The quest for LED brake lights
Thread Starter
Members
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: Portland Oregon
The quest for LED brake lights
I have an LCI 535i. I would really like to replace my brake lights with LED ones. I don't want to have to use coding to accomplish this if possible since I would still like the lights monitored for malfunction. I know how to do coding if it's required, but from what I've researched, nobody has been able to figure that out yet.
The stock bulbs are P21W. 12V/21W. I'm looking at these ones as ones to try first for replacements:
The stock bulbs are P21W. 12V/21W. I'm looking at these ones as ones to try first for replacements:
Senior Members
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 494
Likes: 0
From: RI
My Ride: F10 M-Sport
Model Year: 2014
The bulbs shown above are probably Not what you are looking for.
**Warning: may cause some vehicles to have problems such as burnt out warning, hyper flashing, no flashing (because of their low power consumption). Some cars indicate this by turning on a bad bulb indicator. This problem can be solved with load resistor, and customer has to purchase load resistor seperately. (One Load Resistor is required for each bulb. Since the metal of the resistor will get a large amount of heat, please make sure your resistor is mounted on a surface that is heat resistant to prevent the chance of melting your parts.)
**Warning: may cause some vehicles to have problems such as burnt out warning, hyper flashing, no flashing (because of their low power consumption). Some cars indicate this by turning on a bad bulb indicator. This problem can be solved with load resistor, and customer has to purchase load resistor seperately. (One Load Resistor is required for each bulb. Since the metal of the resistor will get a large amount of heat, please make sure your resistor is mounted on a surface that is heat resistant to prevent the chance of melting your parts.)
Contributors
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,100
Likes: 1
From: Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
My Ride: 2010 535i M Sport 6MT
Model Year: 2010
Our incandescent brake bulb puts our 400+ lumens or 32 candlepower. It is unlikely that the SMDs will get close to that. Look at some lumens values here 1156 (BA15S) LED Brake Light
Contributors
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,100
Likes: 1
From: Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
My Ride: 2010 535i M Sport 6MT
Model Year: 2010
The bulbs shown above are probably Not what you are looking for.
**Warning: [COLOR=#0000f"]Amazon.com: 2pcs 13-SMD 1156 S25 Ba15s 12V Backup Signal Blinker Tail Light LED bulbs P21W 7506- Red: Automotive may cause some vehicles to have problems such as burnt out warning, hyper flashing, no flashing (because of their low power consumption). Some cars indicate this by turning on a bad bulb indicator. This problem can be solved with load resistor, and customer has to purchase load resistor seperately. (One Load Resistor is required for each bulb. Since the metal of the resistor will get a large amount of heat, please make sure your resistor is mounted on a surface that is heat resistant to prevent the chance of melting your parts.)
**Warning: [COLOR=#0000f"]Amazon.com: 2pcs 13-SMD 1156 S25 Ba15s 12V Backup Signal Blinker Tail Light LED bulbs P21W 7506- Red: Automotive may cause some vehicles to have problems such as burnt out warning, hyper flashing, no flashing (because of their low power consumption). Some cars indicate this by turning on a bad bulb indicator. This problem can be solved with load resistor, and customer has to purchase load resistor seperately. (One Load Resistor is required for each bulb. Since the metal of the resistor will get a large amount of heat, please make sure your resistor is mounted on a surface that is heat resistant to prevent the chance of melting your parts.)
Thread Starter
Members
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 59
Likes: 0
From: Portland Oregon
It looks like this CANBUS one will probably work: 1156 CAN Bus LED Bulb - Single Intensity 26 SMD LED Tower | LED Brake Light, Turn Light and Tail Light Bulbs | LED Car Bulbs | Super Bright LEDs
The only thing I'm not sure about is the fitment into our cars. Do we have a contact from superbrightleds? Maybe I can be the tester of these.
The only thing I'm not sure about is the fitment into our cars. Do we have a contact from superbrightleds? Maybe I can be the tester of these.
Members
Senior Members
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 692
Likes: 0
From: San Jose, Ca
My Ride: E60
Model Year: 2005
Let us know how it goes, because most guys with LCI tail lights do the brake effect getting rid of the two bulbs to keep the rods illuminated. So for the price of 1156 led and coding it out, I don't see a big gain on what you're trying to do.
Contributors
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 5,781
Likes: 2
From: CA
My Ride: BMW E60
Model Year: 2016
You guys should have just bought the brake bulb leds when I had them in stock... all sold out now, lol.
These ones you guys are looking at are a pitiful in output honestly.
These ones you guys are looking at are a pitiful in output honestly.
Members
Senior Members
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 953
Likes: 2
From: Concord, CA
My Ride: Alpine E60, '09 535i-Premium, Sport and Comfort Access PackageMods: Lux H8 V3 Angel Eyes, Weisslicht LED license plate lights, Interior LED lights, RPI Scoop, Matte Black Grills, Smoked LED side markers & side reflectors, 35% tint all around, and a 3