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I have a 2019 Z06 that I have added after market LED lights to both front and rear side bar signals as well as installing LEDs into the rear end reflectors, see the picture. These reflectors are wired into the side bar light wiring. I also made a license plate holder with LEDs which I added to the left side wiring on the side bar and the reflector. With the license plate disconnected, the side bars and reflector lights work correctly. However, when I add the license plate to the circuit, the left side side bar, reflector and taillight (Morimoto light) flash twice and then turn off? This is very repeatable. Any ideas, or suggestions?
side bar and reflector lights with the Morimoto tail light Added LED license plate - all 4 lights will blink twice and then turn off
Thanks for your response, yes I did tap both the reflector LEDs and license plate LEDs into the side marker line. I have done this same hook-up on 2 other C7 corvettes without any problem.
I switched the license LEDs to the right side wiring with the same result, 2 on/off cycles then off. Again, this is repeatable. Also, I realized that the after market side marker lights have a full array of LEDs, not like the single light in the OEM side markers, so this must be drawing more current. Since no fuse has failed, then there must be a relay on the circuit that is not able to handle the increased load.
I would appreciate any other thoughts, or where to find the circuit limiter.
New information - same results:
1) moved the connection from the side marker circuit to the license plate lights - same results - the license plate lights and my license plate holder flash twice and then go off. Again this is repeatable.
2) I was able to hook up a shorter LED light string (about 4 lights) successfully
3) As I increased the number of lights (more than 20) the symptoms returned.
So, it seems there must be some relay that limits the amount of current.
The BCM monitors the output current to all the lights that it control. If the current is too high, the BCM turns off that output. Nothing you can do to alter the BCM current limit trip-point, you can only reduce the total current you are drawing with the added LEDs.
That explains what I am seeing. The Morimoto tail lights must draw more current than the OEM tail lights.
I will need to find another option for the license plate LED lights.
Thank you for the explanation.
If it is too much current draw being the problem then you can get around this by adding a relay with power from the battery then using the power from the license as a trigger to activate the relay. It's a lot of extra work but about the only way if it is the BCM not liking the power draw.
Z06 tail light problem
