How To Convert Reverse lights to LED

[robz32]

Alright guys as promised. Here is the how to guide to replace your reverse halogen bulbs with LED's.

Here are the tools you will be using.

2- Plastic panel remover tools (A thin one and a medium one, can use only one, but just in case you need to pry a bit harder)
1- Ratchet
1- 10mm Socket
1- Needle nose plier
1- Ratchet extension
1- Pair of 921 base T10 LEDs (I purchased mine form HERE)

Light Panel Removal
First you need to open the hatch
After the hatch is fully open, you need to identify the two covers that will give you access to the connectors and nuts holding the light panel to the hatch.

They look like this.

After you have identified the two cover (one for each side). You will the take your thin panel remover tool and insert it in the small opening on the cover.

NOTE: It requires some force to pop it out. You can help it with the medium panel remover.

Having taken the cover off. You should now have access to the light harness and the nuts holding the light bar to the Hatch.

Should look like this

Proceed with your ratchet, extension and 10mm Socket, and remove the three (3) nuts that hold the light bar on EACH SIDE. (Circled in RED)

After you have removed the nuts on both sides (Total of six nuts).
You can now proceed to disconnect the two connectors on each side.

Once the connectors have been unplugged, you can now proceed with the removal of the light bar.
To do so you will to get you plastic panel remover too and insert it on to the side of the light bar.

You feel the light bar starts coming out, apply some force to pry it out.
NOTE: DO NOT!!!...I repeat, DO NOT!! pull the light bar completely out as you will break it!!

Now that you have one side out, you can move on to the next side.

You will notice that this side will come out a bit easier. Once the other side is out, you will notice the center pops out with the rest of the light bar.
Do not worry the plastic panel remover tool will not scratch your paint as the tool is plastic and you do not need much force to pry it out.

After making sure the light bar is completely loose, you can now proceed with the removal.

Once the light bar is completely out of the car, you will need to identify the rever light bulb socket.
HINT: the one at the bottom of the photo.

Once the socket has been identified, you will then use you needle nose pliers and turn the socket a quarter of a turn to make it loose.

Then, with the socket loosen, you can pull the socket out.

NOTE: I noticed that if you cut the foam covering the cable, a little, it will make it a lot easier to pull the socket out and it will also make installation of the LED much easier.

Now with the socket out, you can proceed and pull the halogen bulb out and install you LED bulb

Once the LED has been installed you can proceed and out the socket back in place and turn it until its secured.

NOTE: Notice how I cut the foam just a little to expose a bit more wire, so I can handle the socket more comfortable. No the additional exposed wiring will not interfere with the re installation of the light bar.

Once you have done one side you can repeat the same process on the other.

Congratulations you have sucessfully installed the LED's on your reverse lights. Now follow the step of removal backwards in order to re install the light bar.

NOTE: Be very careful when installing the light bar, if you are needing to apply too much force STOP and make sure everything is lining up correctly. The light bar should, literally fall into place when everything is lined up. All you will need to do is push it a bit so that it clips back in to the holes.

Here are some comparison shots

LED Left, Halogen Right

Close up

Both LEDs. Big difference.

That is all for now guys hope you find this guide useful.

P.S Sal I tried posting to the "How To" forum but it wouldn't let me. Feel free to move.

Rob

 

[SEA Stinger]

Excellent DIY directions, @robz32! These will be very useful - my LED backup lights are being delivered tomorrow!

 

[DaJackson]

@robz32 I think your label on the rear shot comparing stock to LED is backwards. Says LED is on the right but the pic looks like it’s on the left.

When I did this I didn’t need to pry the light bar out, just grabbing it on both sides it slid right out.

Also DO NOT use a screw driver or anything metal to pry the panels in the hatch. That plastic is very soft (as all interior trim is) and will damage easily.

 

[Falaris]

@robz32 Excellent write up! Thank you for the time and thoroughness.


-Fal

 

[eflyguy]

I can't believe they would have an owner take out such a fragile part to change a freaking bulb! The cover on my Sorento exposes the bulb holders themselves, it's a 30 second job to change out. I even checked the Stinger owners manual and, sure enough, that's the procedure.

