LED / HID lights?

[rickmaz]

Just out of curiousity, I know a lot of LEAF owners have changed out their various lightbulbs for LEDs or HIDs. Has anyone tried this with the 'i' yet? Curious as to whether you have to change out the sockets as well as the bulbs. Has anyone installed the blue LED interior package? It looks like there are lots of cheap kits on the web that would do the same thing for a lot less money than mitsubishi's accessory kit. I guess LED's could be installed for the interior dome lights, and possibly headlights (like the LEAF has for example). LED turn signals etc and various decorative packages are listed on the web. Would be interested in where you got your bulbs, and what was involved with the change-out if you have done it... Mahalo!

 

[JrCRXHF]

Thought about LED and HID out mine but i just have not had the time to do it. We do have LED tail lights.

 

[iMiEV808]

Some interior LED dome light bulb replacements may not work right if the vehicle has the Auto Dimming feature.

Japan spec imievs had the LED headlights as standard equipment.

 

[Logandzwon]

Some interior LED dome light bulb replacements may not work right if the vehicle has the Auto Dimming feature.

US spec has them as a factory as well as a dealer installed option. Mine came with them. I like them. superwhite and bright.

 

[rickmaz]

Well I ordered the blue dome lights from vleds (http://www.v-leds.com/BLUE-1W-HP-LED-DOME-LIGHT-p8194213.html) and installed them. We are very happy with the cool blue light that they give. All my friends comment on the amazing blue light they make. I just had to figure out that the clear plastic "lens" just pops out from both dome lights, and they just are direct replacements for the existing bulbs. I did have to switch some of them around to get the correct polarity for them to light up. The dimmer seems to work fine with them as well. You need to order three bulbs...there's two in the front dome, and one in the back. The bulbs were about $5 each. Yea!

BTW I've gone over 7000 miles on my 'i' and am still loving it! The first big challenge will happen to me in December, when I have to decide whether to put it on the barge and ship it to Oahu for the annual inspection, or see if they'll send a mechanic over to the big island to service all three of us in Hilo.

Aloha guys and gals! Rrrick

 

[alohart]

The first big challenge will happen to me in December, when I have to decide whether to put it on the barge and ship it to Oahu for the annual inspection, or see if they'll send a mechanic over to the big island to service all three of us in Hilo.[/quote]
It would certainly be less expensive for the three of you to pay the mechanic's interisland airfare, if necessary, than to ship your i's round trip to Honolulu. You're certainly pioneers as i owners on the Big Island. Good luck with working out the best annual inspection arrangements.

 

[Llecentaur]

Just to confirm that HID Xenon upgrades work really well because the actual light box is like a projector with a lens. I upgraded to 35W 6000k and the result is superb, plus it saves 20W. For info what counts is the ballast not the bulb's rating.

I took the care to exactly mark the levels of where the original light were reaching and after the upgrade, given a minimum adjustment achieved exactly the same and most importantly with the same precision. There is no blurry border reason why the upgrade is officially not allowed.




One more information in the installation, i pulled apart the round black rubber that held the 4 leads of the upgrade Kit. Then slightly cut the sealing rubber that leads the 12V for the bulb into the light housing. One cut on each side, each cut allowing one pair of wires through. That makes 6 wires going through, but that way every thing is reversible with no trace of installation other than those two small cuts. The box is neatly attached to the car with a large velcro.

De facto, it is practically impossible to see the upgrade unkess you know exactly what you are looking for.

Also upgraded interior lights to a 46 Led panel. Number plate lights to LED and side lights to LEDs but with resistors to make sure there is no computer error.

I was forgetting also Istalled LEDs in the round day position lights.


The overal result is great in effective as much as esthetic terms.

We feel a lot safer at night because the lights project so much further round corners that anyone can see there is a car coming. Their only suprise will be its small size

Esthetically, i find that these upgrades costing less than 100 USD relly fit the high tech aspect of the car. It is sad to see how manufacturers are litteraly counting the pennies in their parts choices. I am sure the same would have cost them maybe 30 USD and saved me few hours of research and time to mount them.

 

[jray3]

Just to confirm that HID Xenon upgrades work really well quote]

Thanks centaur, would you mind posting the specs and /or source of your HIDs? I'm interested in doing this.

 

[Llecentaur]

Hello Jray3,

I do not have the references of the 35w ballasts I had bought long ago for my Jaguar and never installed. Then I ordered H11 6000K bulbs from a seller in Singapour for about 12 USD including shipping. Similar complete kits exist for 26 USD. For info some ballasts load up the 12V circuit less when you turn them on. I do not know if the ones I had are better than those ones at 26 USD.

Tonight I drove a long way on the highway and the power is absolutely enough, do not try the 55w which will become a nuisance in close traffic as light gets reflected back into your eyes.

If you want to be more discrete, then think about 5000K rather than 6000K which is on the verge of blue. For 12USD, you can order both.

 

[Llecentaur]

Here is a picture:

https://picasaweb.google.com/116151...hkey=Gv1sRgCIKG9ouzyvLLPg#5834030043902167154

 

[jaraczs]

Also upgraded interior lights to a 46 Led panel. Number plate lights to LED and side lights to LEDs but with resistors to make sure there is no computer error.

I have installed LED equivalents of W5W for plate illumination, side lights and center brake light (total of 10) with no resistors. On the same day, I have also installed rear door speakers (generic). It all works well. Since then, after driving about 1 mile, the ASC dash light comes off (both of them) - regardless whether I actually use the lights or have stereo on. It never comes right after starting, always later. Is it related to any of the upgrades? Because I cannot find in the manual that our car has the light bulb failure detection feature.

Update of 8/12/2013
The problem has been fixed. The ASC error message was related to the center brake lights having all 4 LEDs. The system tolerates 2 LEDs (out of 4). Did not try 1, though.