'04 M45 LED Fogs

[xxNite]

Ssup folks,I remember discussion a while ago about replacement fog light bulbs for the 03-04 M45's and people not really getting the results they sought after (bulbs with a color temperature that match the factory HIDs)

Has anyone yet tried some of the newest LED bulb replacements. I know the light output is lower, but you at least get the look you are after. Plus I think the new higher output 1W LED's might be a better contender.

here are two examples of what I've found lately:

http://www.v-leds.com/Shop/Con...46237

and...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...57205

I'm tempted to try the former V-LED one if it actually fits the housing without being too long.

If anyone has done this already, please speak up

Thanks.

by the way, I'm Matt in Philadelphia PA. I flew to Chicago and got a Graphite Gray '04 M45 w/ 42K miles on it. The 12 hour drive from Chicago to Philly was accompanied by a huge cat-that-ate-the-canary grin on my face. Gotta love these cars.

[nmgoodthing]

Wow, those look cool. I know for a fact the white ones will probably match the HIDs in color. Most white LEDs Ive sen have a bluish tint.

What I'm wondering is how will the output be w/ the reflector design? How dim will it look? Also, what about resistors? Are they built in? LEDs uses a signifigant less amount of energy to power and something needs to absorb the 12 volts.

I'd love to see them lit up.

[Boon]

Weird, I too drove to Chicago to pick up my M45. My drive home was noooooooowhere near what I had hoped it would be. Check engine light came on, noticed the gas gauge was going up as i drove which was rather upsetting, and then I hit the MI/IN border and hit 8 degree weather and an ICE storm. The car had the factory tires still on it and they had about 10% tread wear left. I was doing 10mph and the car was still sliding out from under me. THE WORST driving expierience ever!!! It wasn't just me though every car was in the slow lane with hazards on doing 10mph. It took me an hour just to get to the next exit that was 11 miles away.

Luckily the check engine light was from the gas gauge. The dealer fixed that for me no charge even though I was out of warranty. Car has new tire and no problems anymore.

I am in love with her now. Say good night to her everynight when I lock the garage door hahaha....


Modified by Boon at 4:57 AM 3/8/2008

[nmgoodthing]

Boon, I'm hoping that was a wrong post.

That had nothing to do with this thread.

[szh]

Boon, I'm hoping that was a wrong post.

That had nothing to do with this thread.

Um ... it sorta did with some of the stuff in the first post. Take a look at the last line or two of the original post in the thread .. starting with "By the way"!

Z

[Boon]

Boon, I'm hoping that was a wrong post.

That had nothing to do with this thread.

The post police harassing us innocent posters haha jk. Was just sharing a similar experience about where he went to get the car and the not so similar drive home. Please holster your weapon.

Um ... it sorta did with some of the stuff in the first post. Take a look at the last line or two of the original post in the thread .. starting with "By the way"!

Z

What Z said. Thanks!

[nmgoodthing]

Um ... it sorta did with some of the stuff in the first post. Take a look at the last line or two of the original post in the thread .. starting with "By the way"!

Z

It would help if I read that last part huh?

Drinking and posting should not be allowed.



Sorry Boon!

[Boon]

haha np. It happens!

Definitely on topic, I think I am going to order the Fogs from ebay. I will keep you posted as to fitment and look!

[xxNite]

which ones are you ganna order, Boon? i may order the other set to get a comparison going, but I must admit I am fond of the higher priced ones with LED's pointing in a bunch of directions.

http://www.v-leds.com/Shop/Con...46237

Thanks for sharing your "from-Chicago" story... I have a "7-8" on front treads and a "3" on rear treads, so the trip wasn't that hazardous on the way to Philly, until I hit an exteme fog bank between Johnstown and neighboring counties that even had the trucks driving slow at 4AM...

[Boon]

I ordered the ones off ebay. I will take before and after pics when I get them in. You get the other ones and we can compare. Can't wait till they come in!

[Hoshtaylor]

superbrightleds.com has some H11 Fogs (the bulbs on the 2008 are H11)...I almost got them...I'm interested to see what these pics look like after you install them...

[szh]

I ordered the ones off ebay. I will take before and after pics when I get them in. You get the other ones and we can compare. Can't wait till they come in!

Before and after pictures would be outstanding!

Z

[Boon]

So I have the service manual on CD at home, and my computer at work is far to slow to look at the ones on here and now that I looked this is starting to bug me.

How do you replace the fog bulb? I looked at them this morning when I got to work and I would guess you need to un attach the whole assembly from the front bumper. Is it as easy as it sounds or no? Just a quick answer to ease my curious mind would be great.

[nmgoodthing]

Get a floor jack to make it easier.

Unbolt about 6 bolts of the plastic cover that is in between the wheel and the front bumper. Undo enough bolts so that you can pull that plastic cover down enough to see the housing from the inside.

Unscrew the 2 bolts that hold the housing to the car. Unplug the 2 wires that are attached to the housing.

Push out the whole housing through the front.

Replace H3 bulb.

Put housing back in and plug in the correct 2 wires. Test!

Secure everything back up. Takes me about 1/2 too do both. You might need to re aim also. There is a little screw for that.

First time was a pain, but after the learning curve it's way easy.

[Boon]

Awesome, thanks for the info. Should have the new bulbs this week. Will take pics at night before and after.

[szh]

Thanks for the info, Jeff!

Z

[Boon]

Should have the After pics up this weekend. Here are the before.

