led`s in LED rear lights are out of order !! - LotusTalk

Blacktan · 05-27-2008, 09:21 AM

hi guys ,

take a look please .

Two small leds on LED TAIL LIGHTS are out of order.

what i have to do ?

are there any replacement led bulbs ?

thanks in advance
Haris

Dave · 05-27-2008, 09:50 AM

That should be covered under warranty.

Mr. Know · 05-27-2008, 09:52 AM

Not sure they have dealers in Greece...if I remember correctly he imported the car.

SuperVixen · 05-27-2008, 09:55 AM

I was just reading about the technology for LED lights and they shouldn't go out like that. Weird. I thought they get dimmer, not burn out completely and independently.

fpitas · 05-27-2008, 09:57 AM

Sure the LEDs are bad? They might have just become disconnected.

LordZ · 05-27-2008, 10:37 AM

I've had two go out too. Taking in for warranty R&R this week. I was told there is one strip of leds that is replaceable in each light. But some are inside the housing and they just replace the entire housing if one of those.

TimMullen · 05-27-2008, 10:39 AM

Back to the original question...

The LEDs are not usually individually replaceable. Usually the thing has to be replaced as a unit.

The two LEDs should not have failed, they should, in fact, keep working for the life of the car. You obviously have a defective unit - as long as you have them installed properly (the wiring harnesses, ballasts, etc. that Lotus uses).

There may be places that you could send the unit away to that could replace the LEDs - I would imagine that they are soldered in place and aren't typical "Radio Shack" LEDS, so they may be harder for find.

Blacktan · 05-27-2008, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Know

Not sure they have dealers in Greece...if I remember correctly he imported the car.

exactly ... federal exige
Warranty out !

jlj3394 · 05-27-2008, 11:04 AM

Check to see if something is loose. Stuff FLIES around the trunk and I've often worried about my lights getting busted from the inside.

paulhastings · 05-27-2008, 11:05 AM

I also have two out on a new '07 Exige.

Man of Steel · 05-27-2008, 05:09 PM

I have 3 out on my 2006 Elise with 10k miles.

I'm hoping the dealer will just ship me a replacement part so I can avoid a 450 mile round trip to get it fixed!

I miss light bulbs!

paulhastings · 06-03-2008, 01:43 PM

Did you have the repair made? Did it require full replacement?

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordZ

I've had two go out too. Taking in for warranty R&R this week. I was told there is one strip of leds that is replaceable in each light. But some are inside the housing and they just replace the entire housing if one of those.

CosmosMpower · 06-03-2008, 02:05 PM

I have a slightly broken 06 US LED taillight where the center section for the reverse bulb is broken but all the circle LED's work perfectly. You're welcome to buy it and see if you can open them up to swap LED's or housings.

LordZ · 06-03-2008, 02:41 PM

Not yet paulhastings, a few things came up and I'll be taking it in probably around two weeks. Got some paint work being done and I'm trying to drop off the Lotus during slow times at the dealership (daily driver and like quick turn arounds). I will update the thread when I get it done though.

charliex · 06-03-2008, 02:54 PM

LED's burn out all the time, they're semiconductors and therefore delicate and need a lot of extra hardware to make sure they get to live in harmony with the universe, drive them hard and they'll go out quicker, manufacturing defects, slight differences in required current, poor design, or even just plain old bad joints on the mount, semiconductors were invented to protect fuses after all.

I'd imagine if you can open it up you can replace them, they're probably some sort of pcb mounted dealies, but you can still wire in new ones if you can't find the exact ones, just find some that match closely.

If you do open it up take hi res macro pictures of them preferably with the numbers visible if there any, and we'll find them or replacements.

paulhastings · 06-03-2008, 03:37 PM

I will have it done during the first service. Just curious if the entire light is changed or if they are separate strips.

xtn · 06-03-2008, 05:15 PM

If they worked before, I will take the chance and say that the problem is in the connections, not the leds themselves.

xtn

LordZ · 06-03-2008, 07:42 PM

If I get the whole light replaced I'll try to see if they will let me keep the old one. At least then I can unsolder a few for those people out there that are out of warranty.

Might be a bit difficult matching color and intensity from radio shack.

charliex · 06-03-2008, 08:02 PM

thats why you'd use mouser or digikey !

Jean-Paul · 06-04-2008, 02:40 AM

i think you wish you had them exchanged with mine now ;-)

bad luck m8 .

sorry to hear about that.

from what i know it is really hard to have them opened without any damage.best of luck there !!

