 worked just fine. I ordered the Amber LEDs and they have a low profile bulb that is a direct fit. I did not order the Can-Bus compatible bulbs. Didn't need them.

3157 LED Bulb - Dual Function 18 SMD LED Tower - Wedge Retrofit | LED Brake Light, Turn Light and Tail Light Bulbs | LED Car Light Bulbs | Super Bright LEDs

Along with the LEDs the site recommended the load resistors that eliminate the hyper flashing.

LED Light Load Resistor Kit - LED Turn Signal Hyper Flash & Warning Fix | Flashers & Load Resistors | Car Bulb Installation Supplies | LED Car Light Bulbs | Super Bright LEDs

After ordering and receiving these, all for a cost of about $40 for both passenger and driver sides, I proceeded to install. The headlights do have to be removed, so the panel was removed in the wheel well. Like others have stated, by turning the wheel to the right ( for left wheel well) I was able to remove the panel. Removed the headlamp for access to the DRL/turn signal bulb. Some posts suggested cutting off the tabs on the socket, but I installed keeping them in place and the installation worked as advertised. Next was the resistor installation.

I HIGHLY recommend reviewing the wiring diagram for the DRLs just to be sure what your wiring should be. For my 2004, the Driver side DRL was the Dark-Blue/white wire and the ground wire that the resistor is tied to. The pass. Side is Lt. blue/white wire and the ground wire. The web site states that the resistor should not be directly mounted on plastic because of heat dissipation. Well, about 90% of our cars are composite/plastic, so I decided to mount these on standoff nuts like those used on PC boards - Radio Shack, $1.99.

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The splices that come with the resistors take a bit of trial and error (for a non-electrical type) but work as advertised. I will post videos of the before and after resistor installation. Bottom line, the LEDs are just as bright as the incandescent bulbs and the resistor fixes the hyper flashing. My primary motivation here is to let the resistors dissipate the heat outside of the headlamp assembly and save my DRL lenses from deteriorating any further.

Tim


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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Tim, very big THANKS for posting this! We're all probably going to need this info at some point (:bawling:), & this is much more detail than at least I've been able to find. :worship:
 
Tim...
You've solved my issue of the heat dissipation from the resistors and it looks like a clean install on them...
I'm gonna re-route them this week after getting a hold of those standoffs..I really like the way the resistors are off the engine composite compartment AND those
Videos were well done too.
Thanks again, Tim
ras


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
So Mike took this information, ordered everything, & did my XLR today. It worked fantastic & the lights look OEM when they're on. Also looked like a pretty easy install from my bleacher seat. :thumbsup

This was a little bit of preventative maintenance since only my passenger DRL had a teeny, teeny spot that you really had to study to find. Mike's V is next on the list, but is less urgent since it's a later year (and the amber bulbs are a different shade, so maybe not as hot).

Again, thanks to Tim for a terrific write-up!
 
Mike is playing around with locations for the resistors - he made an aluminum "shelf" that he mounted inside the access area behind the headlight (the picture below - showing the opening behind the driver side headlight with the resistor installed - is clearer than my explanation). The resistor puts off a LOT of heat so he added a nut on the inside & outside of the bolt holding the shelf to the black fiberglass surrounding the engine, to dissipate the heat. Note that the picture below was taken BEFORE he added the nuts, & he reversed the screw to do that, so where the screw head is in the picture you now see a locknut. Still playing around with things & the resistors may end up re-located to the metal base below the headlight that the headlight bolts into, if the extra nuts don't keep things cooled down enough.
 

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Thanks much for this post! I'm in the process now. Can anyone identify the wires used for turn signal/DRL on an '06? Perhaps they are the same "color" as on the OP's '04 but not sure & don't have a diagram at my disposal. Direction to a schematic would be great. Thanks!
 
If you or someone you know has access to a service manual, per Mike (who did my '06) schematics for this are on pp. 8-460 & 8-461 in the '06 manual. I'm not able to get that uploaded.
 
lights not working

So I started replacing all the bulbs in my car with LEDs, and when I got to the front, removed the headlights, and put in LEDs for the DRL, turn signal, and side marker - once the bulbs were removed, I cannot get any of them to light again, even after putting back the originals - is there a fuse or something I am missing/may have blown?
 
So I started replacing all the bulbs in my car with LEDs, and when I got to the front, removed the headlights, and put in LEDs for the DRL, turn signal, and side marker - once the bulbs were removed, I cannot get any of them to light again, even after putting back the originals - is there a fuse or something I am missing/may have blown?

Nevermind, I found the culprit - had a mouse that decided my wires look tasty, apparently. GRRRRRR:mad:
 
Led Turn Signals/DRLs

Thanks for info and pictures. I changed mine out and they work great. I found it easier to remove the front wheels. Also the leads on the resisters could have been a little longer. I had to splice longer leads to them.
 
Switchback Lights

I have added switchback LED lights to my XLR. It requires a small circuit be added, but is quite easy.

The DRLs are white, but turn yellow when turn signal is on. After a short delay (from signal off) they light will come back on white.
 
Nevermind, I found the culprit - had a mouse that decided my wires look tasty, apparently. GRRRRRR:mad:

Squirrels ate the wiring out of my motorhiome refrigerator and generator, and I had to put 51 splices in my truck wiring. they reproduce faster than I can shoot them.
 
My switchbacks required no extra circuitry other than wiring the DRLs to the small running lights.


Which make or brand of switch back bulbs did you use? :cool:
 
What I co sided the rrunning lights are the vertical amber lenses and the tiny invoard triangular clear lens
 
Jdmaster.com

The link is bad. Are the Switchbacks needed in a 2006 XLR, or are the DLR just used as DLR and not turn signals. I am not near my car at the moment but I would like to get the LEDs ordered so that when I go out to where its stored I can pull the headlights and do the replacement as my DRL lenses are still in perfect shape and I dont want to destroy them.

Thanks,
Michael
 

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