gio89kid

I really want to put LEDs in for my rear tail lights, but have found out that there is not a relay to change, and I really don't want to add resistors that get burning hot.

My idea is to see if small halogen lights would work to trick the BCM into thinking it's not burnt out, like ones you would find in a glove box.

If so I would wire a connection for them in parallel to create enough current draw, and because the lights would be much smaller they would not get as hot correct?

Also I would wire them only to the positive wire that creates the flashing so they are not on all the time.

Has anyone done this? What do you think?

Oldblue

Go with the canbus LEDs from AutoZone, no hyper flash no extra wiring or resistor.
Size does not effect the heat of the halogen bulb they will still get the same temp.

gio89kid

Canbus LEDs get extremely hot because they have a resistor built into them to draw more current.

I want to put the philips 12840REDB2 LEDs because the reviews are great and have a 12 year warranty.

I don't want to use a resistor or canbus LED because they get hot.

If I use a smaller halogen bulb which will be a small wattage bulb compared to the original it should produce less heat, and since it will be wired only to the flasher and not the running light it shouldn't get as hot.

Correct me if I am wrong.

gio89kid

Another idea I have seen is to wire the fender lights into the turn signal circuit. That will make the resistance high enough and add an extra signal to the car.

But they are not dual filament so they would only work when turning.

gio89kid

I don't know???
Anybody done something that worked?

Grizzly old man

I simply replaced the original daytime driving lights, tail lights and turn signal lights with LED's I got at AutoZone.

I'd like to change out the side markers with LED's too but haven't found any that are as bright as I want so they are still the stock incandescent bulbs.

Its been two years now and if the LED's get hotter than the original bulbs it has not effected the lens or the socket.

Oldblue

My sediments precisely!

Frenchy42

Easiest way would be to find a set of IPCW LED tails. They're a tad pricey, but you don't have to worry about hyper flash, and they look awesome.

gio89kid

Ok.

Here's another question...

On other forums for other cars I have read that the BCM has an option for bulb out warning and a dealer reprogramming has the capability of setting that to false.

So is that possible for HHR's?

Or is there a calculation that can be done to see the smallest required resistor needed to trick the BCM, smaller resistor means less heat correct?
Maybe a potentiometer would help to determine that???

The full benefits of an LED light bulb is to use less electricity, have a instant on time resulting in up to 20ft. of extra stopping distance, and not having to replace them pretty much forever.

Having a canbus led or adding a resistor will waist the same amount of electricity to trick the BCM and with the increased temperature from a canbus led its life will not last as long due to heat failure.

gio89kid

I know there is probably some canbus LED's that have worked for you guys but the light output is probably not the best compared to the Phillips LED's I mentioned earlier, and I have some other canbus LEDs laying around and they get really hot and are much smaller meant for interior lights.