 

[derek0609]

I can't believe they would have an owner take out such a fragile part to change a freaking bulb! The cover on my Sorento exposes the bulb holders themselves, it's a 30 second job to change out. I even checked the Stinger owners manual and, sure enough, that's the procedure.

I thought the same thing.

 

[Brian Keenan]

Alright guys as promised. Here is the how to guide to replace your reverse halogen bulbs with LED's.

Here are the tools you will be using.

2- Plastic panel remover tools (A thin one and a medium one, can use only one, but just in case you need to pry a bit harder)
1- Ratchet
1- 10mm Socket
1- Needle nose plier
1- Ratchet extension
1- Pair of 921 base T10 LEDs (I purchased mine form HERE)

Light Panel Removal
First you need to open the hatch
After the hatch is fully open, you need to identify the two covers that will give you access to the connectors and nuts holding the light panel to the hatch.

They look like this.

After you have identified the two cover (one for each side). You will the take your thin panel remover tool and insert it in the small opening on the cover.

NOTE: It requires some force to pop it out. You can help it with the medium panel remover.

Having taken the cover off. You should now have access to the light harness and the nuts holding the light bar to the Hatch.

Should look like this

Proceed with your ratchet, extension and 10mm Socket, and remove the three (3) nuts that hold the light bar on EACH SIDE. (Circled in RED)

After you have removed the nuts on both sides (Total of six nuts).
You can now proceed to disconnect the two connectors on each side.

Once the connectors have been unplugged, you can now proceed with the removal of the light bar.
To do so you will to get you plastic panel remover too and insert it on to the side of the light bar.

You feel the light bar starts coming out, apply some force to pry it out.
NOTE: DO NOT!!!...I repeat, DO NOT!! pull the light bar completely out as you will break it!!

Now that you have one side out, you can move on to the next side.

You will notice that this side will come out a bit easier. Once the other side is out, you will notice the center pops out with the rest of the light bar.
Do not worry the plastic panel remover tool will not scratch your paint as the tool is plastic and you do not need much force to pry it out.

After making sure the light bar is completely loose, you can now proceed with the removal.

Once the light bar is completely out of the car, you will need to identify the rever light bulb socket.
HINT: the one at the bottom of the photo.

Once the socket has been identified, you will then use you needle nose pliers and turn the socket a quarter of a turn to make it loose.

Then, with the socket loosen, you can pull the socket out.

NOTE: I noticed that if you cut the foam covering the cable, a little, it will make it a lot easier to pull the socket out and it will also make installation of the LED much easier.

Now with the socket out, you can proceed and pull the halogen bulb out and install you LED bulb

Once the LED has been installed you can proceed and out the socket back in place and turn it until its secured.

NOTE: Notice how I cut the foam just a little to expose a bit more wire, so I can handle the socket more comfortable. No the additional exposed wiring will not interfere with the re installation of the light bar.

Once you have done one side you can repeat the same process on the other.

Congratulations you have sucessfully installed the LED's on your reverse lights. Now follow the step of removal backwards in order to re install the light bar.

NOTE: Be very careful when installing the light bar, if you are needing to apply too much force STOP and make sure everything is lining up correctly. The light bar should, literally fall into place when everything is lined up. All you will need to do is push it a bit so that it clips back in to the holes.

Here are some comparison shots

LED right, Halogen left

Close up

Both LEDs. Big difference.

That is all for now guys hope you find this guide useful.

P.S Sal I tried posting to the "How To" forum but it wouldn't let me. Feel free to move.

Rob

Great writeup! Thank you very much! Looks great!

 

[robz32]

@robz32 I think your label on the rear shot comparing stock to LED is backwards. Says LED is on the right but the pic looks like it’s on the left.

Corrected, Thank you

 

[Daniel @ K8 Stinger Store]

Corrected, Thank you

What's the length of the bulbs you used? I need to fit our reverse bulbs in a Stinger at some point!
50 Watt CREE LED (194 & 1156) Reverse Lights

Great write up BTW!

