I've noticed a strange situation with my parking lights... These are the little clear 168/194/2825 bulbs inside the high beam housings that serve as front parking lights. I upgraded all the headlight bulbs to LED -- low beam, high beam, and those little guys. All are top-quality bulbs and CAN/BUS compatible. I noticed last night that after shutting the car down those little lights stay on, very dim, for nearly an hour. I've experimented a little, and they turn on whenever there is any kind of input from the remote -- locking, unlocking, or pressing the button to turn the lights on. In all cases, they light up very dimly -- so dim that you might not even notice them in daylight if you didn't look for it. At night they're easily noticeable. Note that they are not ON....... only barely lit, I would say less than 5% the brightness they would be if lit up normally. They do shut off within an hour or so, but I'm thinking this should not be happening.
I'm wondering if there is supposed to be some sort of feedback going on? And the LEDs don't generate enough electrical resistance to provide this? Kind of grasping at ideas here..... One of my sons thought adding load equalizers to each light would fix the problem. The other son (both mechanical engineers) thinks there must be something odd going on with the wiring and suggested keeping an extra battery in the car for the inevitable dead-battery. Not entirely helpful.....
So, any thoughts? Anybody had this situation in their own car? Do I need to go back to incandescent bulbs for these little guys?
Thanks
Steve

 

I don't really know, but here's some ideas to maybe narrow down the problem:

• Does it happen whether you have the headlights in auto mode or off?
• Does it happen when you leave one or the other bulb out?
• Can you measure the current with and without the bulbs in and see if it changes? (to determine if, for some reason, the presence of the bulbs are causing the issue)

On another somewhat related note: I want to update my parking lights as well, but the passenger-side one doesn't want to come out. I've even broken the flat plastic piece that helps you reach it. Any tips?
Also, what LED bulbs (brand/model) did you use?

 

I have not done any sort of checking for voltage etc. I just noticed that they remain on at a very low light output. Will do more exploring over the weekend, assuming it stops pouring rain...
As for the parking light LED swap, yeah they were a little difficult to get out of the housings after 18 years, but they did come out. I used Sylvania 168 LEDs -- the basic ones, not the Zevos. I didn't think the added brightness of the Zevos would be necessary, and I'm happy with the amount of light. Really, my primary reason for swapping the old incandescent bulbs out was that they look so yellow in comparison to the 6000K intense white of the new H7 LEDs in the headlights.
If I can't figure out this staying-lit thing, I may have to go back to plain bulbs. If that's the case I'll probably use Silverstars, which are at least a whiter light than the standard bulbs
Steve

 

 

Yeah, they do stay lit for a while on the remaining power in the circuit, nothing to worry about.
They do get out eventually.

 

I have had the same problem with the led bulb for the headlight (park) bulb.
The 'less glamorous bulb in these photos does work.with no afterglow. Polarity is not an issue.
The others "glow' and are dependent on polarity to work at all.

John Colville
2000 XJ8L

 

I've noticed the exact same thing with the LED replacement bulbs in that position. It can be fixed, but I've never cared enough to do anything about it.

https://www.schneider-electric.us/en/faqs/FA112098/

 

There are replacement "error-free LED" bulbs w/ the resistor built in that remedy this.

 

The LEDs require such little power causing them to light up from the little bit of energy flowing around. Both my cars do it, but I will say it's strange that the rear side markers don't have any light at all on lock. The overhead console also has some residual lighting as well. I've never worried about it - never caused me any trouble. They go off when the car goes to deep slumber. Anything that wakes the car, like a trunk unlock, front headlights assist, etc will cause it.