Easy LED trunk light conversion

[Evo_Spec]

hey guys, so i have a bunch of LED boards and stuff that i got while i was in Taiwan that i planned to convert lights with and i finally got to doing the trunk.

so here's the LED's i had to work with (facebook doesn't seem to resize pics like they used to)



The SMD LED's were the brightest so i used those, the 24 LED one was good too but i would have to mod the casing a little bit to fit it in, and i don't have my hot glue gun so i didn't bother, and the 12 LED one is less bright than the SMD's but brighter than stock



So anyways, on to the actual conversion, its easy as pie, even a 2 year old could do it
This is what you got when its all disassembled


but there's kind of a really small problem, the stock bulb socket thing is smaller than the one that comes with the kits


but the fix is so easy i didn't even take a pictures, the fix is to bend the metal prong things out just a little bit and it fits perfect (actually the picture above is with the prongs bent already)
And what you end up with is this (after you already tape it on like i did)



And your done!

[stratman1988]

Looks sweet! The small incandescent lights on cars as old as ours is pretty dim and pathetic compared to LEDs. It great to be able to modernize like this.

[Sisko182]

I was searching, trying to find a thread on what size bulb the trunk light takes since I managed to shatter the stock bulb while removing it, and found this instead. Now I know I can just bend the prongs.

Agreed that the stock bulb is practically useless. Doesn't do much at all.

[Evo_Spec]

i was surprised to see this bumped up, i'm glad it helped someone.
i was meaning to make one on how to do dome lights too but i forgot to because its done so quick

[Sisko182]

Do you really need to take out the whole component to put in an LED?

[Evo_Spec]

Do you really need to take out the whole component to put in an LED?

if by, "whole compartment" you mean the plastic panels and stuff than no, you don't.
if you meant the whole thing i have in the pictures above then no, you don't, it just makes it easier but you can do it inside your car, it might be easier to climb into your trunk in that case.

if you were asking how to remove the thing i have in the pictures above then it's pretty easy. If you look at my pictures you'll see the side without the switch has a metal spring piece, that's what's holding the unit in, all you have to do is pull on the side without the switch and it should pop right out and then you would disconnect the wires and do what you need to do with it.

[Sisko182]

I'll just be a gremlin and climb in the trunk.

[ethand]

where is the 'trunk light'? my boot (aussie term for 'trunk) doesnt have a light? or was it just the newer ones?
I've done this to the light in my cabin, and love it - i put red ones in to match the rest of the car, but I've never seen the boot light, and nothing lights up when you open the boot...
cheers...

[Sisko182]

where is the 'trunk light'? my boot (aussie term for 'trunk) doesnt have a light? or was it just the newer ones?
I've done this to the light in my cabin, and love it - i put red ones in to match the rest of the car, but I've never seen the boot light, and nothing lights up when you open the boot...
cheers...

Mine is a 92, so its not just the newer ones.

Its on the side to the right. There's a switch to turn it on/off, so maybe that's why it doesn't go on.

Its honestly easy to miss if you aren't looking for it.

[ethand]

found it!! haha... i'd never looked for it, and the switch was off, which was why it never came on... I'd assumed that I didnt have one coz I'd never seen it, even when cleaning the car (which i do thoroughly & quite regularly!!), but found it when I went out to the car straight after posting that haha... my bad!!
... i now know my next mod
Also, I'm glad you mentioned that these are possible, as when I did my door lights, the guy at the shop told me that those ones wouldnt work in my car, but that a smaller one (with only 3 little LEDs) would do a better job... but they're really quite dim... they're useless for seeing stuff in the car - just as bad as the original ones, even if they are red!!
I might try it with those this time...

[Evo_Spec]

Also, I'm glad you mentioned that these are possible, as when I did my door lights, the guy at the shop told me that those ones wouldnt work in my car, but that a smaller one (with only 3 little LEDs) would do a better job... but they're really quite dim... they're useless for seeing stuff in the car - just as bad as the original ones, even if they are red!!
I might try it with those this time...

you can always trim to fit also, as long as you make sure the cover still snaps on after trimming, it'll cover anything you trimmed off

[RedAutobotMX3]

Awesome, might try this.