LED tail lights
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 39
Likes: 6
From: San Antonio Texas
LED tail lights
So I ordered and installed a tail
light LED kit from top flight. It also came with the electronic flasher. I have brake and running lights but no signals. My emergency flasher kit stay on when activated. I’ve been trying to figure it out on my own for 3 hours and I can’t figure it out. Any help out there? My car is a 69 convertible.
light LED kit from top flight. It also came with the electronic flasher. I have brake and running lights but no signals. My emergency flasher kit stay on when activated. I’ve been trying to figure it out on my own for 3 hours and I can’t figure it out. Any help out there? My car is a 69 convertible.
Last edited by JC Pilcher; Jul 13, 2025 at 02:51 PM. Reason: More information
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,815
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From: Wichita Kansas
I wonder, there are two flasher relays/fuses, one for signals and one for emergency flashers. Did you change both to be LED compatible. I have not idea, just throwing that out there. Will be watching this withe interest, as I may want to change my taillights to LED
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 3,291
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From: Phoenix, AZ to Quakertown, PA.
C6 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
When I changed my taillights out I also removed reverse lights so all four rear taillights are turn signal and brake and running lights.
my kit from Octane Lighting came with led flasher and a reverse polarity adapter for flasher. I also had to ground the wire that the led flasher had hanging off the side of it. No issues.
Also I only changed out turn signal flasher not hazard flasher. Left that alone.
my kit from Octane Lighting came with led flasher and a reverse polarity adapter for flasher. I also had to ground the wire that the led flasher had hanging off the side of it. No issues.
Also I only changed out turn signal flasher not hazard flasher. Left that alone.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 2,327
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From: Marietta GA
If you have a wiring schematic for your car, it will show that the front turn signals have 12 volts that run through the front side marker lights, when LEDs are installed the wiring has to be changed. On my 73 (could be different than your 68), the front turn signals would not turn on. I ended up, putting the incandescent turns signal bulbs back in. I was able to keep the side marker LEDs in place. Same thing happened on my 88 FIERO.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
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From: Virginia
If you have a wiring schematic for your car, it will show that the front turn signals have 12 volts that run through the front side marker lights, when LEDs are installed the wiring has to be changed. On my 73 (could be different than your 68), the front turn signals would not turn on. I ended up, putting the incandescent turns signal bulbs back in. I was able to keep the side marker LEDs in place. Same thing happened on my 88 FIERO.
If you really want LEDs everywhere, you can solve that problem in later cars using Blinker Genies, or polarity-agnostic LEDs. Blinker Genie instructions are in my LED thread.
OP, can you confirm that you bought these taillights from Top Flight, and the associated flasher (with reversing base). The flasher is the same unit I used.
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Le Mans Master
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If the hazards are staying solid- either a bad flasher or you need this-
United Pacific 90650A Polarity Reverser Adapter for U.P. 90650 Turn Signal Flasher, Polarity Adapter, Reverses Terminals, No Mods - ONE Unit
Pro
Joined: Nov 2023
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From: Aubrey TX
Richard is likely correct. Old school mechanical flashers are not polarized and work either way. New electronic flashers (required for LED directionals) are polarized. When connected, if the LED's just stay lit and dont blink, its likely the flasher connector in the car needs to be switched. The reverse adapter should do the trick
If the hazards are staying solid- either a bad flasher or you need this-
https://www.amazon.com/United-Pacifi...SS3/ref=sr_1_1
United Pacific 90650A Polarity Reverser Adapter for U.P. 90650 Turn Signal Flasher, Polarity Adapter, Reverses Terminals, No Mods - ONE Unit
https://www.amazon.com/United-Pacifi...SS3/ref=sr_1_1
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 39
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From: San Antonio Texas
Update. Did a reverse polarity on my hazards and switched out my bulbs in front to the stock bulbs and now they work. The new relay for my turn signals grounded and reversed only clicks like the signals are on but no lights. I have a new relay coming as I think the relay may be bad. Stays on clicking even when not activated.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2023
Posts: 703
Likes: 335
From: Aubrey TX
Update. Did a reverse polarity on my hazards and switched out my bulbs in front to the stock bulbs and now they work. The new relay for my turn signals grounded and reversed only clicks like the signals are on but no lights. I have a new relay coming as I think the relay may be bad. Stays on clicking even when not activated.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2018
Posts: 2,327
Likes: 721
From: Marietta GA
On my FIERO I installed LEDs in the tail lights. To get them working, I just purchased resistor units from Superbright LEDs. The only downside was finding a place to install the resistors. I still could use LEDs in the front turn signal without problems, so I just left the incandescents in.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
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From: Virginia
Perhaps a video! Here's a full function test of my car. Every bulb is an LED (except the headlights). The "green" DRLs are just the way my phone sees them.
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,949
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From: Virginia
Bonus question: The United Pacific flasher units, with the polarity reversing base, are exactly what Top Flight sells with the tail lights. Are those now installed? In a 70, I think one is in the fuse panel (hazards?), but one is buried somewhere behind the dash. Have you swapped both of them?
IIRC, I needed the reversing base for the turn signals, but NOT for the hazards. But this was in an 80, and a 79, so YMMV. (Also, I may have that exactly backwards).
IIRC, I needed the reversing base for the turn signals, but NOT for the hazards. But this was in an 80, and a 79, so YMMV. (Also, I may have that exactly backwards).
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 39
Likes: 6
From: San Antonio Texas
Lights- stock turn signal bulbs. Rear has LED tail lights. Side markers went back to stock bulbs. Installed the turn signals grounded relay on both hazard and turn signal locations. Hazards work as well as the running lights and the brake lights. When I activate the turn signal switch I get nothing. Dash doesn’t light up and neither do the tail lights. Looks like the fuses are good but I’m going to replace all the fuses with new ones. I checked to see if I have power to the relay and I do.