Finally! Pleasing, Warm LEDs for Interior (1 Viewer)

[Markuson]

So why LED? What's the big deal?

For one: Power consumption.

The stock bulbs are 8 watts each.
That's 80 watts!
-All 10 LEDs together? only 10 watts total at 1 watt each x10.
That very reassuring when it comes to long nights of battery use when camping, etc.

Second: Brighter, more useful light. With aging eyes...reading in dim light makes it worse because your pupils open wide...and focus is literally more difficult.

But like many of you here, I HATE the COLD, bluish "school cafeteria" look/feel of most LEDs.

$10 gets you a great solution for your entire interior! (Actually $12 worth, as you really need 12 of them...so I'm buying a second set of 10...which will give me some extra, should I someday discover they can fail...)

Main barriers:
1. LEDs are often TOO bright
2. Almost always to BLUE & artificial looking
3. Poor quality & runs hot
(NOTE... NONE of the LEDs I tested ran nearly as hot as the stock bulbs)

Anyway... I tried 4 different types...and... HATED all but one of them.

The best news?! The CHEAPEST ones...have turned out to be
PERFECT at only ONE DOLLAR per light (9.99 for 10 on Amazon).

-Brighter, but nowhere close to blinding.
-Pleasing warm tone at 4000k, more like a moderately brighter standard bulb
-Super Low Power Consumption
-NO HEAT production AT ALL (you can touch them while on and feel NO HEAT at all).

Here's a shot of both GOOD ones: (I have the unit hanging from ceiling here...)

This is a better representation of the natural warm look of them...

They look even better at night...and you would not guess they are LEDs when you see them.
Just clean, efficient, natural-looking light...that's brother than stock...but not too bright.

Here's a comparison of two different LEDs...with the more harsh LED on top...that is too blue, , blindingly bright...and the more pleasing LED below it:

For some reason, this pic made the good ones look too yellow...but in person, they are great.

DOORS TOO: They also work extremely well in the door lights!

So... for 10 bucks ($20 if you want all 12, which would include the second map lights of the 2nd row seating lights that only come on with a button press-- and 8 spares)...you can replace the 4 bulbs in front console...the 4 in the second row ceiling...and two of the doors! I'm going to grab one more set to complete the other two doors, and keep some extras.

NOTE: The only thing I needed to do involved the 2nd row mounts...which required that I slightly pull the little wires on each unit hug the plastic insert outward...because they hugged their housing a bit too closely for the peculiarities of those particular housings. So...I slighting angled the wire away from its own housing and they all worked perfectly. These wires are much like small christmas tree lights...where if you pull them, there is a wire on either side of the plastic inner. Just like that. No trouble at all...and all the other mounts worked as is.

Anyway... I totally get those of you who HATE harsh LED light. I do too!! But these are great.
10 bucks (or $20 for enough for extra map lights +8 extra)... A very inexpensive thing to try. I think you'll be pleased.

Here's a link to Amazon for those interested:
Amazon.com: Zone Tech 10x WARM WHITE High Power LED Car Lights Bulb: Automotive

Try them...you like them...

 

[Angelo1]

Great, thanks. I'll look into it for my rig

 

[arich]

Sub

 

[BTUMAN]

Glad you did the homework for us on these. Great job. I'm like you on the white LEDs.

 

[Markuson]

Glad you did the homework for us on these. Great job. I'm like you on the white LEDs.

The only bulb I haven't yet solved is the rear cargo light. It is woefully dim by default...and just about any LED is going to be brighter.
Right now the challenge is finding one that's a pleasing warmer tone...and one which fits the very short socket in the rear, which is completely different from the other interior lights.

When I find a good match that is similarly pleasing, I'll update here.

 

[blackoutz]

Just ordered them. Thank you for the write up!!

Blaine

 

[Markuson]

Just ordered them. Thank you for the write up!!

Blaine

It's kind of buried in my write up...but if you want to include the two extra reading lights in the second row (that are used only with a button press), and all doors, you'll want another set of 10 for a total of 12 in the vehicle. But this gives you a nice set of 8 back-ups in case you break one or something...

In other words... Order 2 sets.

 

[MEMCruiser]

I am trying this tonight. I got the two screws removed but having problem with the rear. Is there a way to release the clips or do you just pull till they release?

 

[Markuson]

I am trying this tonight. I got the two screws removed but having problem with the rear. Is there a way to release the clips or do you just pull till they release?

If you mean second row...get a thin, flat screwdriver. Look for two edge indentations. The covers just pop out.

If you mean the back cargo light...it is similar, but is the one bulb that is different style and won't take these LEDs.

Note: on second row...the sockets are a bit fiddle...but this is solved by simply bending the tiny wire on each side of the LED outward slightly...much like on those smal Christmas tree lights.

Also... Some light sockets are must be inserted only one way. So if it doesn't light up...just flip it and try again.

-The door light covers pop out most easily if you pry upward from the lower edge.