05-27-2008, 09:21 AM	#1 (permalink)
Blacktan This is my 5th Lotus ... Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Athens,GREECE Posts: 873	led`s in LED rear lights are out of order !! hi guys , take a look please . Two small leds on LED TAIL LIGHTS are out of order. what i have to do ? are there any replacement led bulbs ? thanks in advance Haris Attached Images __________________ 2006 Fed Aspen White Elise LSS -SOLD- 2006 Fed Phantom Black Exige BWR/CharlieX tune 2006 Fed Storm Titanium Exige -SOLD- BMW E66 745i GREEKS do it better www.lotusclub.gr/forum

05-27-2008, 09:50 AM	#2 (permalink)
Dave Mods are good for you Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 2,961	That should be covered under warranty. __________________ 2008 Solar S240 Exige 2005 Saffron Elise - BOE TVS Supercharger 291WHP w/ EFI Engine Mgmt

05-27-2008, 09:52 AM	#3 (permalink)
Mr. Know British by extrapolation Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Marin, California Posts: 3,350 Images: 6	Not sure they have dealers in Greece...if I remember correctly he imported the car. __________________ 07 Magnetic Blue Exige S Join the Blue Lotus Team on Facebook.

05-27-2008, 09:57 AM	#5 (permalink)
fpitas User, Registered Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Leesburg, VA Posts: 1,827	Sure the LEDs are bad? They might have just become disconnected. __________________ Francis 2006 Chrome Orange Elise: LSD/TC, Nitron SAs with 425/650 springs, BWR 7/8" Front Bar, Eliseparts bumpsteer kit, VF Stage 2, 2bular Header + Sport Cat + 8x24 GT3 Muffler, ECU Tune by Jermaine, Smaay's fuel rail, ACT XT clutch, Saikou Michi dual catch can, Moroso pan, Manly's mount inserts & FF Engine Damper 2000 Black Integra Type R: - 213,000 miles...running again!

05-27-2008, 10:39 AM	#7 (permalink)
TimMullen Moderator Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Chantilly, VA Posts: 11,382 Images: 19	Back to the original question... The LEDs are not usually individually replaceable. Usually the thing has to be replaced as a unit. The two LEDs should not have failed, they should, in fact, keep working for the life of the car. You obviously have a defective unit - as long as you have them installed properly (the wiring harnesses, ballasts, etc. that Lotus uses). There may be places that you could send the unit away to that could replace the LEDs - I would imagine that they are soldered in place and aren't typical "Radio Shack" LEDS, so they may be harder for find. __________________ Tim Mullen --- There is no such thing as Touring suspension or Touring wheels. I love being married. It's so great to find that one person that you want to annoy for the rest of your life. - Rita Rudner Chantilly, VA http://members.cox.net/elans4/ 05 Lotus Elise - Chrome Orange - No Touring - No LSS - No Hardtop - Lotus Driving Lights - Lotus "Chin Guards" - plain and simple. 94 Miata R Package - Black 72 Lotus Elan Sprint - Colorado Orange/Cirrus White

05-27-2008, 09:55 AM	#4 (permalink)
SuperVixen Registered User Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 446	I was just reading about the technology for LED lights and they shouldn't go out like that. Weird. I thought they get dimmer, not burn out completely and independently.

05-27-2008, 10:37 AM	#6 (permalink)
LordZ 06 S280 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,304	I've had two go out too. Taking in for warranty R&R this week. I was told there is one strip of leds that is replaceable in each light. But some are inside the housing and they just replace the entire housing if one of those.

05-27-2008, 11:04 AM	#9 (permalink)
jlj3394 Registered User Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Kansas City, MO Posts: 844	Check to see if something is loose. Stuff FLIES around the trunk and I've often worried about my lights getting busted from the inside. __________________ 05 GG Elise: Exige clam, LSS, Stage 2, ACT HD, DBA5000, CF scoops/splitter/mirrors/panels Others: Lex ES300Coach, Volvo V70R 300hp/260k Missed:01&04 Wranglers, 71 CJ5(225V6) Need a Johnson County or Kansas City personal injury/wrongful death attorney/lawyer/law firm?http://www.kcatty.com Looking for a Johnson County, KS DUI lawyer/attorney? http://www.JohnsonCountyDUI.com Need a Johnson County, KS lawyer/attorney to help amend or fix a speeding/traffic ticket? http://www.JoCoTraffic.com

05-27-2008, 11:05 AM	#10 (permalink)
paulhastings Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego native Posts: 604	I also have two out on a new '07 Exige.

