LED's in stock taillights
 

I'm toying with the idea of getting new LED taillights, but I was wondering if anyone uses LED's as replacements for the bulbs in their stock taillights. I like the crispness of the LED's, but I'd also like to retain the original look of my stock taillights. I realize that due to the design of the circuit busbar in the light that I may still have problems with check messages, but I'm working on a way to eliminate those contact issues.

Thanks!

you will get check messages from the cold monitoring - you will need to turn off the cold monitoring... there is also a line in the programming for the LED tail lights that has not been tested by the forum members yet as to, what it does...

you can always get an LED light "bulb" and try it out, to see how you like it... bear in mind, the LCM is using PWM to control the brightness of the lights, and on the later models with BFD (brake force distribution) lights the LEDs can actually look as if they are strobbing... yours might not have the BFD, so you might be OK...

Coding out cold monitoring is no problem, and I'm pretty sure I don't have BFD tails. I am curious however, about how LED's will work with the stock reflectors in the stock tails. I won't get ticketed for blinding the cop that's following me, will I?

:bustingup

as long as you don't seek a rotweiller on the cops, you should be ok... :thumbup:lol... to be honest, i have no idea, i never used those LED lights... lets see if anyone will chime in...

My guess is that output would be similar to what happens when you stick in led bulbs in the turn signals --- reduced daytime visibility. I use led's in the turns and side markers, but left the brake/tails alone simply because I don't want someone piling into the back in the event they don't see it.

My recommendation: either go to actual led tails or stay with conventional bulbs in the brake/tail housings.

^Totally agree with X5SND.
LED bulb doesn't produce the all-around light as normal filament bulbs. Light emits from LED bulb is more directional.
I remove the LED taillights from the 3.0 and still decide if I want to put them on the iS.

Thanks very much for the feedback! Exactly what I was looking for, as always!

x3 to the above Gary, by the time you spend the money to replace the bulbs in the stock tails with the brightest LED on the market, it won't be any brighter, and still the housing from the '03 tails is the outdated version.

I would pony up for the LED tail replacements, I love mine and they were well worth the $220 or so I paid a year ago. Good quality and they really update the rear.

I've seen several E53's that really look good with aftermarket taillights, but I have yet to see one whose lights don't still scream "aftermarket". Maybe I'm being too much of a purist, but I really like the look of the amber/red stock tails I have, and was hoping to find a way to update them to LED for better reliability.

As always, any and all feedback is welcome... Even flames... :-)

Well if you like the amber and the "purist style" just give them a good polish and put some fresh bulbs in there, don't forget to solder your circuit board as well! haha

I was going to say get a set of facelift tails to update the look but I think you have ambers in the front as well, and we all know you have to match front to rear :)