LED front blinkers

[bytes311]

Hey Guys,

I recently upgraded all of my dash cluster lights to LED's (except for the battery light), and tonight I upgraded my taillights and front blinker lights to LED's and replaced the flasher relay under the dash.

My blinkers work as expected, as long as the headlight switch is turned off. When I press the headlight switch once to illuminate the dash, both indicator lights in the dash come on for some reason. Same when I press the switch twice to enable the headlights. If I toggle the turn signal lever with the dash lights or headlights on, the relay under the dash clicks at a slower interval than usual. Same if I turn the hazards on while the lights are on. It blinks very slowly.

I swapped one of the front blinker bulbs back to the OEM incandescent bulb and the indicator light for that side turned off, and flashed at a normal interval. So I believe it has something to do with having LED's in those sockets. Removing the relay completely had no effect on the indicator lights in the dash.

These are the LED's which I'm having issues with: https://www.deloreango.com/us/led-bulb-front-indicator.html

Has anyone experienced this and found a solution?

[DMC5180]

Verify the LED’s have the same style Base as the OE bulbs and the offset pins on the side of the base are in there correct position in the socket. Speaking of sockets, is there any corrosion present within the socket?

It almost sounds like you installed the 1156 style tail light LED’s in the Front 1157 socket. The 1156 being a single center contact can bridge the Dual contacts in the 1157 socket. This would explain back fed power from the Park lights bridging to the signal side and powering the Dash indicators with constant power while the headlight switch is in either 1st or 2nd positions.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bytes311]

The LED has two contacts. 58857

I tested the socket with a test light and everything appears fine. No corrosion.

Here's a video of it in action: https://youtu.be/fSgPtxAGTDE

[DMC5180]

Are the side pegs oriented in the same rotational position as the OE bulb when compared to the bottom contacts. I wonder if they are 90 degrees off. That would also bridge the socket contacts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[bytes311]

I just went out and looked because I thought the same thing. But no, they are oriented correctly the same as the OE bulb. The light only locks into the socket one way.

[DMC-Ron]

At this point I would suspect the LED bulbs. Perhaps the internal circuitry is allowing current to bleed between the contacts. I'm not sure how you could test for this, but you might just use a multi-meter and see if there is any conductivity (Ohms) between the bottom connections of the bulb base. Reverse the leads to check polarity both directions. There should not be any reading between the connections. If there is, it might just be a manufacture defect.

Ron

[Bitsyncmaster]

There was a wiring modification some owners did to get the side lights to blink. That modification would work with incandescent bulbs but it would not work with most LEDs. Did your side lights blink when you had incandescent bulbs?

[CFI]

I know you bought your bulbs elsewhere, but DMC Houston recently sent an email to me saying that their front LED blinker bulbs may be faulty. Maybe DeLoreanGo uses the same bulb?

[eight8toy]

I just ordered the same set from deloreango and am waiting for the package to arrive. Will update when I get mine installed to see if I get the same problem.

[bytes311]

There was a wiring modification some owners did to get the side lights to blink. That modification would work with incandescent bulbs but it would not work with most LEDs. Did your side lights blink when you had incandescent bulbs?

My side lights never blinked, no. As far as I know, my car has not had any wiring modifications done to it.

Everything works as it should as long as the headlight switch is turned off. Once the headlight switch is in either the #1 or #2 position and I toggle the turn signals, the exterior blinkers do not switch between off and on, they go dim to bright and back to dim.

[ritztoys]

I had a similar problem with those same bulbs/vendor. I couldn't figure out why and went back to the incandescent bulbs in front only, I'd be interested in what you find out. My car is on jacks for winter maintenance and all those other, "while you're in there" jobs.

[dn010]

DMC Houston recently sent an email to me saying that their front LED blinker bulbs may be faulty.

I would be interested in knowing if there is more details about this. I also purchased their LED bulbs but I don't see any email about them. I checked their site and find nothing about it either.

[CFI]

I would be interested in knowing if there is more details about this. I also purchased their LED bulbs but I don't see any email about them. I checked their site and find nothing about it either.

58861

[bytes311]

I just ordered the same set from deloreango and am waiting for the package to arrive. Will update when I get mine installed to see if I get the same problem.

Please do!

[bytes311]

I can isolate the back-feed to just the front blinkers. When I remove the front blinker LED's or when I put the incandescent bulbs back in, the back-feed is non-existent. Something about those front LED bulbs isn't right.