 

[robz32]

What's the length of the bulbs you used? I need to fit our reverse bulbs in a Stinger at some point!
50 Watt CREE LED (194 & 1156) Reverse Lights

Great write up BTW!

Length is 1.57 inches. It's slightly longer than the factory bulb.

 

[derek0609]

Here are the bulbs I used, definitely brighter than stock and only a hair longer.

 

[SEA Stinger]

Alright guys as promised. Here is the how to guide to replace your reverse halogen bulbs with LED's.
.
.
.
That is all for now guys hope you find this guide useful.

Rob

Okay, I finally got around to replacing my reverse lights. Followed @robz32's outstanding DIY directions and photos. The process was a breeze, and the results are a definite improvement.

I installed the same bulbs that @derek0609 did: Sylvania Zevo 921's. The package indicates that each LED "bulb" is 2.5 watts. The stock incandescents are 16 watts each. That implies the LEDs produce about 15% more lumens, but to me the difference seems more than that.

@robz32, thanks again for your excellent installation guide!

 

[BIGRED]

Great post! Thanks for the detailed instructions! Will have to add this to my Stinger’s “to do list”

 

[Berzerker]

Just want to say that I did this today and the end result is amazing. Just some notes regarding the swap:

- Once I unbolted the 6 bolts, the light bar came out so easily that I didn't even need to pry anything. Just pop one side out a bit, pop the other side out, then the whole thing slides out very easily.
- For prying out the plastic guards inside the trunk, I found it easiest to go around the bottom instead of the top when making your way around popping it out, it'll work out easier.

Some pics:

Alone:

Full taillights:

 

[Rango]

Changed out my reverse bulbs today also. Nice white lights backing up now. Huge thanks to robz32 for a great DIY post for the switch. On to the next mod ... window tint tomorrow.

 

[Thang]

Huge issue with my install. Had no issues taking out light bar and installing the bulbs. Issue is that I used the bulbs that RobZ32 recommended, and the LED Reverse Lights won’t shut off. In Neutral, Drive, and Park, the bulb constantly stays on. I replaced an LED bulb with one of the LED spares it came with (4-Pack) and same issue. Replaced one of the two bulbs with halogen and it worked correctly. Made both LED bulbs again and same issue, constantly on. I reverted back to the stock halogen bulbs. Something similar happened to my 2017 KIA SPORTAGE SX. It won’t let you shift out of park when the reverse bulb is replaced with LED. Will just order white halogens.

 

[BIGRED]

Anyone else having this issue? What type of bulb are you using?

 

[robz32]

Huge issue with my install. Had no issues taking out light bar and installing the bulbs. Issue is that I used the bulbs that RobZ32 recommended, and the LED Reverse Lights won’t shut off. In Neutral, Drive, and Park, the bulb constantly stays on. I replaced an LED bulb with one of the LED spares it came with (4-Pack) and same issue. Replaced one of the two bulbs with halogen and it worked correctly. Made both LED bulbs again and same issue, constantly on. I reverted back to the stock halogen bulbs. Something similar happened to my 2017 KIA SPORTAGE SX. It won’t let you shift out of park when the reverse bulb is replaced with LED. Will just order white halogens.

Sounds like a polarity issue, did you try flipping the bulbs? Does it happen when both LED's are plugged in? or only when one LED is plugged in and halogen is on the other side?

 

[Thang]

Sounds like a polarity issue, did you try flipping the bulbs? Does it happen when both LED's are plugged in? or only when one LED is plugged in and halogen is on the other side?

I'm familiar with polarity and I have modded the lighting in all 5 of my cars in the last 7 years. It happens when both are LED. No issues when one is halogen. Similar to my 2017 Sportage except that wouldn't even let me shift out of park. The Stinger will let me shift out of park but again the bulbs are on 100% of the time. Oh well, appreciate your walk through though.

 

[Thang]

Anyone else having this issue? What type of bulb are you using?

I'm using the same bulbs that RobZ32 used: https://www.amazon.com/921-912-T10-T15-12V-24V/dp/B01M13CB62/