LED Tail Lights

[84Vert]

So my wife's tail light goes out in her Mercury. No problem I will just replace the bulb. No bulb, LED's. So she takes it to the dealer, they call and tell her $550 to replace it including labor. We quickly say no. I call another dealer and ask how much is the part, the parts guy asks if I have checked a junk yard. I tell him no and he says you may want to the new light is $448.

I surf the internet and find 2 at salvage yards. One is cracked and they want $225 and the other is chipped and is only $200!

I turn to EBay, a dealer in Ohio is selling one for $272. So I order it. I can do the 4 bolts that hold it in.

So the argument that LED's over time are so much cheaper because they last longer does not really work this time. The previous model car that used regular bulbs the tail light assemble is only $65 for a difference of about $210. I do not think I have spent that much on light bulbs in my life. I will take a part the old one and see if I can fix it also.

[CalAltaDubber]

YIKES! That sounds like highway robbery.

I'm interested to find out if the LEDs are replaceable in the assembly.

In the end it will be a good "how to".

[Briano1234]

YIKES! That sounds like highway robbery.

I'm interested to find out if the LEDs are replaceable in the assembly.

In the end it will be a good "how to".

With you if they ain't they will be.

[84Vert]

I don't believe it is the actual LED bulbs. There is a small circuit board in there and I believe that a component of the circuit board has burned out.

[CalAltaDubber]

I don't believe it is the actual LED bulbs. There is a small circuit board in there and I believe that a component of the circuit board has burned out.

Got a photo?
I'm finding this very interesting.

[84Vert]

I will get some pictures and post them for you

[84Vert]

Here are the pictures. After removing all of the screws the assembly does not come apart. The red lens is glued to the white housing and when you try to separate them it cracks the red lens. You can see the back side of the circuit board in one of the pictures

[kamzcab86]

So the argument that LED's over time are so much cheaper because they last longer does not really work this time.

LED's in and of themselves are, in the long run, cheaper (I'm so done with buying incandescent low voltage bulbs; damn things don't last long at all!). It's when you combine said LEDs into a light housing that also uses a circuit board, such as ceiling fan lights and car lights, that LED's become outrageously expensive. In the old days, and to borrow A/V terms, vehicles used component systems; now they're using composite systems. While absurd, I'm not at all surprised to see the dealer charging $500 for one light... that's a major caveat to buying a new car and one reason newer cars are so quick to be totaled in a minor accident.

A lot of times with circuit boards, it's just a weak solder point that's failed; re-soldering the connection will often fix the issue.

[CalAltaDubber]

I assume then, the screws in the white part of the assembly must be holding interior components in place.

From what you have posted, this unit is not meant to be repaired. Let's face it, car dealers really just like to quickly swap out parts rather than repair something. You have mentioned you have bought a replacement.

Are you willing to try to modify this one in order to remove the cct board?

If you are, I think this may be a great "how to" that will save some people grief in the future.

[Briano1234]

Dremmel the hole larger to get the board out, then flue it back with JB-Weld.

[84Vert]

Yes, I am going to take it apart and see what is up with it. I agree that LED's in themselves are cheap. I have strips of about 10 that are for auto or marine or camping use. They work great with a small 9 volt battery or a car 12 volt battery and the best part was they were 50 cents each including shipping from China!

Gone are the days when a mechanic could actually diagnose a problem without plugging it in to a computer. But we got worse gas milage and had less horsepower back then.. Oh well we also had party lines and phones with diaqls on them:)

[Briano1234]

Yes, I am going to take it apart and see what is up with it. I agree that LED's in themselves are cheap. I have strips of about 10 that are for auto or marine or camping use. They work great with a small 9 volt battery or a car 12 volt battery and the best part was they were 50 cents each including shipping from China!

Gone are the days when a mechanic could actually diagnose a problem without plugging it in to a computer. But we got worse gas milage and had less horsepower back then.. Oh well we also had party lines and phones with diaqls on them:)

In my 67 MG I got 55mpg @55mph consistantly.
Had a Rover that went 150mph@23mpg
No frigging computers Real Points and Condensers, Twin SU Carbs.

Didn't need a Mechanic.... A Cresent Wrench and a hammer fixed most issues...
The First Phone that I can remember had a Crank on it. It is still in my parents house hanging on the wall.