LED side light replacement bulbs

Stewart Rix · Oct 30, 2009

I recently came across LED replacement 'bulbs' on trusty E-Bay for the side lights of our 993's. Thought they sounded a good idea, being both brighter and whiter than the standard bulb - I've got HID replacement headlights and have tried a few different bulbs in the side lights to avoid them looking so yellow. They are the proper bayonet fitting, with 4 LEDs each, but seller suggested they may need an in-line resistor to avoid "bulb out" warnings coming up since they use much less power than a standard bulb. Is anyone familiar with or used these bulbs? Is a lower power bulb really an issue in our cars? I can't recall ever getting a warning light or anything else when previous bulbs have blown.

Cheers

Porker993 · Oct 30, 2009

There is no "bulb out" warning on the 993, at least not on the early cars like mine.

Bulb out warnings seem to have become fashionable in recent years. We have had it on both our current Merc and the one before that since about 2003..

I guess the way forward is to try it and see, if it is 12volts with the same or less wattage, I wouldn't have thought it could do much harm. If you are feeling cautious, you could keep an eye on it to see how hot it gets. There's always a fuse, anyway. Presumably they don't cost much ? I would be interested to hear how you get on.

gresley · Oct 30, 2009

I've done it ( 12 months ago ) as it did look silly with ordinary sidelight bulbs and HIDs in dip and main. So far no warning lights or other probs.

Andrew W.

Stewart Rix · Oct 30, 2009

Good to know there are seemingly no issues.

Andrew, do your LED replacements actually look as white and bright as you would expect?

gresley · Oct 30, 2009

They look white but do not have same light area as I had with standard bulb. I am told by others I have travelled with that they are just as noticeable if not more so. I tend not to drive on sidelights by themselves anyway - nothing or dip seems safer to me.

Hope that helps.

andrew W./

MarkG · Oct 30, 2009

I've also done this to match my HID's with a '4' led version and possibly the
same ones that you are looking at.
You will most likely have to swap your wires around on the lamp socket for
them to work as the 993 lamp socket is wired for positive earth (it doesn't
matter for the ordinary filament bulbs and they will still work after)
Aceparts have a special one for the 993 which I've tried but didn't like as
the light was quite focused and when switched off they were a bright
fluorescent yellow which annoyed me.

Pickled Piper · Oct 31, 2009

I fitted LEDs in my side lights a couple of years back, primarily so that they would match the white light from the HID main beams.

However, be aware you may be at the mercy of a pedantic MOT tester. My car failled last month for showing the incorrect light colour. They have the slightest tinge of blue. Annoying really as they passed last year with exactly the same MOT tester.

pp

Pete917 · Nov 1, 2009

Although not a 993, I have gone for LED's all around and have been very pleased with them. I change all dash bulbs, interior bulbs, glove box bulbs, indicators, side lights, rear tail/stop lights. They have been really reliable and havent been a problem on the MOT side

Johnny C · Nov 3, 2009

An MOT teter had an issue with them on mine too, but he was okay about them, and passed it as long as I promised to say I'd put them on after the MOT...