Author Topic: after market LED Tail Light problem (Read 4012 times)

M42_Jester · « **on:** February 28, 2011, 07:06:45 PM »

Been a while since i've posted anything. Been having a bit of trouble with a set of after market LED tail lights that I picked up from eBay a while back. they worked fine for a bit, and looked awesome with the LED license plate lights I have. but all of a sudden, the left light decided that it's brake lights didn't want to work anymore. all the wiring looks fine, and I have tested it with the resistors from the other light and still nothing.
strange thing is though, when i connect the left light up with the original right tail light, everything works fine. so i'm a little bit confused.

Here is a picture of the tail lights in quesion:

If anyone can help, that would be great. even if you just tell me the name of somewhere i can take them to get fixed, that would be a huge help.

Cheers,
Jester

Selfish · « **Reply #1 on:** February 28, 2011, 09:40:11 PM »

those are e36 tails. I (and I think most people here) have an E30, so I'm not familiar with the wiring of the e36. But anyway, it looks like you have a short or bad contact within the right side housing. What I would do is take them apart and check for continuity in the circuit that operates the brake section of the LEDs. Also, you mentioned they worked fine FOR A BIT. How much is that "bit"? If you bought those recently, I would contact the eBay seller about their product being defective, BEFORE cutting them open or attempting to repair them yourself. Tail lights is not a product that gets "abuse". They should replace it.

jscribble · « **Reply #2 on:** February 28, 2011, 10:25:20 PM »

Check the connecting pins for gunk or corrosion. (also flying blind on e36 wiring)

Look for loose pins or wires at the sockets, check that pins seem to be aligned properly, and (happened to me on cheapy e30 tails) check that the pins seat properly. One of mine had pushed out of the connector as I pressed the connector in.

Pics might help diagnose if you find anything. Good luck!

M42_Jester · « **Reply #3 on:** March 02, 2011, 06:53:46 PM »

thanks for the replies guys. of course i am well aware that the tail lights are for an e36 as I have a 95 318iS.

jscribble: all the connectors on the left tail light are fine and have been checked. the tail light works fine when it's connected by itself. as soon as the right tail light is connected, i no longer have the brake light on the left.

Selfish: cheers for the help. I will take a look at the right tail light. TBH i didn't even look at that one as being the problem as the left tail light was the one mucking up. I don't know off the top of my head how long they worked for. it's not a recent purchase. I've had them for about 18months now.

for now wat i'm going to do is leave them in and probably go see an auto-electrician about them. maybe they can figure it out cause i'm stumped

Jester

Selfish · « **Reply #4 on:** March 02, 2011, 10:59:06 PM »

if you post some pics of the inner side maybe I could be more helpful. Can you see the inside of it? I mean the actual circuit with soldering (I'm guessing that's what's inside) or whatever the LEDs are connected to?

M42_Jester · « **Reply #5 on:** March 03, 2011, 05:27:33 PM »

Quote from: Selfish;101952

if you post some pics of the inner side maybe I could be more helpful. Can you see the inside of it? I mean the actual circuit with soldering (I'm guessing that's what's inside) or whatever the LEDs are connected to?

see that's the weird thing...there is no circuit board... :S
the LEDs are all seperated with their corrosponding cables attached to them that all come together eventually. but no circuit board to speak of. makes it very difficult to find the problem wire to be honest. I'm thinkin it might not be the tail lights at all, but more the wiring in the car itself. will just have to check it all...

Jester

DesktopDave · « **Reply #6 on:** March 03, 2011, 06:38:23 PM »

Did you swap the resistors form side to side with the brake lights? Check the ohms. If a resistor is dropping the voltage too far, the LEDs will not light. I'm a little hazy on detail, but I'd try one of those little rotary potentiometers to test the left circuit out.

I think you're right about the car wiring being the culprit. E36's are famous for abrading the brake light wires through the trunk conduit. It tends to flex them too far & cause internal wear & eventual wire breakage.

M42_Jester · « **Reply #7 on:** March 08, 2011, 05:47:15 PM »

Quote from: DesktopDave;101983

Did you swap the resistors form side to side with the brake lights? Check the ohms. If a resistor is dropping the voltage too far, the LEDs will not light. I'm a little hazy on detail, but I'd try one of those little rotary potentiometers to test the left circuit out.

I think you're right about the car wiring being the culprit. E36's are famous for abrading the brake light wires through the trunk conduit. It tends to flex them too far & cause internal wear & eventual wire breakage.

I did try swapping the resistors from the right tail light to the left, but the right one still worked. the left tail light works fine when the right one isn't connected, which is wats confusing me so much. perhaps it's the right tail light that is at fault? by not continuing the loop?

i really don't know wats happening with them aye

Jester