Can after market led lights effect vehicle

[Brahmajoe]

can aftermarket led lights with built in resistors effect any of the electrical or pcm in any way?

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[Mr._Bill]

They should not, but they can. The computer monitors the lights and how much they draw. It is recommended to use lights without the resistors and use a programming tool to tell the computer LED lights are installed. The resistors are used to get around the need to update the computer by increasing the draw to mimic non-LED lights.

 

[Jefe1018]

Modern cars are super sensitive, spend the $80ish bucks and have JSCAN.

 

[Tuna]

I switched out my halogen bulbs for LED bulbs. Both headlights and fog lights. Going on a year with them and no issues. Didn't do anything, just plug-n-play.
headlights:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08YRB456Y/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
fog lights:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B093KJ225H/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1

 

[Sailscall]

They should not, but they can. The computer monitors the lights and how much they draw. It is recommend to use lights without the resistors and use a programming tool to tell the computer LED lights are installed. The resistors are used to get around the need to update the computer by increasing the draw to mimic non-LED lights.

I’d like to know Who recommends said lights without resistors? There are a lot of non OEM manufacturers (Oracle probably the biggest) which make CANBUS compatible 9” drop in LED headlights that do not require programming.

 

[Mr._Bill]

I’d like to know Who recommends said lights without resistors? There are a lot of non OEM manufacturers (Oracle probably the biggest) which make CANBUS compatible 9” drop in LED headlights that do not require programming.

Jeep, and those that produce lights without resistors. Either way will work. Adding resistors forces a higher electrical consumption rate, which produces some additional heat.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

I’d like to know Who recommends said lights without resistors? There are a lot of non OEM manufacturers (Oracle probably the biggest) which make CANBUS compatible 9” drop in LED headlights that do not require programming.

I do (LOL).
Resistors are a cheapy way to "fix" a problem that shouldn't exist.
It's a band-aid.
Yeah, they work without programming - you just answered it right there. Doing it correctly means setting the system up correctly for the type of lights you have.
If I ever swapped out lights - I'd not go with a hack way to make them work - I'd want to program the BCM and have lights that are actually made to work correctly with the vehicle's systems - not "these will fit, no programming needed".
But people like quick cheap easy ways, not "best ways", so the stuff will continue to sell and be made. The internet has made it worse because of those who don't care to learn, they want to put in cool lights cheaply spreading their stuff on YT.
Too bad that federal laws and regulations related to lighting, especially headlights, are not enforced. It would stop a lot of the crap lights out there.

 

[dcmdon]

Resistors are a bandaid.

One of the benefits of LED lights is that they draw about 1/5th as much power. Which has all kinds of benefits including less under hood heat, better fuel consumption, and more efficient charging.

Use a resistor bulb and you have pissed away all the efficiency of the LED. Plus, if the resistor is inside the light housing, all that heat is there too.

How much heat?

Go put your hand on a 60 watt incandescent bulb. Now put your hand on an 8 watt LED bulb which has similar lumens output. That 50+watts is pure heat. Pointless heat.

 

[Curt Oz]

I replaced all of my halogen lights with Oracle led's around August 2021 and haven't had any issues and didn't need a Tazer or any type of "programing".

Oracl Oculus bi-led projector headlights
Oracle fog lights
Oracle flush mount taillights
Oracle reverse lights
Daytime running lights









 

[Brahmajoe]

I replaced all of my halogen lights with Oracle led's around August 2021 and haven't had any issues and didn't need a Tazer or any type of "programing".

Oracl Oculus bi-led projector headlights
Oracle fog lights
Oracle flush mount taillights
Oracle reverse lights
Daytime running lights









I like your hood

 

[Curt Oz]

I like your hood

Thanks it's from Cervini's



ttps://www.cervinis.com/2019-21-gladiator-stalker.html

 

[Sailscall]

Jeep, and those that produce lights without resistors. Either way will work. Adding resistors forces a higher electrical consumption rate, which produces some additional heat.

For those aftermarket LED headlight manufacturer's who have the built in CANBUS resistors, they are designed such that they have the same resistance as the original halogens. There is no additional heat.

If we want to pursue the "Jeeps says" path, we can say Jeep says never put a tire on your Jeep larger than what the sticker on your driver's door states. We all know that in the last 70+ years of Jeeps existence, no one has ever put larger tires then specified.

 

[Sailscall]

Resistors are a bandaid.

One of the benefits of LED lights is that they draw about 1/5th as much power. Which has all kinds of benefits including less under hood heat, better fuel consumption, and more efficient charging.

Use a resistor bulb and you have pissed away all the efficiency of the LED. Plus, if the resistor is inside the light housing, all that heat is there too.

How much heat?

Go put your hand on a 60 watt incandescent bulb. Now put your hand on an 8 watt LED bulb which has similar lumens output. That 50+watts is pure heat. Pointless heat.

If you were running an EV, I'm good with your argument. With that being said, the system (halogen) was designed with a certain wire size to handle the load. The non OEM LED lighting manufacturers designed their CANBUS compatible lights with same resistance as the halogens. There is no additional heat or strain on the system.

I am not a proponent of buying cheapo LED lights from Amazon and then having to buy an additional resistor from somewhere else. These two separate pieces are not tested together as a system and have the possibility of a higher failure rate.

 

[dcmdon]

If you were running an EV, I'm good with your argument. With that being said, the system (halogen) was designed with a certain wire size to handle the load. The non OEM LED lighting manufacturers designed their CANBUS compatible lights with same resistance as the halogens. There is no additional heat or strain on the system.

I am not a proponent of buying cheapo LED lights from Amazon and then having to buy an additional resistor from somewhere else. These two separate pieces are not tested together as a system and have the possibility of a higher failure rate.

They put no more heat or strain on the system than incandescent bulbs.

But given the opportunity to reduce your electrical load (which actually impacts fuel economy, though by a tiny amount, probably enough to offset the cost of a JScan purchase), why not do it.

When your alternator has to make more power, its mechanical resistance goes up. There is no free lunch. Also, on a Volvo forum I used to frequent, there were reports of melted housings because of faulty resistors.

 

[Sailscall]

They put no more heat or strain on the system than incandescent bulbs.

But given the opportunity to reduce your electrical load (which actually impacts fuel economy, though by a tiny amount, probably enough to offset the cost of a JScan purchase), why not do it.

When your alternator has to make more power, its mechanical resistance goes up. There is no free lunch. Also, on a Volvo forum I used to frequent, there were reports of melted housings because of faulty resistors.

Melted housings - maybe on LED plug in bulbs. i‘ve always referenced CANBUS compatible 9” LED lights. i wouldn’t be surprised if Oracle, Rough Country, Diode Dynamics etc. have 100’s of thousands of hours with little or no electrical problems.

I’d say it‘s a red herring to discuss fuel efficient lighting on an ICE powered Jeep forum.

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