Hello all!
I am completely new to this whole forum thing, so forgive me if I am posting in the wrong plce.
Basically...I’m looking for a success story. I really want to install led bulbs in the DRL/SIDELIGHT and have fount some that half do the job with no error messages (they work when my headlight is off however when i turn my headlights on, instead of dimming they completely turn off). Has anybody had any luck finding an LED bulb that functions the same as the standard filament bulb?

U V11NNY said:

Hello all!
I am completely new to this whole forum thing, so forgive me if I am posting in the wrong plce.
Basically...I’m looking for a success story. I really want to install led bulbs in the DRL/SIDELIGHT and have fount some that half do the job with no error messages (they work when my headlight is off however when i turn my headlights on, instead of dimming they completely turn off). Has anybody had any luck finding an LED bulb that functions the same as the standard filament bulb?

Click to expand...

Hello and welcome to the forum.

This question has been asked many times before, and keeps coming up.

Basically you have two problems.

The first is that the CANBUS system is exceptionally sensitive to the electrical characteristics of the bulbs (this goes for pretty much all the bulbs on the car); fitting something even slightly different is likely to either generate an error message or result in something not working properly, as you've already found out.

The second is that until there's a change in the regulations for vehicle lighting (which IMO is long overdue), you can't legally fit aftermarket LED bulbs. That's why all reputable UK sellers describe them as being for off-road use only. I don't want to sound like a policeman, but combine a persnickety insurance assessor, an undeclared modification and a major claim and you could have a good recipe for a serious problem.

That Fiat are still selling new cars in 2018 with conventional filament lighting is a sign of how far they've fallen behind in product development.

Do the dim side lights come on if you turn the lights on without the engine running, IE. open door, and turn on the side lights, don't insert key(so you could leave parked at night say with the side lights on)?

If no then they're not compatible, note the bulb is twin filament so it does not dim it switches from one filament to the other.

My best advice I can give is "just put branded stock bulbs in" save yourself loads of wasted time?

If you're really clever, you can bench test your led's to accurately measure the current drawn then calculate the required load resistor(s) this will stop any error messages but is a crude if effective way of fixing it, that's not to say it'll fix the non functioning side light issue at present.

Just to expand on JRK's comments, there is s third issue. The way light is emitted from a LED is different from a filament, A LED emitta a cone of light of about 120 degrees maximum while a filament emits a solid sphere of 360 degrees (cut off by the mounting cap to around 300 degrees). Adding multiple LEDs to provide "the same" coverage increases the size of the light source causing other problems such as scatter. The reflector and lens required to shape the beam from a LED is different from a filament so you do not get the correct light pattern if you put a LED in a lamp designed for a filment. It might look "cool" but can dazle other road users.
I think Fiat still use filament lamps due to cost and model differentiation rather than becuse they are behind on the technology.

Robert G8RPI.

Thanks for all the help guys! I guess i’ll just have to go for a “Xenon look” bulb. One of those with a blue-ish tint to the glass. Has anybody got a suggestion for this style of bulb? To get the whitest possible look?

U V11NNY said:

Thanks for all the help guys! I guess i’ll just have to go for a “Xenon look” bulb. One of those with a blue-ish tint to the glass. Has anybody got a suggestion for this style of bulb? To get the whitest possible look?

Click to expand...

I've used those blue coated ones lifespan went from a few hours to six months I got sick of replacing them, yes they do look whiter but I eventually went back to standard.

you'll aleays have headaches with led bulbs. car isn't designed for them so you'll be constantly having error messages and flickering from them.

I've been runing these for about 8 months with no issues. they're also very popular within the Abarth community.

https://www.ms-r.co.uk/store/p107/Xenon_Blue_T20_Capless_21/5w_Bulbs.html

AJ

I tried the blue ones from eBay. Look really nice and white but I had to change one of them after a couple of months so went back to the standard ones. I’m sure if you bought a proper make they would be better than the eBay cheapos I bought.