luxury1

Has anyone replaced their rear turn signals with LED's? There is a site: www.superbrightleds.com but I wouldn't know where to start and even if these would work in a car. Any input?

StapleGun

Look up load equalizers....if you don't have 'em you'll light up the bulb failure lamp on the dashboard.

SAguirre

The problem is that the W211 has gas-filled high intensity light bulbs soldered into a circuit board. You would have to get into that board and mess with it. Also, like mentioned above, you have to wire in some resistors so that the LEDs draw the same current as the normal tungsten filament would. You also have to remember that you have two blinker bulbs in each tail light assembly.

I am contemplating the change over to LED stop lights, this will require me changing the whole taillight assembly. I might look at the old circuit board and see how this could be possible. But, this would be a summer project.

This new design means that if you burn out one light bulb, you will need to replace all on that side! I usually always replace the set of lights that burns out, that means that if 1 of the 4 rear parking lights burns out, I replace all of them and keep a few as spares. I figure that they all worked equally as long and if one burns out, the others should be close to that point. Also, you are making that whole rear set have the exact same intensity.

I think that this makes these W211 light bulbs expensive since each side costs about $50.00 and once one burns out I will probably change both sides. I wonder if you would have to replace the LED panel (the stop light part) if one of the reverse, blinker or parking lights burns out on that same side? Hopefully, the LED taillights have this part separated.

I will investigate this further once I get to at least changing my taillights,

Steve

luxury1

Darn. I was hoping this was just plug and play. I never guessed that it would be so complicated. That is a good idea to replace both when one goes out. If you are going to go to the trouble you might as well replace them all.

Anyway, thanks for the advice!

rockyfeller

LED brake lights make sense so you get an immediate response on braking......LED turn signals would look super cool but I don't think the effort would be worth it. Lot of man hours. Gotta say though it looks way cool on those E46 3-series BMWs!

luxury1

Exactly what made me think of doing it. Love it on the 3!!!!

jimbo1mcm

You younger guys don't remember, but the coolest turn signals of all time were on the early VW beetles. A lighted turn lever came down from near the roof line and stuck out 6-8 inches. You knew they were turning!!

Spartan

Turn signals are over rated. I never use mine (saves on finger wear) and yet I NEVER caused a pile up.

Funny you guys should bring this up. I was also admiring some on a truck the other night. They were so bright that they were actually starting to blind me.

Have you guys ever followed another E-class? Believe me, our back lights don't take second place to anyone.