The Ultimate LED Q&A Thread
Member
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 40
Likes: 5
From: California
I've had mine switched out for a little over a year on my 09 XF and haven't had any electrical problems so far, however the bulbs I used go out very quickly when I put them on the license plate, I've had to replace those bulbs around 8 times so far (I had a pack of 20 of those bulbs). However those same bulbs have not gone out in any other place
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 397
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From: Hamilton, ON, Canada
I've had mine switched out for a little over a year on my 09 XF and haven't had any electrical problems so far, however the bulbs I used go out very quickly when I put them on the license plate, I've had to replace those bulbs around 8 times so far (I had a pack of 20 of those bulbs). However those same bulbs have not gone out in any other place
My main interest is in changing out the halogen side marker bulbs. They don't really look good sitting beside the HID low beams.
Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 28
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Okay guys, What would be really really helpful for us girls is instead of pics on changing out leds does anyone have a Video tutorial (YouTube) on how to swap out the the footwells, Puddle lights under the mirrors and front light maps which is in the over head compartment among all the other switches. Just need to see how it was done on video. Want to do this myself without asking my husband. :-).. HELP...
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Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Atlanta, GA USA
"halogen side marker bulbs"? Not sure what you mean here.
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Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Atlanta, GA USA
All of the exterior lighting on my '12 XF, except for the tag lamps is already LED. Tag lamps swapped out with no issues. Changed all the interior lighting and had no problems. I don't think you will have any problems with marker lights.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 397
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From: Hamilton, ON, Canada
Is there any trick to pulling the sides of the front map light housing to get it to drop down? I've inspected it and it looks to be a pretty tight fit. The last thing I want to do is break those plastic clips that are holding it in place.
The other light that I'm unsure of how to replace is the glovebox light. Looks like you have to drop down the glove box to get at the light. Any tips on how this should be done? Thanks.
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Joined: Feb 2014
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From: Adelaide, South Australia
Thanks.
Is there any trick to pulling the sides of the front map light housing to get it to drop down? I've inspected it and it looks to be a pretty tight fit. The last thing I want to do is break those plastic clips that are holding it in place.
The other light that I'm unsure of how to replace is the glovebox light. Looks like you have to drop down the glove box to get at the light. Any tips on how this should be done? Thanks.
Is there any trick to pulling the sides of the front map light housing to get it to drop down? I've inspected it and it looks to be a pretty tight fit. The last thing I want to do is break those plastic clips that are holding it in place.
The other light that I'm unsure of how to replace is the glovebox light. Looks like you have to drop down the glove box to get at the light. Any tips on how this should be done? Thanks.
The glovebox light is doable but fairly difficult, it's hard to get a decent grip on the bulb/globe, I ended up giving up on it. You don't need to dismantle anything to do it.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 397
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From: Hamilton, ON, Canada
For the front maplight housing use a smallish flat blade screwdriver with a cloth cover to pry it down. Best spot to start with is the windscreen side of either front corner, about 2" in from the side.
The glovebox light is doable but fairly difficult, it's hard to get a decent grip on the bulb/globe, I ended up giving up on it. You don't need to dismantle anything to do it.
The glovebox light is doable but fairly difficult, it's hard to get a decent grip on the bulb/globe, I ended up giving up on it. You don't need to dismantle anything to do it.
For the glovebox, I'm assuming that you need to pry out the lens if you don't have to drop the glovebox to get behind it. Unless there's a small opening in the lens to insert a small screwdriver, it does lookspretty difficult to do (like you said).
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Joined: Feb 2014
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From: Adelaide, South Australia
Thanks. Do you mean the sunroof side (2 inches from the side). From the pics in this thread it looks like the clips are on the sunroof side. Also I might try to use two cloth covered screw drivers and pry both sides down at the same time.
For the glovebox, I'm assuming that you need to pry out the lens if you don't have to drop the glovebox to get behind it. Unless there's a small opening in the lens to insert a small screwdriver, it does lookspretty difficult to do (like you said).
For the glovebox, I'm assuming that you need to pry out the lens if you don't have to drop the glovebox to get behind it. Unless there's a small opening in the lens to insert a small screwdriver, it does lookspretty difficult to do (like you said).
The rear vision mirror can be in the way just a bit, best to use a short screwdriver.
There is no lens or cover for the glovebox globe, it is bare.
If you reach in and up with your fingers you can just feel it.
But it's up a fair way with little room around the sides of it, which is why it is hard to grip.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 397
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From: Hamilton, ON, Canada
No, not the sunroof (rear) side, but the windscreen (front) side.
The rear vision mirror can be in the way just a bit, best to use a short screwdriver.
There is no lens or cover for the glovebox globe, it is bare.
If you reach in and up with your fingers you can just feel it.
But it's up a fair way with little room around the sides of it, which is why it is hard to grip.
The rear vision mirror can be in the way just a bit, best to use a short screwdriver.
There is no lens or cover for the glovebox globe, it is bare.
If you reach in and up with your fingers you can just feel it.
But it's up a fair way with little room around the sides of it, which is why it is hard to grip.
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Joined: Feb 2014
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From: Adelaide, South Australia
There is a plastic lens cover, lever it off with a small flat blade screwdriver.
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Joined: Apr 2008
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From: Atlanta, GA USA
Thanks.
Is there any trick to pulling the sides of the front map light housing to get it to drop down? I've inspected it and it looks to be a pretty tight fit. The last thing I want to do is break those plastic clips that are holding it in place.
The other light that I'm unsure of how to replace is the glovebox light. Looks like you have to drop down the glove box to get at the light. Any tips on how this should be done? Thanks.
Is there any trick to pulling the sides of the front map light housing to get it to drop down? I've inspected it and it looks to be a pretty tight fit. The last thing I want to do is break those plastic clips that are holding it in place.