[xxNite]

Mannnnnn... I can't wait to see how it looks! Great job Boon! Great job, Jeff!I will be replacing the license plate lights with LED bulbs since one of my incandescants burned out... Too bad the "before" picture opportunity would not look good with only one light working, but the "after" shot should be nice. I'm placing my order next week. so I'll submit pics when they arrive.Here's what I am putting in for the license plate frame lights:

http://www.v-leds.com/Shop/Con...32481

[szh]

I will be replacing the license plate lights with LED bulbs since one of my incandescants burned out... Too bad the "before" picture opportunity would not look good with only one light working, but the "after" shot should be nice.

How about replacing the burn-out one first, and then taking a picture that night before you replace the other incandescent (the next morning maybe)?!? That would give us a nice comparison image, although much more work for you, so I can appreciate if you don't want to do this (don't put the bumper back on that first night perhaps)!!!

Z

[akliquid]

Be careful with these flank bulbs because on my car the bulb plugs in the vertical position so the light actually faces to the side.
Modified by akliquid at 8:59 AM 3/13/2008

[Boon]

How about replacing the burn-out one first, and then taking a picture that night before you replace the other incandescent (the next morning maybe)?!? That would give us a nice comparison image, although much more work for you, so I can appreciate if you don't want to do this (don't put the bumper back on that first night perhaps)!!!

Z

Or I could just take a picture of mine with the factory bulbs in it, then he could post his with the leds. And we could compare the two? That would work!

[xxNite]

Be careful with these flank bulbs because on my car the bulb plugs in the vertical position so the light actually faces to the side.

Modified by akliquid at 8:59 AM 3/13/2008

aw damn... If you have an '03-'04 M45, you may be right. The only reason I chose the Flank bulb is because I thought (especially by looking in the car manual) that the bulbs would face either up or down, not to the side? Please tell me you are sure of their positioning, otherwise I'll have to order another type of 194 bulb. they have so many different styles...

There is no real reflector in the housing, the interior has a white housing back where the bulb plugs in and steel throughout the rest. Getting an LED bulb that floods light in the proper direction is key, so if the bulb actually plug in vertically, the flank bulb is pointing in the wrong direction. I swear it looked like they are in horizontally when peering through the clear bottom?

Fill us in.

Thanks

[akliquid]

I had some extra flank LED bulbs so I tried putting them in the license plate. Saw that they were to the side, so I didn't use them.

[Hoshtaylor]

Ssup folks,I remember discussion a while ago about replacement fog light bulbs for the 03-04 M45's and people not really getting the results they sought after (bulbs with a color temperature that match the factory HIDs)

Has anyone yet tried some of the newest LED bulb replacements. I know the light output is lower, but you at least get the look you are after. Plus I think the new higher output 1W LED's might be a better contender.

here are two examples of what I've found lately:

http://www.v-leds.com/Shop/Con...46237

and...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors...57205

I'm tempted to try the former V-LED one if it actually fits the housing without being too long.

If anyone has done this already, please speak up

Thanks.

by the way, I'm Matt in Philadelphia PA. I flew to Chicago and got a Graphite Gray '04 M45 w/ 42K miles on it. The 12 hour drive from Chicago to Philly was accompanied by a huge cat-that-ate-the-canary grin on my face. Gotta love these cars.

any pics yet...???

[Boon]

Not yet. I haven't recieved the lights yet. Hopefully I will get them today and might be able to get them on tonight. As soon as they are in there will be pics up that night.............

[Boon]

Survey says XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Lights would not even light up. Tried both bulbs then just stuck the factory one back in.

I tried my damnest to not touch the factory bulb with my fat fingers but im sure I failed. We will find out in a month or so.

Good thing is its a simple install and I am now a seasoned vet haha.

*Edit* I decided to hook these up to the battery itself to test them out and wow. They work, and they could possibly be sufficient fog lights for my R/C car.......... maybe.
Modified by Boon at 6:42 PM 3/20/2008

[nmgoodthing]

Sounds like they might need load resistors unless you didn't hook the correct wires together, but I think they have pretty distinctive plug ins.

[xxNite]

Boon,Sorry to hear that they did not work. Do you think the other bulbs in the post a little higher up will fit into the factory fog enclosure? They sure are long with those 9 LEDs pointing in every direction. You had the fogs apart, will they fit? Whadduya think?

[nmgoodthing]

I have a feeling that the shield that's inside the housing is going to block the light from these LED's anyway. It was designed for an short stubby H3 bulb.

[Boon]

Sounds like they might need load resistors unless you didn't hook the correct wires together, but I think they have pretty distinctive plug ins.

Yea, I am pretty knowledgable about cars, even if I wasn't it is pretty much a no brainer. Bulb only goes in one way and wires only hook in one way.

Boon,Sorry to hear that they did not work. Do you think the other bulbs in the post a little higher up will fit into the factory fog enclosure? They sure are long with those 9 LEDs pointing in every direction. You had the fogs apart, will they fit? Whadduya think?

I realized that the problem with the bulbs is that they just aren't powerfull enough. I kinda was worried about them seeing as how they say 1w High Power LED. I was thinking WOW, they managed to come out with a high powered fog that is only 1W........ yea, not so much.

The light that emits from the bulb is not sufficient, and I don't see the 9 LED ones doing the trick either. They would probably fit, but I just don't see the light being enough to do what is needed.

I did order new ones yesterday though, some 8500K Blue Halogans that are suppose to be the only DOT approved ones of thier kind. $20 on Ebay, will take pics once they are in. Should be next weekend.