05-27-2008, 05:09 PM	#11 (permalink)
Man of Steel Registered User Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Lexington, SC Posts: 158	I have 3 out on my 2006 Elise with 10k miles. I'm hoping the dealer will just ship me a replacement part so I can avoid a 450 mile round trip to get it fixed! I miss light bulbs! __________________ 2006 Ardent Red Elise Touring Pack, Star Shield, hard top, Valentine 1 and bracket, sun visor delete, micro mirror, carpet buttons, new mats, Sector 111 "bootie", racing stripes FAIL :-( ;Chuforia graffix, Stage II exhaust, de-snorkeled, Green filter.

06-03-2008, 02:05 PM	#13 (permalink)
CosmosMpower Cone Magnet Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Dallas, TX Posts: 2,029	I have a slightly broken 06 US LED taillight where the center section for the reverse bulb is broken but all the circle LED's work perfectly. You're welcome to buy it and see if you can open them up to swap LED's or housings. __________________ 06 Canyon Red Elise LSS, Touring, SS, Stg 2, HID, BWR swaybar 09 Mini Cooper S 6MT 2000 Grand Prix White S2000

06-03-2008, 02:41 PM	#14 (permalink)
LordZ 06 S280 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,304	Not yet paulhastings, a few things came up and I'll be taking it in probably around two weeks. Got some paint work being done and I'm trying to drop off the Lotus during slow times at the dealership (daily driver and like quick turn arounds). I will update the thread when I get it done though.

06-03-2008, 02:54 PM	#15 (permalink)
charliex OSX Black hat Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Las Vegas , NV Posts: 9,935	LED's burn out all the time, they're semiconductors and therefore delicate and need a lot of extra hardware to make sure they get to live in harmony with the universe, drive them hard and they'll go out quicker, manufacturing defects, slight differences in required current, poor design, or even just plain old bad joints on the mount, semiconductors were invented to protect fuses after all. I'd imagine if you can open it up you can replace them, they're probably some sort of pcb mounted dealies, but you can still wire in new ones if you can't find the exact ones, just find some that match closely. If you do open it up take hi res macro pictures of them preferably with the numbers visible if there any, and we'll find them or replacements. __________________ Black Exige S - http://goth.am 265 Mule / Elan M100.ECU Tuning, http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39660 West Coast Lotus Meet - Las Vegas - November 6-9 2009 http://www.westcoastlotus.com/

06-03-2008, 03:37 PM	#16 (permalink)
paulhastings Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego native Posts: 604	I will have it done during the first service. Just curious if the entire light is changed or if they are separate strips.

06-03-2008, 05:15 PM	#17 (permalink)
xtn McLareghini Bugatterrari Join Date: May 2006 Location: Texas Posts: 6,845	If they worked before, I will take the chance and say that the problem is in the connections, not the leds themselves. xtn __________________ 2006 McLareghini Bugatterrari, Storm Titanium... <mods> installed: air horn, Scroth 4-point ASM harnesses, Sector111 halon extinguisher and mounting bracket, Von Hep exhaust and rear panel delete, Pagid brake pads, red Volks CE28n wheels, Toyo RA-1 tires, Nitron SA coilovers, Sector111 (WorksBell) quick-disconnect steering wheel kit. awaiting installation: Scroth "pull-up" lap belts, Sector111 RTD Brace, Tony's heater bypass mod, and dropped steering rack mounting plates. </mods>

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06-03-2008, 07:42 PM	#18 (permalink)
LordZ 06 S280 Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Houston, TX Posts: 1,304	If I get the whole light replaced I'll try to see if they will let me keep the old one. At least then I can unsolder a few for those people out there that are out of warranty. Might be a bit difficult matching color and intensity from radio shack.

06-03-2008, 08:02 PM	#19 (permalink)
charliex OSX Black hat Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Las Vegas , NV Posts: 9,935	thats why you'd use mouser or digikey ! __________________ Black Exige S - http://goth.am 265 Mule / Elan M100.ECU Tuning, http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/showthread.php?t=39660 West Coast Lotus Meet - Las Vegas - November 6-9 2009 http://www.westcoastlotus.com/

06-04-2008, 02:40 AM	#20 (permalink)
Jean-Paul Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Greece, Athens Posts: 268	i think you wish you had them exchanged with mine now ;-) bad luck m8 . sorry to hear about that. from what i know it is really hard to have them opened without any damage.best of luck there !! __________________ I have the simplest tastes... I am only satisfied with the best !!! "Simplify & Add Lightness" J.P