Patch234
June 8, 2009, 7:06 pm
Guy's - Pictures Below
Got my new LED rear lights from the US. Guess what, even though they are supposed to be 'plug and play' they are not.
In standard Euro form, the wiring loom for the rear lights has
(i) one connector for the Brake light / Rear light
(ii) one connector for the indicator
(iii) one connector for the reverse light
Now, the new LED, super duper, awesome, lights from the States has the following:
(i) one connector for one bank of LED's - inner
(ii) one connector for the other bank of LEDS - outer
(iii) space for the indicator connector
(iv) space for the reverse light
SO, I plugged in the standard wiring to one of the LED banks (outer) and plugged in the indicator and reverse connectors. Reverse light, indicator worked OK, but there was NO rear light or brake light AND obviously, I cannot connect both banks as there is only one standard brake/rear light connector.
Any suggestions would be really appreciated - before I get onto this guy in the states who has supplied goods unfit for UK use (even though they are advertised on UK eBay!)
Pictures
STANDARD WIRING
[img]http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss73/patch234/PICT0004-1.jpg[/img]
REAR OF NEW LIGHTS
[img]http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss73/patch234/PICT0003-1.jpg[/img]
Picture of lights purchased
[url="http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/98-04-Lexus-GS300-MK2-LED-Crystal-Red-Clear-Tail-lights_W0QQitemZ380129321570QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item5881792262&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12%7C66%3A2%7C39%3A1%7C72%3A1683%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50"]CLICK HERE[/url]
sparkystav
June 8, 2009, 8:19 pm
[s]I would suggest theres two circuits, one is the rear lights on is the brake lights.
So they're single circuit rather than the standard dual.
The standard rear/brake light will have three wires.
prob one earth, one live for the brakes and one for the rear light.
you'll have to either buy single circuit connectors and rewire it or solder the connections yourself?
but the negative will have to be split to each led row. then one live to one set of leds and one to the other.[/s]
Edit scrub all that they look like they have three wires and are dual circuit.
May seem silly but did you try the connectors both ways? as leds only work one way.
I think anyway.
Patch234
June 8, 2009, 8:27 pm
Thanks Stav.
Yea, it's a funny one!
In the first picture - the brown connector is the light/brake light and the two grey are - one for indicator and - one for reverse
In the second picture
There are two male ends (in grey), somehow, I need to plug these both into the brown female (no giggling please :-))??????????
It is............impossible!
sparkystav
June 8, 2009, 9:20 pm
Hmm, you may have to cut one off and splice it to the other,
have you tried the plug the other way round see if it works?
Patch234
June 8, 2009, 9:22 pm
[quote name='sparkystav' post='673840' date='Jun 8 2009, 10:20 PM']Hmm, you may have to cut one off and splice it to the other,
have you tried the plug the other way round see if it works?[/quote]
Will the 'other way around' tomorrow Stav.
Cheers
Patch234
June 9, 2009, 5:20 pm
Is there anyone that might be able to help me out with hooking these up on my car?
The guy from the US (whom I purchased from) has said he would offer a full refund, good on him, but, I would really like to see them on the car, and obviously if they were played around with, I could not send them back for a refund.
Anyone?
sparkystav
June 9, 2009, 5:28 pm
Have you tired the connectors both ways round? did it work?
Patch234
June 9, 2009, 5:33 pm
I don't have the time tonight Stav, going for a gym induction in 20 minutes (how boring). Will do tomorrow though.
My main concern is hooking up both banks of LED clusters to the one connector for the lights/brakes. I would not want a single cluster only lit up.
sparkystav
June 9, 2009, 5:35 pm
Well you need to check they work at all first, which you dont know yet.
if they do then you can just cut one of the plugs off and join it to the same wire on the other plug and it will work then. and you'll only have one plug.
Stav
Steviewevie
June 9, 2009, 5:49 pm
[quote name='sparkystav' post='674077' date='Jun 9 2009, 06:35 PM']if they do then you can just cut one of the plugs off and join it to the same wire on the other plug and it will work then. and you'll only have one plug.[/quote]
I'm probably missing something, but surely that's no good because then the lights are just either on or off ? He needs one cluster to light up with the tail lights, and the second cluster to light up with the brake lights, presumably. Which you should be able to do but you'd have to dismantle the wiring at the car end too, to wire in the tail lights and brake lights separately.