For the time being I reverted back to incandescent bulbs for the front blinkers.

[eight8toy]

Finally got my set in the mail. Installed the rear boards with LEDs and swapped out the relay under the dash. No problems with my set.

I have regular bulbs up front still, but do have LEDs for the turn signal indicators in the binnacle. Hope you get your issue solved!

[bytes311]

Finally got my set in the mail. Installed the rear boards with LEDs and swapped out the relay under the dash. No problems with my set.

I have regular bulbs up front still, but do have LEDs for the turn signal indicators in the binnacle. Hope you get your issue solved!

So you still have incandescent bulbs for the two front blinkers? My dash/binnacle is entirely LED (minus the alt bulb), and the signal indicators work fine as long as the blinkers up front are incandescent. It's only when I swap the front blinker lights with their LED equivalents that I get a back-feed in my dash/binnacle.

[eight8toy]

So you still have incandescent bulbs for the two front blinkers? My dash/binnacle is entirely LED (minus the alt bulb), and the signal indicators work fine as long as the blinkers up front are incandescent. It's only when I swap the front blinker lights with their LED equivalents that I get a back-feed in my dash/binnacle.

Ya, just regular bulbs up front. If your system works when having regular bulbs up front I would probably just stick with those. Not sure it's worth trying to figure out where the electrical gremlin is for two more LED lights in the front.

[Hill Valley PD]

Hmmmm. I swapped out my exterior lights/taillight circuit boards with LEDs from DMC Houston. My dash, AC panel, and headlights are the only things not LED at the moment. I I plan to do the dash and AC panel next and probably leave headlights alone. They are just so classic as is. My passenger front blinker does not blink but everything else works as it should after LED installation. It lights up just fine. I haven't figured it out yet either, so I am interested in what you end up finding on your end.

[Riley88]

Hmmmm. I swapped out my exterior lights/taillight circuit boards with LEDs from DMC Houston. My dash, AC panel, and headlights are the only things not LED at the moment. I I plan to do the dash and AC panel next and probably leave headlights alone. They are just so classic as is. My passenger front blinker does not blink but everything else works as it should after LED installation. It lights up just fine. I haven't figured it out yet either, so I am interested in what you end up finding on your end.

I did Daves LED Board for the AC panel. Its a fun afternoon project, and darn if it isnt worth it. Go for a quick drive and feel the panel, then after you change it out, do another drive and check it a 2nd time you will see lol

[bytes311]

Just want to follow up on this subject.

I went to my local AutoZone and picked up one of these Sylvania 1157 LEDs just to see if they produced the same issue as with DeLorean Go's front blinker set, and to my surprise they worked fine. I have a normal blinking rate and zero backfeed. Weird.

https://youtu.be/-INny3AnllQ

59333

[Boxbot]

My side lights never blinked, no. As far as I know, my car has not had any wiring modifications done to it.

Everything works as it should as long as the headlight switch is turned off. Once the headlight switch is in either the #1 or #2 position and I toggle the turn signals, the exterior blinkers do not switch between off and on, they go dim to bright and back to dim.

I am dealing with currently. If headlights are on, my front LED turn signals go from dim to slightly brighter and back to dim. The difference is so subtle that it's causing a problem. I'm not sure if PO sourced these from DMCH or DeloreanGo. I was going to switch the amber lights for the bright white lights to see if it makes a difference, but may just go back to incandescent for now.

[Boxbot]

Just want to follow up on this subject.

I went to my local AutoZone and picked up one of these Sylvania 1157 LEDs just to see if they produced the same issue as with DeLorean Go's front blinker set, and to my surprise they worked fine. I have a normal blinking rate and zero backfeed. Weird.

https://youtu.be/-INny3AnllQ

59333

Thanks for this. Sylvania Zevo Super Bright 1157 bulb (driver's side) vs. amber LED (passenger side) turn signal video attached. Shouldn't be any more issues with people not seeing my turn signal. These suckers are bright.

https://youtu.be/4SHH3yVYDhk

[bytes311]

Thanks for this. Sylvania Zevo Super Bright 1157 bulb (driver's side) vs. amber LED (passenger side) turn signal video attached. Shouldn't be any more issues with people not seeing my turn signal. These suckers are bright.

https://youtu.be/4SHH3yVYDhk

Good deal. So far I haven't had any issues with my Sylvania "For off road use only" LED's.