The other light that I'm unsure of how to replace is the glovebox light. Looks like you have to drop down the glove box to get at the light. Any tips on how this should be done? Thanks.
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 9
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From: Netherlands
Wow, that's quite some work you did Reaxions! Good to have your insights. I got my facelifted car back last WE and have been 'testing' the headlights against the original MY2012. The turn signals are fast flashing in the instrument cluster and sound is fast as well. This should be resolved with the load resistors that go in this Friday. These are my findings re the DRL in the new headlights:
Original MY2012:
* DRL dimmed on as soon as ignition on and main beam off
* DRL bright on when gearbox in D and main beam off
* DRL bright on when sidelight on
* DRL dimmed when main beam on
* DRL dimmed on one side when turn signal on
My facelifted MY2010:
* DRL dimmed on as soon as ignition on and main beam off
* DRL NOT bright on when gear box in D and main beam off
* DRL bright on when sidelight on
* DRL NOT dimmed when main beam on
* DRL NOT dimmed on one side when turn signal on
I would like to come as close to the original MY2012 as possible, but I reckon teh connection with the gearbox is a bridge to far. Or does anyone have an idea on how to use the D gear to make teh DRL bright?
The fact that teh DRL should be dimming when main beam on and when turn signal on, I think I will try to resolve with placing the Inlustro DRL dimmers (HOME - Inlustro) on. This would IMHO imply that I would need 3 dimmers: 1 connected to each turn signal and 1 connected to the main beam. Would that work?
This raises another point: can the DRL dimmers be used in conjunction with the load resistors for the turn signals? The load resistors should obviously be in parallel to the lights and the dimmer in series. Would this pose an issue?
The adaptive lighting (corner lights) are also not working yet...
Original MY2012:
* DRL dimmed on as soon as ignition on and main beam off
* DRL bright on when gearbox in D and main beam off
* DRL bright on when sidelight on
* DRL dimmed when main beam on
* DRL dimmed on one side when turn signal on
My facelifted MY2010:
* DRL dimmed on as soon as ignition on and main beam off
* DRL NOT bright on when gear box in D and main beam off
* DRL bright on when sidelight on
* DRL NOT dimmed when main beam on
* DRL NOT dimmed on one side when turn signal on
I would like to come as close to the original MY2012 as possible, but I reckon teh connection with the gearbox is a bridge to far. Or does anyone have an idea on how to use the D gear to make teh DRL bright?
The fact that teh DRL should be dimming when main beam on and when turn signal on, I think I will try to resolve with placing the Inlustro DRL dimmers (HOME - Inlustro) on. This would IMHO imply that I would need 3 dimmers: 1 connected to each turn signal and 1 connected to the main beam. Would that work?
This raises another point: can the DRL dimmers be used in conjunction with the load resistors for the turn signals? The load resistors should obviously be in parallel to the lights and the dimmer in series. Would this pose an issue?
The adaptive lighting (corner lights) are also not working yet...
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 397
Likes: 43
From: Hamilton, ON, Canada
Finally got around to doing the interior upgrade. Everything went well except for the fact that I couldn't get the centre top console out. Took it to my mechanic and within 30 seconds it was out.
Anyone know which type of LED bulb is required for the inside trunk light?
Now I just need to replace my glovebox light, trunk light and 2 visor lights and I'll be sorted out.
Anyone know which type of LED bulb is required for the inside trunk light?
Now I just need to replace my glovebox light, trunk light and 2 visor lights and I'll be sorted out.
Member
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 88
Likes: 0
From: Eastern PA
I tried to do the led swap on my 09 XF SC, on map/dome lights today I CANNOT budge the map panel at all to get access???
Any help would be great and appreciated. Also want to do the puddle lamps but I'm told they are even harder???
Any help would be great and appreciated. Also want to do the puddle lamps but I'm told they are even harder???
Senior Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 408
Likes: 42
From: Portland, OR
I've had mine switched out for a little over a year on my 09 XF and haven't had any electrical problems so far, however the bulbs I used go out very quickly when I put them on the license plate, I've had to replace those bulbs around 8 times so far (I had a pack of 20 of those bulbs). However those same bulbs have not gone out in any other place
Veteran Member
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 9,020
Likes: 3,658
From: Adelaide, South Australia
Best to use a plastic trim removal tool, by coincidence I put new globes in a couple of days ago and the panel was a snack to remove using the trim removal tool, much better than using a screwdriver.
The puddle lamps are in theory fairly easy to do, there is a plastic tab just under the mirror glass (between the glass and the housing) that you need to depress / push in with a small screwdriver which then unclips the puddle lamp housing. The lamp is in a lamp holder which then twists out of the housing and the globe is easily replaced.
Trouble is, across two XFs and four lamps I have never been able to get that damn tab/clip to release no matter what I tried, including completely removing the mirror glass.
In the end I levered the lamp housing off from the outside (underneath) by sticking a jeweller's screwdriver in the small gap, levering gently to make a bigger gap, then sticking a bigger screwdriver in and levering until eventually the housing popped out.
Sometimes the housing then clipped back in again, other times it hung a little loose and I fixed it with a liberal application of black RTV windscreen sealant, any excess is easy to clean up with a soft rag soaked in mineral turps as long as you do it before the goo sets/cures (about 15 minutes).
i wish the pics in the initial post worked
what do you guys think of these bulbs: http://www.ebay.com/itm/10X-White-Ce...lU3Iuh&vxp=mtr
will they work in my interior?
what do you guys think of these bulbs: http://www.ebay.com/itm/10X-White-Ce...lU3Iuh&vxp=mtr
will they work in my interior?
Last edited by carzaddict; Aug 22, 2016 at 08:55 PM.