 

[MEMCruiser]

I meant the rear part of the first row of lights, the panel clips. I have the screws removed from the sunglass holder but the rear clips for the first row seem a little hard. I don't feel like breaking the whole panel just to swap out lights that are working fine.

 

[Markuson]

I meant the rear part of the first row of lights, the panel clips. I have the screws removed from the sunglass holder but the rear clips for the first row seem a little hard. I don't feel like breaking the whole panel just to swap out lights that are working fine.

Ohhh! Ya, I had the same worry. But don't worry.

Once you have removed the screws and the front is loose...pull downward with equal, strong pressure at the rear and it will come out. Once you pull it off...you'll see that all you are working against are two clip-screws (whatever they are actually called) that have to expand for you to pull them out.

 

[beretta]

Did you find any 'white' bulbs that aren't blue, but not warm like the ones above?

 

[Markuson]

Did you find any 'white' bulbs that aren't blue, but not warm like the ones above?

I actually would say they are "whiter" than the photo (I noted this in the comparison photo above, how it made it look more yellow in the picture than reality)...but definitely not blue (which I do not care for). I've been extremely happy with these. Brighter, but not WIDLY so...not blinding or harsh, but definitely brighter, and MUCH more efficient. The price is tiny, too, so if you don't like them for some reason...it's not exactly a big expenditure.

 

[xkennx]

You were talking about using the lights while camping.

Just a heads up if you go with a yellow light instead of white it will not attract as many bugs. Here in the middle east I go camping alot and when the bugs come out they REALLY come out. - At first i didnt believe the myths about yellow lights, but during this last season i noticed the yellow light did not have anywhere the bug action as those other people that were using white lights.

 

[streetroamer]

I would love to have the same on my rig.

 

[OptimusPrime]

So these bulbs sound great but they don't fit in the rear cargo light - Does anyone know of a similar color light that would work there? Ideally something available individually on Amazon... I just bought my '99 and the lights are unacceptably dim. I'm looking for a total solution that will give ample interior light while out on the trail, camping, in the middle of the night. The Pfran lights seem like a great package but 1) they're a little pricey and 2) they seem to be of the harsh white variety...

 

[luke27617]

So these bulbs sound great but they don't fit in the rear cargo light - Does anyone know of a similar color light that would work there? Ideally something available individually on Amazon... I just bought my '99 and the lights are unacceptably dim. I'm looking for a total solution that will give ample interior light while out on the trail, camping, in the middle of the night. The Pfran lights seem like a great package but 1) they're a little pricey and 2) they seem to be of the harsh white variety...

vleds . com they have many choices from shallow to deep, round to flat, etc.... I have been using them for years. My LC is fully converted to all LEDs including all my other cars.

 

[Markuson]

So these bulbs sound great but they don't fit in the rear cargo light - Does anyone know of a similar color light that would work there? Ideally something available individually on Amazon... I just bought my '99 and the lights are unacceptably dim. I'm looking for a total solution that will give ample interior light while out on the trail, camping, in the middle of the night. The Pfran lights seem like a great package but 1) they're a little pricey and 2) they seem to be of the harsh white variety...

Right. These lights work in all four doors, and all interior light sockets except the cargo light.

But...
I'm not sure what you're after. Why does it need to be a package deal?
These lights are ridiculously cheap, and look GREAT...feel just right to me.
But if you are looking for SUPER bright? These are [EDIT: NOT] those. I don't like being blinded while driving, so I was looking for natural-looking LED light that was brighter...but not blinding.

The rear light is a separate purchase...yes. For for about $10, you can put these in every other spot.
For the rear, I used this:

http://www.amazon.com/LEDKINGDOMUS-...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

Very inexpensive, and easily brighter than stock.

M

 

[OptimusPrime]

vleds . com they have many choices from shallow to deep, round to flat, etc.... I have been using them for years. My LC is fully converted to all LEDs including all my other cars.

Right. These lights work in all four doors, and all interior light sockets except the cargo light.

But...
I'm not sure what you're after. Why does it need to be a package deal?
These lights are ridiculously cheap, and look GREAT...feel just right to me.
But if you are looking for SUPER bright? These are those. I don't like being blinded while driving, so I was looking for natural-looking LED light that was brighter...but not blinding.

The rear light is a separate purchase...yes. For for about $10, you can put these in every other spot.
For the rear, I used this:

http://www.amazon.com/LEDKINGDOMUS-...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00

Very inexpensive, and easily brighter than stock.

M

Thanks for the response Luke and thanks for the response and link Markuson. I'm not too well versed in light bulb compatabilities, so thank you for pointing me in the right direction here. I'll draw from your suggestions when picking out lights for my 100.

 

[Markuson]

Thanks for the response Luke and thanks for the response and link Markuson. I'm not too well versed in light bulb compatabilities, so thank you for pointing me in the right direction here. I'll draw from your suggestions when picking out lights for my 100.

I goofed and left out a word in my response. See edit above.
Says these are super bright... I left out the word NOT... They are not SUPER bright...but are definitely brighter than stock, and use only 1/10th the power.