Lighting FR+

[gallan92]

Hi everyone,

Picked up my 62plate 2.0tdi Leon FR+ last weekend! And just joined the forum today.

I've had a look around and found a few threads relating to bulbs but they all seem to be a couple of years old, I was hoping some of you could give me recent experiences and some tips.

Straight away I ordered new side lights on ebay, 4-X-ERROR-FREE-CANBUS-501-SMD-LED-SIDELIGHT-WHITE-BULBS-XENON-T10-W5W-194-CREE

they are as cheap as cheap can be, but they are very bright! I ordered the ice blue, but they are in fact very blue, ran them for a couple of days and all was fine then I got the error message on the dash 'check front left side light' when inspecting the car with side lights on and stationary I don't see any flickering in the bulb, but haven't had the chance to ask anyone to confirm this when on the road. I then also got the same message for the front right... I have since ordered both the 'white' and 'blue' (purely out of curiosity) bulbs from the same page. They supply 4 bulbs of each colour, and I've tried every bulb and all are displaying the same error. Switch back to the stock bulbs and no error... But I really want to improve the look of the side lights and DRL.

Can anyone recommend bulbs that will be error free? I found a thread from 2011 recommending bulbs from hid-direct but the links are now out of date.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[CRNeo]

I'm in the same position just picked up a 62 plate copa se but it seems there's no up to date info, possibly because no one has actually found bulbs that are truly non-error!

Seems you can get holders with in line resistors for both the 501 and the p21w bulbs but this seems like a massive faff and extra cost :/

I really want to go the LED route with my sides and DRL but might have to settle with osram cool blue 501, mtec halogens for the DRL/fogs.

It's pants though, the bixenons are awesome and those ugly yellow bulbs everywhere else just ruin the front end.

I've not tried any yet, only had the car a few days, I've got some old "canbus friendly" 501 white LEDs out my old Astra I'm going to try this weekend but I'm almost certain I'll end up with bulb checks.

If you find anything let me know! As you say lots of threads and lots of talk of various bulbs on hids-direct but no definitive answer!


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[gallan92]

Yeah you are spot on the bixenons look so crisp and fresh but the pale side lights ruin the look in my opinion. Add to that the stock fogs showing yellow light whenever you indicate or go round a corner...

Like i said I've tried three different sets of really cheap led's and all have brought the same error. I don't know if they will still display an error if i use them as interior bulbs?

And your right I was hoping for an unplug old bulb/plug in new bulb deal rather than having to fit anything new.

Personally i don't use my drl's much, i usually run with the bixenons on or just side lights, but ideally i would be changing the drl's out for a colour match again.

Only had the car a week so hoping i find an easy solution at some point.

I've ordered a completely different cheap led bulb that i'll pick up tomorrow and fit, i'll post on here to let you know how i get on - "2x T10 501 W5W Canbus ERROR FREE 10 SMD 5630 LED Car Side Light Wedge Bulb"

Like i said I've just been doing trial and error with these cheap LED bulbs. A few years ago i spent £20 a bulb on led 501's for my focus, dearer than most but they worked and looked great - hope it doesn't come to that again.

 

[Jonwm]

I've tried a few and always had errors, drl ones have been fine for 2 years now though, just got the standard ones back in for the sides

 

[gallan92]

what bulbs/where did you get them for your drl's?

 

[CRNeo]

Well tried some canbus LEDs I bought but straight away bulb check on both sides, they looked nice though haha

 

[gallan92]

Fitted this set "2x T10 501 W5W Canbus ERROR FREE 10 SMD 5630 LED Car Side Light Wedge Bulb" today and so far so good! Don't want to jinx it but no error yet and they are a perfect colour match for the bixenons!!

So here's hoping they continue to work

 

[Andy90]

Search for HIDS-DIRECT on eBay. They're well recommended throughout the forum. I bought a set of sidelights for my se copa, they were £8 for the pair but work great.
Only issue I have is that I get a left front sidelight warning if the engine isn't running but ignition is on. 5 seconds after engine is on it goes off again.

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[CRNeo]

I decided I cba with messing about with LEDs so went osram cool blue intense 501 in the sides.

Ok, not got the true bright white of LEDs but still 100% better than the yellow candles that were in previously.

Here's an old vs. new pic

Just need to find something suitable for the DRL/Fogs now, read a few bad things about the Mtec bulbs but they seem to be the only "white" halogen solution.

 

[gallan92]

I've used them before on a previous car, they look good.

Thankfully the LED ones i tried are still working perfectly with no errors.

2- CANBUS ERROR FREE T10 501 194 W5W 5630 LED 10 SMD SIDE WEDGE LIGHT LAMP BULBS

 

[gallan92]

Just an update...

