LEDs

[SHOdded]

Be really cool if someone made door sill lighting for the SHO like they do for the MKS.

[geswek]

Do not buy this; it does not fit our reverse light socket on 2013. I tried it and it fell out of my damn car LOL.

http://goo.gl/iK204V

[SHOdded]

You mean it backed out of the reverse light socket?  lol  Luck of the draw on these things being built to exacting standards, sadly.  If GE/Philips/Sylvania or other brand names would start pegging this market, would have more quality choices.

[geswek]

Yeah; I'm giving it one more shot.

I grabbed these--

http://goo.gl/ka2Ux5

[geswek]

OK -- I got 3 mini-wedges in and broke two of them.

SOB! 

I ordered 2 more again. I have ONE map light left to replace.

I do have a problem though!

In the backseat there is light box above your head. It has two maps outer edge and center light. For some reason, anything I put in the driver's side map light doesn't light up fully. I've swapped LED's (how I broke the others) and confirmed it's not the LEDs or bulb; its the socket.

Any idea how to verify? Could I use multimeter? See what the voltage is between the driver side and passenger map light?

[bpd1151]

Use your tongue.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

[geswek]

Use your tongue.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

Hold me Mike!

Sent from a mobile, I think.

[dalum]

OK -- I got 3 mini-wedges in and broke two of them.

SOB! 

I ordered 2 more again. I have ONE map light left to replace.

I do have a problem though!

In the backseat there is light box above your head. It has two maps outer edge and center light. For some reason, anything I put in the driver's side map light doesn't light up fully. I've swapped LED's (how I broke the others) and confirmed it's not the LEDs or bulb; its the socket.

Any idea how to verify? Could I use multimeter? See what the voltage is between the driver side and passenger map light?

I assume you tried turning the led the other way?  Unless they have a special circuit they're polarity sensitive.

Using a multi meter measure voltage on each side.  If they're different measure resistance between the 2 positive sides and then between the 2 negative sides.  If there is a side with lower voltage the resistance check will tell you which polarity is having problems by showing an increased resistance or open circuit.  Alternatively you can use a different ground (cig lighter barrel) and measure voltage on each sides + wire.  This will take their negative lead out of the equation.  Then using that same ground measure resistance to the ground on each side.  Lower voltage on + wire means damaged positive connection or wire.  High resistance on one ground means damaged negative connection or wire.

[geswek]

I assume you tried turning the led the other way?  Unless they have a special circuit they're polarity sensitive.

Using a multi meter measure voltage on each side.  If they're different measure resistance between the 2 positive sides and then between the 2 negative sides.  If there is a side with lower voltage the resistance check will tell you which polarity is having problems by showing an increased resistance or open circuit.  Alternatively you can use a different ground (cig lighter barrel) and measure voltage on each sides + wire.  This will take their negative lead out of the equation.  Then using that same ground measure resistance to the ground on each side.  Lower voltage on + wire means damaged positive connection or wire.  High resistance on one ground means damaged negative connection or wire.

Yes; I just picked up a multimeter.

The map light has two wires; red and yellow.

If I put LED in wrong, it doesn't light. If I flip it, it lights. If I take that LED and move it to another socket it's full brightness.

I don't have a bulb in the driver side map light right now (out of LEDs).

I put ground on red wire, positive on yellow; the side that has an LED in map light working came out 12.61V; I did the other side it came out 12.61V as well. So, I'm not sure if I need a bulb in there to determine if it's losing volts but as far as I can tell--the car is sending 12.61V to the actual socket (metal tabs the LED or even normal bulb get their electricity from).

My ignorance showed earlier; I'm not stupid and I know how to measure electricity LOL. I think I'm beyond frustrated with the LEDs that I just said "screw it". This is what happens when I'm tired, hungry, nad cranky from a bad shoulder LOL.

[geswek]

OK, I think the entire assembly is screwed.

