Bulbs: This time NOT headlights!

[driveforward]

I've been thinking of changing more of my A2's bulbs to LED ones, however, can't find out what types of fitments I will require - can anyone enlighten me?

Do you know the bulb types for the below..:

Side repeaters
Rear numberplate lights
Interior map reading lights
Interior front and rear courtesy lights


Many thanks :)

[Skipton01]

Right then, here goes:

Front mirror lights (where fitted), rear interior lights and number plate lights are all 38mm 5w festoon bulbs.
The main front interior light is a 42mm 10w festoon bulb.
The repeaters are W5W yellow bulbs,
The reading lights are capped (metal-based) 5w bulbs

Make sure that you get yellow repeaters, as the lenses are clear and also, don't put LED stop/tail lamps in, especially if you have cruise, as it stops the cruises system working!

Cheers,

Mike

[driveforward]

Thanks Mike :)

Malcolm had already warned me about the tail light issue, there must be a way of adding the necessary resistance into the loom to make them work OK..

[Skipton01]

It's not a resistance issue, but a non continuity issue.

Even if you put a ballast resistor in series (I've tried) the LED bulb still has no continuity, it's down to the way LEDs operate. Filaments always have continuity, until they blow!

Cheers,

Mike

[manhattan$]

Do the rear stop/tail LED bulbs cause the DIS to throw up a blown bulb alert?

[Skipton01]

Do the rear stop/tail LED bulbs cause the DIS to throw up a blown bulb alert?
They do indeed.

After long hours of experimentation, burnt fingers (thos ballast resistors do get very hot!) and no joy, I've come to the conclusion that LED tail lights are just not feasible for the A2.

They are very good as OE fitments though - have you ever seen the A6 Avant with them fitted? Great aesthetics and better safety (quicker response times) although I don't think they need to be quite as bright as they are.

Cheers,

Mike

[manhattan$]

They are very good as OE fitments though - have you ever seen the A6 Avant with them fitted? Great aesthetics and better safety (quicker response times) although I don't think they need to be quite as bright as they are.

Cheers,

Mike

Yes, i was sitting behind one at some traffic lights last week. They looked very cool

[driveforward]

They do indeed.

After long hours of experimentation, burnt fingers (thos ballast resistors do get very hot!) and no joy, I've come to the conclusion that LED tail lights are just not feasible for the A2.

They are very good as OE fitments though - have you ever seen the A6 Avant with them fitted? Great aesthetics and better safety (quicker response times) although I don't think they need to be quite as bright as they are.

Cheers,

Mike
That's a shame, but at least will save others like me the wasted time and effort! The LED lights do certainly look great, mind you, so do A6 Avants :p

[Skipton01]

LED lights look very good when purposely designed, like the A6 Avant.

When you just stick an LED replacement bulb into a unit designed for conventional bulbs, the effect is not particularly good - yes, the speed of operation is there, but you lose the defined pattern, due to the blurring of the lense (as the A2 has diffuse rear light lenses).

On other cars, which have clear lenses, the effect is much better.

Cheers,

Mike

[GrayB]

Hmm, I must be in a minority of three! I was in a car with my partner and a business colleague in Germany, talking about LEDs for signs, when we saw an A6 Avant with the LED tail lights. We all thought they looked a bit too down market / cheap for an expensive, quality car. The A8 ones are fine....

[humps]

LED lights look very good when purposely designed, like the A6 Avant.


Oh yes, I drool over those rear lights everytime! If I was to buy an A6, I would go for the Avant just for those lights!

[trex]

After long hours of experimentation, burnt fingers (thos ballast resistors do get very hot!) and no joy, I've come to the conclusion that LED tail lights are just not feasible for the A2.

Mike

How about if my A2 is not fitted with DIS or cruise? I intend to swap the standard brake bulbs with High Power Led tower type ones. Would this cause any errors?