Light bulb replacement in the light bar?

[Freyspath]

I just noticed last night that my third brake light (the light bar in the rear view window) has a bulb thats out. How do I replace it, what type of bulb is it?

The last thing I need is to be pulled over for having a "faulty brake light" lol these CHP cops are always looking for something to get you for.

thanks!

[Pwnin O'Brien]

There's four screws on the back of the plastic cover, just pull out those four screws. Pull the black plastic trim off. You should see the bases, just pull the base/bulb out of the lamp and you can pop a new one in. It's a 5min. job at most.

(From the Pathfinder Owners Manual)
Modified by Pwnin O'Brien at 5:25 PM 11/8/2009

[Chuck Tribolet]

First thing to do is try reseating the problem child bulb. If that doesn't work,your owners manual will list the bulb type.

LED replacements are available.

One more thing: It's properly called a Center High-Mounted Stop Light. CHMSL.

[Empty V]

Pwnin's instructions are perfect, just remember that you need to twist the base out of the reflector counter-clockwise(I think). I just replaced all of those bulbs 4 days ago with LED's. There's 9 of them so it can be expensive. What you're looking for is bulb # 168. If you do replace them with LEDs make sure that they're the same size as stock. These ones worked for me: WLED-xHP5

If you replace any lamps with LEDs you want the lamp to be the same color as the reflector. If you try to use a "white" LED replacement in a housing that has a red lens/cover it will end up looking orange-ish.

Billy

[Chuck Tribolet]

If you replace any lamps with LEDs you want the lamp to be the same color as the reflector. If you try to use a "white" LED replacement in a housing that has a red lens/cover it will end up looking orange-ish.

And not be as bright as it could be.

And a heads-up on a potential problem. I replaced all my brake lights with LEDsand after that, every time I hit the turn signal, the cruise control would shut off. The solution was to replace one bulb in the CHMSL with an incandescentbulb. (If you are an electrical engineer or an old-school (took the technicaltest) ham radio guy, I can give an explanation).

[Chuck Tribolet]

And one more thing to you California residents: "Fix-It tickets" are notnecessarily a freebie "find a cop and get it signed off" ticket. A lot of jurisdictionsare charging $15-25 to get them signed off, and you have to go some specificplace to get it done.

[Pwnin O'Brien]

And not be as bright as it could be.

And a heads-up on a potential problem. I replaced all my brake lights with LEDsand after that, every time I hit the turn signal, the cruise control would shut off. The solution was to replace one bulb in the CHMSL with an incandescentbulb. (If you are an electrical engineer or an old-school (took the technicaltest) ham radio guy, I can give an explanation).

I plan on changing all of my incandescent bulbs to LED's and the high-mounted stop light was the next to be converted. I'm curious as to why turning on the turn signals would deactivate the cruise control (I'm a recent CpE grad); would it just stop maintaining speed or would it turn the cruise control completely off?

[Empty V]

And not be as bright as it could be.

The 5 "High Power" LED's on the lamps I linked to are actually brighter then the stock halogen bulbs. The only issue is the orientation of the LED's on the wedge. Most of them are positioned at a slightly different rotation around the wedge base so there's a lack of uniformity. Even with that they look awesome! It's just a shame they're behind the car so I can't see them while driving.

Billy

[Chuck Tribolet]

I plan on changing all of my incandescent bulbs to LED's and the high-mounted stop light was the next to be converted. I'm curious as to why turning on the turn signals would deactivate the cruise control (I'm a recent CpE grad); would it just stop maintaining speed or would it turn the cruise control completely off?

There are appears to be a tiny bit of leakage current from the turn signals tothe brake lights. With incandescents, it just goes to ground. With LEDs, itgets held at the forward voltage drop of the LED, and that's enough for thecruise computer to think you hit the brakes, and stop maintaining speed.

I personally don't see any need to change anything but the brake lights toLED. The instant on of the LED is a safety advantage (incandescents take abouta tenth of second (that's about seven feet at freeway speeds) to turn on.

[Pwnin O'Brien]

There are appears to be a tiny bit of leakage current from the turn signals tothe brake lights. With incandescents, it just goes to ground. With LEDs, itgets held at the forward voltage drop of the LED, and that's enough for thecruise computer to think you hit the brakes, and stop maintaining speed.

I personally don't see any need to change anything but the brake lights toLED. The instant on of the LED is a safety advantage (incandescents take abouta tenth of second (that's about seven feet at freeway speeds) to turn on.

What if you just put a resistor in series with the high-mounted stop light?

Now that I think about it, the ASCD (automatic speed control device) has a dedicated brake switch mounted to the brake pedal mount. The cruise control uses this sensor to detect braking instead of monitoring the brake lamp circuit; even if there were a current leak from the turn signals it shouldn't effect the cruise control.


Modified by Pwnin O'Brien at 12:22 PM 11/9/2009

[Chuck Tribolet]

Given my theory was true, a resistor in PARALLEL with the brake lights would have fixed it, but it was easier to just swap back in one incandescent.

The FSM for my '01 says it has a separate brake (and clutch) switch for thecruise control. I'll have to see if it does. More interestingly, that circuit ispulled high by the normally closed switches. AH! I see -- the cruise computeralso looks at the stop lamp switch, so my theory holds.

[Pwnin O'Brien]

Indeed the ASCD does monitor the stop lamp circuit as well. So it seems the only way to prevent this issue is to use a resistor in parallel (besides using a standard incandescent bulb).

Has everybody else who has converted the high-mounted stop lamp to LED had the same issue?

[Empty V]

Indeed the ASCD does monitor the stop lamp circuit as well. So it seems the only way to prevent this issue is to use a resistor in parallel (besides using a standard incandescent bulb).

Has everybody else who has converted the high-mounted stop lamp to LED had the same issue?

I'll try it out tonight and will report back. I've only converted the 3rd/high mount brake light though. I'm waiting for someone to release a 92 LED dual intensity for the reg brake lights in the 7443 socket.

Billy

[slickroger]

Do any of you have before and after pics?

[Empty V]

Well it didn't cut off my cruise control but I'm only running the 3rd brake light with LED's.

Roger I'll get some after pics up for you.

Billy

[Chuck Tribolet]

A

Well it didn't cut off my cruise control but I'm only running the 3rd brake light with LED's.

Roger I'll get some after pics up for you.

Billy

As long has there's one incandescent light in the system, you won'tsee the cruise control problem. And you might not even then. Maybe it's uniqueto my truck.