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LED turn signal head scratcher

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signal
22K views 101 replies 40 participants last post by  Lakelife 
#1 ·
I am switching out my taillights and turn signals to LED and having a bitch of a time getting the turn signals to work. Any help or guidance would be much appreciated.


To start with, the turn signals and hazards were flashing when appropriate. Which might beg the question, 'why did I start messing with them?'. To which I might have no good response.


Anywho, I bought the Wipac LEDs and relay from MUD UK. Everything goes fine with the installation of two indicators, so long as they are catty corner, when I plug in the third LED all three lights flash regardless of which way the indicator is turned.


I will have the front left and right rear LED's plugged in with incandescents installed in the other two corners. Turn the indicator LEFT and the lefts flash and the rights do nothing like they should, same goes for RIGHT and they all flash with the hazards on. Now if I unplug the front right incandescent (which is doing nothing like it should be since the indicator is LEFT) and plug in an LED in its place, its starts flashing. It does not matter which relay I have plugged in, I still get the same result.


I've tried flipping the wires in the LED harness, using different LED's on the off chance that I have a rogue flasher and I am getting the same result.


Any ideas for troubleshooting this would be greatly appreciated.
 
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#4 ·
If you bought the appropriate relay, you shouldn't need the load resistors. You might check for the stupidity I did. Apparently, when I plugged in one of the connectors, it moved one of the pins in and it contacted the other contact in the light plug part, so signals started across marker to brake lights. That took a day or to to puzzle out.
 
#8 ·
I have the adjustable relay installed. I also tried the loading modules that MUD UK sells (assume these are the same as resistors) without success.


I don't understand how the right incandescent light is not getting power from the switch when the indicator is LEFT, but somehow when replaced with an LED is does get juice.



Could I have a bad hazard switch? I know all 4 lights wire through it. But again, it worked fine before, and it still works if I switch out all of the LED's back to normal bulbs.


I am wearing a path in the garage floor circling the defender trying different combinations of LED's, loading modules, indicator settings, etc. How early is too early to start drinking on a Monday?
 
#9 ·
BTW (and someone smarter than me on the electrics of these machines should know better) but I believe part of the issue in general is the way that there's only one indicator bulb in the dash.

I switched out all rear bulbs with Wipacs first and then a couple months later the front blinkers with Wipac LEDs as well. After I did the fronts I experienced similar problems with all flashing whenever I used the blinker. I had installed a "correct" (but not adjustable) flasher but not until I put a resistor on each front bulb did I get normal operation.

Not saying this will work for all - but for me it did.
 
#10 ·
Have installed several sets of these lights and never had a problem like you describe.

In theory, if you have a weak or bad ground on an LED, the extra light from the other side could flash as the ground flows through it by way of the hazard circuit.

A less likely long shot explanation is that you somehow cross wired some of the leads in the hazard circuit so that there is no longer a division between these 3 lights that now flash together.
 
#12 ·
As part of my insatiable quest for knowledge, the URL comes up with:

Oops, there seems to be a problem.

You have reached this page in error. This may be due to an incorrect link, server error, or discontinued product or page.


What product code did you use from http://www.superbrightleds.com?
 
#16 ·
toss the resistors in the trash and use a proper flasher unit for LEDs ...
 
#25 ·
I was about to head to the auto parts store and pick up an EP26 LED relay but when I popped open the fuse panel I noticed the previous owner already installed a Wipac WFL7LED. So I guess the relay is not the problem. I'm only getting the both sides flash when I turn on the left signal. If I hit the right turn signal, it functions properly.
 
#28 ·
If you want to test it...take out the bulb in the dash for the turn signal...they will work correctly...you need the resistors for the two front turn signal lights...
 
#29 ·
I would offer that the simplest check is to make sure that all the grounds for all the turn signals have a clean connection. If you have any doubt, then clean the connections as much as possible. No rust, no white aluminum oxidation. No rusty screws, etc.

Have you tried this yet?
 
#33 ·
Pulled the Wipac and it is clean, it's about a year old.

------ Follow up post added May 9th, 2016 11:29 AM ------

If you want to test it...take out the bulb in the dash for the turn signal...they will work correctly...you need the resistors for the two front turn signal lights...
Can I get away with just two resistors (front only)? That should fix the back as well?
 
#30 ·
Mine worked just as described when I first put the LED's in...removed the turn signal indicator bulb...worked perfectly...put the resistors in, and put the bulb back in and works a 100%...
 
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