I wonder if US cars had different rear lights, accounting for this different wiring ? What year is the car ?
Steviewevie
June 9, 2009, 6:01 pm
Please forgive my lack of knowledge on the GS, but this is for a Mark 2, right ?
All the parts diagrams that I can see show four connectors for the rear lamp, as per below, which is what your new LED seems to be expecting too.
Sorry if this is a stupid question, but are you sure there are only three wires on yours, one can't have fallen back through that hole inside the car or something ?
[img]http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/diag_1CcfPeO.png[/img]
sparkystav
June 9, 2009, 6:17 pm
It works just like replacing your tail lights with leds.
their one brightness normally and get brighter when the brakes are pressed.
Stav
katana92_uk
June 9, 2009, 7:53 pm
sorry no input from me ..i know nothing ...about wires electrics...
but cant wait to see pics of your car with new lights fitted
Patch234
June 9, 2009, 8:17 pm
[quote name='Steviewevie' post='674089' date='Jun 9 2009, 06:49 PM'][quote name='sparkystav' post='674077' date='Jun 9 2009, 06:35 PM']if they do then you can just cut one of the plugs off and join it to the same wire on the other plug and it will work then. and you'll only have one plug.[/quote]
I'm probably missing something, but surely that's no good because then the lights are just either on or off ? He needs one cluster to light up with the tail lights, and the second cluster to light up with the brake lights, presumably. Which you should be able to do but you'd have to dismantle the wiring at the car end too, to wire in the tail lights and brake lights separately.
I wonder if US cars had different rear lights, accounting for this different wiring ? What year is the car ?
[/quote]
I will take a look tomorrow for the missing light connection BUT on the old light, there is only THREE connection points??? Strange! Maybe with the later models there were four?
Oh! the car is a 2000 model Steve
Patch234
June 9, 2009, 8:44 pm
Hey Steve - Thanks for that Toyo Diagram.
Looking at it, all I need do is purchase the socket and wire assembly (4 part as shown) and plug it all in!! I will speak to Lexus tomorrow - Once I have checked to see they work Stav!
Cheers
Phil
Steviewevie
June 10, 2009, 6:53 am
The parts diagram shows a change for the rear lights from July 2000, but it still has a connector to four bulbs ! Weird.
[img]http://www.toyodiy.com/parts/diag_1CcntjJ.png[/img]
Patch234
June 13, 2009, 7:45 pm
Well, after a hectic week and weekend so far, families, you gotta love em! I finally got around to looking at these lights again. Stav, you're a star, just needed to turn the connector around. The missing connector ended up being not a problem! Just taped the one not use up on the lights.
Anyway - as promised, pictures below!!
Standard Car
[img]http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss73/patch234/PICT0002-1.jpg[/img]
New lights fitted
[img]http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss73/patch234/PICT0005-1.jpg[/img]
Lights on
[img]http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss73/patch234/PICT0006-1.jpg[/img]
Brakes on
[img]http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss73/patch234/PICT0007.jpg[/img]
Brakes and reverse lights on
[img]http://i563.photobucket.com/albums/ss73/patch234/PICT0009-1.jpg[/img]
I love them ;-)
Just need to source some chrome look indicator bulbs now to take away the yellow tinge in the bottom of the lights
Thanks for the help guy's
sparkystav
June 13, 2009, 7:55 pm
Excellent mate look great.
so the two connectors were linked any way. glad you got it working mate.
Stav
Steviewevie
June 13, 2009, 8:41 pm
Well done, looking very nice !
katana92_uk
June 13, 2009, 10:57 pm
look great ...yes you defo need chrome indicator bulbs..
Patch234
June 15, 2009, 3:43 pm
Thanks for the comments guy's.
Next mod is the flasher unit for the spoiler brake light only. NICE! :-)
Watch this space - I'll youtube that one once done.
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