Nissan LEAF Light Bulb Mods: LEDs Anyone?

[Kristis]

Im planing on ordering w5w bulbs, do we need to get them with canbus or regular will do?

[Kristis]

Found out w5w bulbs are not canbus, so... Anyone thinking about sawing a few W while making the car more attractive - choose w5w bulbs without canbus

[RRLeafEV]

Can you please prove part numbers and/or links for both the Sylvania & Philips products you used?

I'm interested in upgrading U.S. LEAFs with DRLs (both LED & non-LED versions and fog/non-fog versions).

What's your advice, plaese?

Sure. Here is what I did on my car:

Hoshi Automotive H13 LED replacements for the SV-trim halogen headlights (integrated hi/lo beams, not compatible with the OEM LED headlights). Not DOT approved, but nice clean beam pattern with sharp horizontal cutoff. No glare to oncoming traffic. I keep the original halogens in the Hoshi box in back, just in case the LED units were to unexpectedly fail (who knows, these are retrofit, not OEM).

License Plate: Philips "194LED" (two bulbs)

Interior Dome Light: Philips "FestoonLED" 30mm

Reverse Lights: Philips "921LED"

Cargo Area Light: Pilot Automotive ILC-3175AW COB LED 30mm Festoon

Be careful replacing the reverse lights... removing the rear light clusters risks scratching the body paint at the top if you aren't careful. The service manual recommends applying protective tape to the painted body around the upper part of the cluster housings just to be on the safe side. It's also a great opportunity to clean under the cluster housings - a surprising amount of dirt gets worked under them.

DRLs (not yet installed) Philips 12820WLEDX1 (DOT-approved, and a supplier to Mercedes for their DRLs). I will be using Bussman ATM Add-a-Fuse to power the lights from Fuse 21 in the IPC box and also tap the Position Lights fuse in the same box for the disable line to the Philips controller. In addition, I have found the relay-driver output that would normally control the OEM DTRL relays. That line is pulled to ground when the car is on and not in Park. If that is still functioning, I will see if I can have it drive an appropriate relay. Ultimately, I'd like to bypass the Philips controller with my own LED driver circuit and let the LEAF control the DRLs as originally intended.

Q: Have you installed your DRLs yet? If so, how did it go?

Also, could please take a couple photos of the IPC box (where is it in the car) location, and then opened to show which fuse wire is #21 for the add-a-fuse? Is this box in the cabin, requiring wire to pass through the firewall or in the fuse box on the passenger side of the 12v battery?

I ask because I used open fuse #72 (I believe that fuse box between the battery & firewall is called the BCM?) and it's the one open spot in there with a hot contact on the right side. Problem with that fuse/wire is that the DRLs (I have a brutally simple 2-wire setup (power & ground) are activated when you plug the J1772 in for charging, even when the LEAF's power is OFF. The DRLs do turn off when charging is complete, btw.

[gshepherd]

I haven't yet as I am out of town for the winter. However, when I return it is on my project list. I'd like to document the installation and results.

[Bob]

I would like to add lights that point sideways from the headlight enclosure, so I can see where I'm going when turning in the dark. Has anyone figured out how to add another lamp to the LEAF headlight enclosure pointing sideways or at an angle? I don't need 3000 lumens for this, just enough for short-distance visibility.

Thank you.

Bob

[powersurge]

I saw someone mention Hoshi h13 led bulbs.. I would NOT trust a headlight bulb that requires the heat dissipation of a 9000 RPM fan FULL-TIME for the life of the car in the sealed headlight. Sounds like a wonderful barbeque waiting to happen..

Has anyone found some nice LED headlights with "heat sink" cooling??

[alozzy]

Looking to replace dome light and interior cabin light in the trunk with LEDs. Unfortunately, most of the selections in this thread are not available via Amazon.ca

So, I need to choose between these two options:

https://www.amazon.ca/KaTur-Chipsets-Al ... ANBUS+31mm

https://www.amazon.ca/Safego-Festoon-In ... 60&sr=1-31

Would appreciate any feedback on which of the two you would choose

[alozzy]

I just popped the plastic bezels on both lights (dome and cargo) and discovered that, although the dome light is 31mm long, the cargo light is only 28mm and a smaller diameter.

So, for the cargo light, I think this one makes more sense:

https://www.amazon.ca/Autohelena-LIGHT- ... estoon+LED

Or possibly these, although there's no mention of CANBUS in the listing:

https://www.amazon.ca/SAWE-Festoon-Inte ... 2BLED&th=1

[boppo]

I saw someone mention Hoshi h13 led bulbs.. I would NOT trust a headlight bulb that requires the heat dissipation of a 9000 RPM fan FULL-TIME for the life of the car in the sealed headlight. Sounds like a wonderful barbeque waiting to happen..

Has anyone found some nice LED headlights with "heat sink" cooling??

I bought my H13 from headlight experts, lifetime warranty, free shipping, and a 10.00 off when you order on their site.
Pricey at 89.99 but now fan and they work great.

[Eggroller]

I have been steadily replacing all of the incandescent bulbs on my '13 SV w/LED headlights.

I found the following lights are likely NOT CANbus since I used generic 5500k LEDs:

• License lights
• Running lights (the ones in the high beam)
• Running lights (the Amber ones on the side of the headlights). I recommend Amber bulbs here. My white bulbs wash it out.
• Interior light (festoon bulb triggered by the doors)
• Hatch light (festoon bulb triggered by the rear hatch)

Next bulbs to be replaced:

• High beams. I just ordered the Morimoto H9 2 stroke LED kit.
• Front signal bulbs. Ordered Morimoto 3157 Amber. These are CANbus and most likely need to put the resistor in there.
• Rear signal bulbs. I will order the 7440 Amber. These are CANbus and most likely need to put the resistor in there.
• Backup light bulbs. I will order high power 921 'projector' 5500k LEDs. These should not be CANbus.

I believe that will convert my car to entirely LED.