Thankfully still no issue with my side lights. On sunday I replaced my number plate bulbs and no issue initially, however now I am getting 'check number plate lighting' so annoying haha, think every bulb in these cars is gonna show up an error at some point when not using stock bulbs.

Also changed interior lighting, didn't realise the front cluster was three 501's, rear cluster two 239's. Thought it would have been 2 501's front and 1 239, then two 501's in the rear... However I have changed the rear lighting to led and it now looks great, ordered different 501's for the front so hopefully that will be looking good soon too.

Had a bit of an issue with the DRL's. ordered led 382's and they didn't work at all, wouldn't even turn on never mind work without error, anyway I've ordered different ones and awaiting a refund on the faulty ones. Hoping to get them changed over to led asap as I hate the light off the stock bulbs. Then its on to the fogs which I'm not looking forward to haha

 

[CRNeo]

I'm going to try philips diamond vision in the fogs I believe the facelift are HB4 bulbs.

I've got some 501s for the interior, did you buy a kit or separate? Which 239's did you go for?

Also do you know what's in the boot and glovebox?

I think most people getting number plate bulbs working have used resistor packs.

 

[Andy90]

I'm going to try philips diamond vision in the fogs I believe the facelift are HB4 bulbs.

I've got some 501s for the interior, did you buy a kit or separate? Which 239's did you go for?

Also do you know what's in the boot and glovebox?

I think most people getting number plate bulbs working have used resistor packs.

The boot is a 239 but needs to be longer than the rear interior bulbs. And the glove box is a 501, but requires a flat LED bulb due to the fitment.
If you want to change the vanity mirrors then they're standard 239 as well.

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[Andy90]

Just an update...

Thankfully still no issue with my side lights. On sunday I replaced my number plate bulbs and no issue initially, however now I am getting 'check number plate lighting' so annoying haha, think every bulb in these cars is gonna show up an error at some point when not using stock bulbs.

Also changed interior lighting, didn't realise the front cluster was three 501's, rear cluster two 239's. Thought it would have been 2 501's front and 1 239, then two 501's in the rear... However I have changed the rear lighting to led and it now looks great, ordered different 501's for the front so hopefully that will be looking good soon too.

Had a bit of an issue with the DRL's. ordered led 382's and they didn't work at all, wouldn't even turn on never mind work without error, anyway I've ordered different ones and awaiting a refund on the faulty ones. Hoping to get them changed over to led asap as I hate the light off the stock bulbs. Then its on to the fogs which I'm not looking forward to haha

For your drl's did you try taking the bulb out and connecting it the other way? LED'S are polarised and will only work one way round.

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[CRNeo]

The boot is a 239 but needs to be longer than the rear interior bulbs. And the glove box is a 501, but requires a flat LED bulb due to the fitment.
If you want to change the vanity mirrors then they're standard 239 as well.

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Thanks

 

[Andy90]

Thanks

No worries! I changed all mine easily. (Although did blow the fuse for the interior lights in the process) haha. All just cheap bulbs from eBay!

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[CRNeo]

No worries! I changed all mine easily. (Although did blow the fuse for the interior lights in the process) haha. All just cheap bulbs from eBay!

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I've still got a load of decent 501 bulbs from the interior of my astra... will stick these in this afternoon in the front of the leon and see how I get on.

Take it the interior bulbs are not on the canbus?

 

[Andy90]

I've still got a load of decent 501 bulbs from the interior of my astra... will stick these in this afternoon in the front of the leon and see how I get on.

Take it the interior bulbs are not on the canbus?

No mate not the interior. Nice cheap bulbs for them lol. The ones in the front are a bit of a bugger to get a grip on to pull out lol.

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[CRNeo]

No mate not the interior. Nice cheap bulbs for them lol. The ones in the front are a bit of a bugger to get a grip on to pull out lol.

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Cool have just ordered up some 239 to try out... not sure whether to bother with LED in the DRL happy with the 501 osram cool blue and deffo getting the philips diamond vision RB4 for the fogs... it's just the DRL I'll need to sort then.

 

[gallan92]

That's great, wasn't sure what the boot bulb was, but I've got 239's in 36mm and 38mm so will try the 38.

And the 501's I ordered are a pack of 4 so 3 will go in the front interior cluster and one in the glovebox.

Are the fogs HB4? I thought they were H3. Haven't had a look at them yet though.

Don't think i'll bother with the vanity mirrors, on that note but - my passenger one is smashed, any idea if they are easy to replace?

For my 239's I just bought cheap ones off ebay to see the result, the light is great but like I said its now giving me an error. Noticed on another thread one user said his error goes away if he changes in to reverse after starting the car up... might try that haha. I'm not too sure what I'd be looking for if I was buying ones with a resistor pack to be honest.

Yeah for the drl's I tried turning them, and even tried them in alternative fittings but nothing seemed to work.

Thanks for the info though, I'll post on here again with any other developments.