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LED problems

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Old May 13, 2023 | 08:26 PM
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Default LED problems

So I'm new on this forum and one reason I'm here is, I need help! I have a 2004 base A/T and ordered all new Smoked LED lights. The tail lights, with halos, were advertised as direct replacement 100% ready to plug and play. So simple that even I could replace them in 20 min. they came with an in line hyper link, that was easily installed, under the dash. I popped the old tail lights out and plugged the new ones in, simple! they looked great! I tried the right directional, perfect, then the left, didn't work? Then I lost all the rear lights, brake lights, side markers, plate lights. The head lights are stuck in the up position and will come on, high and low and driving lights work.

These came with no paperwork, or instructions. I called where I ordered them and told them what happened. I also noticed that every picture that I saw, from this company and every other, showed these lights with a resistor? mounted on the back. These just have two wires, male and female connectors? The salesman told me, after I explained this to him, that my lights were incomplete. Then he talked with one of their techs, who didn't have time to talk with me, and called me back to tell me that sometimes on C-5's the ECM's just go crazy and I could go to Summit and buy resistors, or I could just put my old bulbs in and everything should work again?? Does anyone have any idea where I should start, I love the look of these new lights and would love to keep them, or order again from a better supplier? This should have been an easy replacement, any advise is appreciated. Thanks
I did put my old bulbs in, nothing on the back works

Last edited by rt66c-5; May 13, 2023 at 09:50 PM.
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Old May 13, 2023 | 09:29 PM
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Obviously the first step is pull them out and put your old bulbs back in to make sure no damage has been done.
If something is still wrong, address that. Get back to 100% working.
If you ordered something "100% ready to plug and play" and that's not what you got I would return it.
RPI is a vendor here and they have light kits. Not sure about the halo part. I am happy with the bulbs I got from them.
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Old May 13, 2023 | 09:54 PM
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From: Bangor ME/Lake Alfred FL
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Originally Posted by Dads2kconvertible
Obviously the first step is pull them out and put your old bulbs back in to make sure no damage has been done.
If something is still wrong, address that. Get back to 100% working.
If you ordered something "100% ready to plug and play" and that's not what you got I would return it.
RPI is a vendor here and they have light kits. Not sure about the halo part. I am happy with the bulbs I got from them.
the old bulbs are back in and nothing on the back works, I’m waiting for an email from the supplier with shipping information and I’ll look into RPI, thanks
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Old May 14, 2023 | 12:48 AM
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Checked the fuses? Any DTC codes?
The service manual has an extensive troubleshooting section on lighting. My service manual is from a 2000 but I'm happy to post some pages if you like. The sticky at the top of the tech section has electronic versions that may be applicable to your year.
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Old May 14, 2023 | 07:39 AM
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Thank you, I'm hoping to have some time today, to work on it
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Old May 14, 2023 | 07:43 AM
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Are you positive everything worked before you started to swap them out? I swapped mine out a few weeks ago and it was easy all though I did have to flip a couple tail light connectors as I had them backward on the first attempt. If they are not working when you go back to bulbs, what Dad2 suggest above is the place to start. Also look inside your connectors themselves, mine had some crud and oxidation on them, so I cleaned them out and spayed some dielectric in them to make sure I was getting good connection.
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Old May 14, 2023 | 11:39 AM
  #7  
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From: Bangor ME/Lake Alfred FL
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Yes everything worked before, I wondered if the rear side marker lights had to be plugged in one way, or the other, but how do you have the tail lights backwards?
I was kind of stuck on the two extra wires, coming out of the back of the tail lights, with no resistor. but does the in line hyper link take the place of the resistors? Thanks
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Old May 14, 2023 | 03:16 PM
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From: Bangor ME/Lake Alfred FL
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I'm feeling a little stupid, very easy fix and I put all the new LED's in the rear and they all work. If they would have included directions it probably would have made a difference. Thanks everyone for the help, I'm sure I'll be back
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