sftl97

This may be a very dumb questions but here goes.
I'm looking to replace some lights with brighter LED's and have a question. This car has most everything controlled in some way by the computer module(BCM). So the BCM must be expecting a certain amount of resistance from each of the lights or circuits in the car.
That being said what effect does changing any of the lights to LED have? Are all Led's providing the same load/resistance as the original bulbs? or will there be some aftereffect to the replacement? such as, after some time, the lights no longer working? or maybe even damage the computer? If there is a difference how to determine which Led's are ok to use? I know that turn signals will require resistors, so i won't be changing any of those.

So before I replace say the footwell, map or even tail/brake lights, I want to make sure that it won't cause some other problem somewhere down the line.

JW Motorsports

The only issue we ever see with the BCM is the map lights. They sometimes stay dimly lit when the car is off.

As long as you start the car regularly there are no issues with battery drain. The draw is very small. This happens on other cars as well, not just the C6.

The leds are not affected. We still cover them for as long as you own the car

j_digi454

Replacing the brake/signal lights or the up front DRL/signal lights will cause hyper flash (fast rate of blinking). The BCM does this because the low current draw of the LED bulbs make it think there is a burnt out bulb. This is not detrimental to the BCM but can be annoying. I've had LED bulbs in my taillights now for 7 years with shunt resistors with no issues.

The only solution is to install a resistor across the bulb terminals (shunt) that draws the same amount of current the OEM bulb would draw hence fooling the BCM. There are some LED products that have this resistance built-in. As far as the other bulbs, there is no issue at all except what was mentioned in the post above.

sftl97

Thanks. Guess I'll be looking for bulbs with resistors already built-in. I was thinking of the switchbacks for front but not if the only way to function properly is to splice a resistor.

Any issues with radio interference and led's?

j_digi454

I've had no issues with radio interference.

Guinzu

you should be ok replacing all the lights except the front turn signal and tail lights with LED since you don't want to wire in resistors. So all interior (map, glovebox, footwell, rear hatch area) side markers, license plate, and underhood (if you have one).

bill K

I have radio interference with my reverse LED they cause static when in reverse.

sftl97

This falls in line with what I want to do. I would like to change out the map, footwell, high beam as well as the reverse lights.

On the high beam and reverse I would like to get the new brighter led lights, which is why I asked about radio interference, not too concerned on the reverse lights since they're not on for very long, but the high beams would be and I don't want any interference.

Think I'll approach this slowly and change out the interior one's and wait and see if there are any complaints about interference on the others before I get them. .

SCcues

I have a '12 GS and I changed my tail lights and all interior lights to LED's and I haven't had a problem. The bright white interior lights look great over the factory lighting. Some of the bulbs were a little challenging to change in the interior, but if I can do it you shouldn't have a problem. The tail lights were easier to switch to LED's than the interior lights to me. I think the map lights were the toughest simply because they didn't want to come out and I was afraid I was going to break something. I think changing to LED's is a nice upgrade over the stock lighting.

Jims12Screw

Any one know who makes the LED tail light bulbs with the resisters built in.

lordofwar

i did not use the resistors on my led tail lights.the resistors get very hot.i like the so called hyper flash.