I measured driver side map light 12.61V; put in a halogen bulb (factory bulb); registered 0.1V --didn't matter orientation. Move that bulb to center slot and passenger map light--no problem. Stuck an LED from passenger map light into drivers map light and it registered 8.6V.

I'm just going to order an entirely new assembly. It doesn't surprise me at this point that the thing is broken.

[dalum]

Measure without bulbs or led's in there.  You're measuring across the resistance of the filament or the voltage drop across diode (led).

Also are you using the door open to turn on the lights or their individual power buttons?

[geswek]

Both; door and button.

I already measured without bulbs; it's 12.61V on both sides.

Driver Side;

LED - 8.6V half lit
Halogen - Does not light up; shows 0.1V

Passenger Side;

LED - 12.61V fully lit
Halogen - Fully lit

If I swap these LED/Halogens around they work fine--they just do not work on Drive Side map light.

[mjhpadi]

Storm, be forewarned that with my LED's they never go out completely when the lights of the car are on.  They get real dim (like a movie theater) so I kinda like the effect.  I have been told that it's because the LED's are very sensitive to any current and that if I wanted them to go out completely I needed to add resistors.  But since no one even notices the very dim lights that are on at night, I left them like they are, I kinda like them the way they are.  But they are off if the car lighting is off.

[geswek]

I think people are misunderstanding my issue.

It's not a matter of them going out. The drive side map light does not work. It's not giving a full 12v like all the other light sockets in my car. I've gone through 5 different sets of LED.

I'm ordering replacement assembly because now I can't even use a normal bulb. It will not light up the bulb.

Sent from a mobile, I think.

[dalum]

Both; door and button.

I already measured without bulbs; it's 12.61V on both sides.

Driver Side;

LED - 8.6V half lit
Halogen - Does not light up; shows 0.1V

Passenger Side;

LED - 12.61V fully lit
Halogen - Fully lit

If I swap these LED/Halogens around they work fine--they just do not work on Drive Side map light.

Since you say you've used opening the door to test i'm ruling out the switch on the light. The doors wire should bypass that. 0.1v across a bulb in circuit is normal. Voltage is the deference in potential from two points. Since the filament completes the circuit the only different across it is the voltage drop from its filaments resistance.  If you used a remote ground you should see 12.6v on the positive side and 12.5v on the negative side showing you the 0.1v you measured.  If the bulb were burnt you would still show 12.6v because the circuit would still be open. If you have 12.6v on the open socket, 0.1v across the bulb, and no light then something is limiting the current so it's not high enough for the filament to glow.

LEDs are current devices. Once a minimum voltage is reached they work off of current.  White LEDs voltage drop is about 3.6v so with that and it's resistor I could see a 4v drop down to the 8.6v you measured. It looks like the led is getting its minimum voltage to turn on but again not enough current (same problem) for it to be bright.

I hope you didn't fry something when you blew that fuse.  I can't think of anything "normal" that would limit current to this degree but still have proper voltage.  Then again it's 5am and I'm high on sinus meds and have been up all night.  Before that bulb you have the battery saver probably feeding switched +12 or zero(after x minutes of car off) to a lighting control unit that does the theater dimming when the lights go off.  These could all be in the BCM and you would have to replace the whole thing requiring your dealer to reprogram it (been down that road with turn signals).

I have another test for you to try.  We're replacing your multimeter with the led.  Since we know both polarities are good on the passenger side we'll use those to test the drivers side. Use some wires with alligator clips on the led and hook to the positive on one side and the negative on the other then swap.  Since the drivers side seems to have a problem on one wire this should be bright on one way and dim on the other. 

I'd need to know how this is switched to tell you more after you see if its the + or ground wire giving you fault. I'd be very interested in seeing the wiring behind the pod but I couldn't figure out how to get it off the headliner.  With the battery saver and the theater dimming there are many different ways this could be wired.   Even something as stupid as the buttons controlling the lighting module.

Get me some pics of at least the back of the replacement part before you put it in.  If the wires are fine, your socket contacts aren't messed up,and there's no circuitry up there I'd bet the problem is else ware.