LED tailight question

[Mrmike]

I want to upgrade the tail/brake light on my '23 OBX to LED when I get it. I just did it on my wife's '20 Ecosport Titanium but have a problem. The lights are working fine but when I hit the brakes the turn signal indicator on the dash hyper-flashes. The light themselves are working correctly it is just the dash indicator and only when I apply the brakes. I previously installed new LED headlights, high beams, and fog lights on this vehicle. I'm thinking so many new LEDS caused the current draw to be so low I'm now getting hyper-flash. I'm just wondering if the same situation will occur in the OBX if I install LED brake/taillights. It already has all LEDS, so this would be the only addition. would it be enough to trigger hyper-flash? If so, is there a flasher unit made to correct this? I really don't want to splice resistors in my wiring harness if I don't have to.

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[Meanderthal]

Some here have replaced the bulbs in the tail light housings with LEDs and had varying success. There have been those that had perfect results with no issues, others have had good results at first but after a month or two have hyper flashing (some just inside and others outside), and still others have seen hyper flashing right away.

I have done this on my BS but since I have only had it a few weeks I won’t post the LEDs that I purchased. Once I’m more confident that they are quality units and won’t cause problems, I will post links if I remember.

 

[Mrmike]

Some here have replaced the bulbs in the tail light housings with LEDs and had varying success. There have been those that had perfect results with no issues, others have had good results at first but after a month or two have hyper flashing (some just inside and others outside), and still others have seen hyper flashing right away.

I have done this on my BS but since I have only had it a few weeks I won’t post the LEDs that I purchased. Once I’m more confident that they are quality units and won’t cause problems, I will post links if I remember.

I used Sylvania 7443R Zevos. They have a lifetime warranty so I thought they would be good. also have a pair of Auxito bulbs I will try next. If need be, I will get a LED compatible flasher relay. I just wanted to avoid this problem in my OBX.

 

[Barry S.]

Just curious. What are the advantages you get from installing LED taillights? The lights that come with BS seem adequate.

 

[Mrmike]

Just curious. What are the advantages you get from installing LED taillights? The lights that come with BS seem adequate.

The LEDS in the BS are adequate. That being said, none of the rear lights (Except Taillights) are LEDS. Replacing the reverse light with LEDS gives a brighter light and increased visibility when backing up. Replacing brake/brake lights give a brighter light but also a faster on time for the brake light. If you go on YouTube and check some of the slow-motion videos, you'll see what I mean. That split second could be more than a car length of stopping distance for the car behind you.

 

[Barry S.]

The LEDS in the BS are adequate. That being said, none of the rear lights (Except Taillights) are LEDS. Replacing the reverse light with LEDS gives a brighter light and increased visibility when backing up. Replacing brake/brake lights give a brighter light but also a faster on time for the brake light. If you go on YouTube and check some of the slow-motion videos, you'll see what I mean. That split second could be more than a car length of stopping distance for the car behind you.

I appreciate the response. I did look at some YouTube videos and can understand some of the benefits. I'm retired and my wife and I do some traveling, but I don't think those benefits would be required for my usage. Thanks again.

 

[Escape2Bronco]

I appreciate the response. I did look at some YouTube videos and can understand some of the benefits. I'm retired and my wife and I do some traveling, but I don't think those benefits would be required for my usage. Thanks again.

You begin to wonder how we ever survived so long without LED lights! I’m just fine with the way they are too. Like when the acne faced kid at the service counter told me “you can’t drive a car in the winter without ABS”. Ok, I did it for over thirty years and that was over ten years ago. The ABS hasn’t worked on the Escape since 2011. Still alive to talk about.

 

[LazyDirtFarmer]

There's another thread where folks are posting links to which LEDs they are using... Here's mine:

https://www.broncosportforum.com/forum/threads/replaced-all-rear-lights-with-leds.4582/page-7#post-133057

 

[Mark S.]

Assume the estimates that LEDs illuminate 200 milliseconds (that's .2 seconds) faster than incandescent are accurate. I did the math:

Question: How far does a car travel in two hundred milliseconds at 70mph?

How many feet per mile? 70 miles = 70 (miles) * 5280 (feet) = 369,600 ft
How many feet per minute? 360,000 ft / 60 (minutes) = 6160 ft
How many feet per second? 6160 ft / 60 (seconds) = 102.6 ft
How many feet in two hundred milliseconds? 106.6 ft * .2 = 20.5 ft

After doing all the work I found this study online:

https://chemistry.beloit.edu/BlueLight/pages/hp/an1155-3.pdf

 

[Escape2Bronco]

Assume the estimates that LEDs illuminate 200 milliseconds (that's .2 seconds) faster than incandescent are accurate. I did the math:

Question: How far does a car travel in two milliseconds at 70mph?

How many feet per mile? 70 miles = 70 (miles) * 5280 (feet) = 369,600 ft
How many feet per minute? 360,000 ft / 60 (minutes) = 6160 ft
How many feet per second? 6160 ft / 60 (seconds) = 102.6 ft
How many feet in two milliseconds? 106.6 ft * .2 = 20.5 ft

After doing all the work I found this study online:

https://chemistry.beloit.edu/BlueLight/pages/hp/an1155-3.pdf

Mark, you need a hobby!

And I need to read more (or better)!

Note to self, add 20ft to tailgating distance.

 

[Mark S.]

Mark, you need a hobby!

Have you been talking to my wife?

 

[Escape2Bronco]

Have you been talking to my wife?

Not any more, she put me on the “ignore” list!

 

[Mark S.]

Not any more, she put me on the “ignore” list!

Huh, me too. What'd you say?

 

[Escape2Bronco]

Huh, me too. What'd you say?

Must have been something she didn’t care for. I seem to have that way!

 

[biglarrr]

Mark, you need a hobby!

And I need to read more (or better)!

Note to self, add 20ft to tailgating distance.

It is a hobby. I do this shit too. Hours and hours to research something that the world cares nothing about.

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