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3157 Selection and Installation Tips

Which 3157 Leds Should I get?

For best results, match the led color to the lens color (ie: use red leds in red lenses, amber leds in amber lenses and white leds in clear lenses.

Led brightness and performance  will vary depending on the housing and lens design.  Leds are not always brighter than stock glass bulbs.  For best performance in most housings, use the tower style leds.  The more expensive ones are brighter.

Leds are preferred ,mainly for the vivid colors, low current draw (power consumption 90% less than glass bulbs) and instant on capability.  The instant on and off capability can be quite dramatic at highway speeds for brake and turn signal detection at higher speeds.

Check here for the stopping distance comparisons for led bulbs compared to incandescent bulbs:

http://www2.wwnorton.com/college/chemistry/chemconnections/BlueLight/pages/hp/an1155-3.pdf

 

Which Type of 3157 Sockets do you Have?

Most vehicles will require a conventionally wired 3157 led bulb.  If you are not sure, you may have to use an ohmmeter meter to check which two terminals in your socket are connected to the - Ground.  

As you can see in the image to the right, a conventionally wired socket will have two - ground contacts positioned on either side of the wedge base.  If your socket is wired this way, use the conventionally wired 3157 led bulbs.

There are some vehicles which are wired in a non-conventional manner.  These are wired in a "CK" manner.  As you can see in the image to the right, the CK sockets have the two - ground contacts side by side on the same side of the wedge base.  If your socket is wired this way, you will need to use the specially wired 3157 CK bulbs.

3157 Bulb Wiring 3157 SRCK CK LED Bulb Wiring Tail Light Brake Light Turn Signal
3157 Led Conventional Wiring 3157 Filament Bulb Wiring 3157 Led CK Wiring

Note: Use Special 3157-SRCK (Red) or SACK (Amber) bulbs to replace the center tail lamp bulbs on these and other vehicles:

  •  88-95-01 Cavalier and Sunfire tail lamp bulbs

  • 92-98 Grand Am tail lamp bulbs

and Toyota Tundra front turn signals

Use the regular 3157 bulbs for the top tail lamp bulb.  

  • 88-99 (Old Body Style) Chevy and GMC full size trucks & SUVs.

  •  95-01 Cavalier and Sunfire tail lamp bulbs

  • 92-98 Grand Am tail lamp bulbs

How to determine if the bulb is faulty or the vehicle circuitry is just not functioning with the led bulbs in place.

Installing led bulbs is not always a "plug and play" operation.  Although we have devised our patented circuitry with as much logic as possible to allow it to plug and play in many vehicles, it is not possible to design the 3157 led bulbs to plug and play in 100% of all vehicles.

In order to properly diagnose and fix problems, it is essential to isolate bulb related problems from circuit related problems.   It is never a good idea to plug and led bulb into a vehicles circuit to test the led bulb.  This is testing both the led bulb and the circuit at the same time.  This method of testing will make it impossible to isolate problems with the bulb from problems with the circuit. 

It is always recommended that if the bulb is not working in the circuit, test the led bulb using two wires connected direct to battery or any other known 12 volt DC power source.  This is the only way an led bulb can be isolated from the circuit related problems and properly tested.

3157 SRCK CK LED Bulb Wiring Tail Light Brake Light Turn Signal

How to fix circuit related problems.

OK you plugged your new led bulbs in and they "don't work".  The bulb must be defective, right?  WRONG!  

First... Did you test the bulbs as described above?  If not, you need to test the bulbs only.  Use the diagrams shown above to test the bulbs.  It is best to use two wires that are connected direct to battery to test the bulbs.  If you did not test the bulb as prescribed, you will never figure out if the problem is with the bulb or the circuit or the installation.  Never assume the bulb must be bad.  99.8% of the time, the led bulbs are working as they should, but the circuitry is just not set up to operate properly with an led bulb. The odds that you received a non-functional LED bulb is very unlikely....less that 1 in 500.

99% of the time, the circuit related issues can be overcome, but it may take some extra effort and/or some minor wiring changes to get the 3157 led bulbs to work in some vehicles.

Here is a list of some common symptoms and fixes for automotive circuitry:

Symptom Fix
The 3157 led bulb causes a fuse to pop whenever I switch on the lights or when I switch on the turn signal or when I apply the brake pedal.  As soon as I remove the led bulbs, the fuses do not pop.  You are using the conventionally wired 3157 led bulbs in a CK socket.  You can either swap the wires to the socket or use the specially wires CK led bulbsDon't forget to replace the fuse!
The glass filament style bulbs light fine, but the 3157 led bulb will not light when I switch on the headlights. A.  The led bulb may be inserted backwards.  Remove the bulb, rotate 180 degrees and reinsert.

B.  The led bulb contacts may not be making solid electric contact with metal contacts in the socket.  Check the contacts on the bulbs and socket.  Realign or adjust as needed.  Reseat the bulb.

C.  Are you sure the filament bulb still works?  Often in the process of installing, you can pop a fuse or lose a wire/connection to the socket.  Always use the glass bulb or a voltage meter to verify there is at least +12 volts to the socket. 

D.  In some vehicles some automotive circuits will not fully energize the circuit, or pulse current to the bulbs to check to see if the bulb is burned out.  Since the leds draw 90% less power than the glass bulbs, these circuits do not switch on full voltage , or will not stay on when the led bulb is inserted.  This can be corrected by installing one 6 ohm load equalizer across the circuit at each led bulb.  This will add more load to the circuit and make the full 12 volt power switch on.   In this instance, the glass bulb will make the power switch on, but the led bulb by itself will not make the full 12 volts switch on.  

This creates the illusion that the led bulb is at fault when in fact there is not 12 volts at the connection when the led bulb is inserted.

The glass filament style bulbs work fine, but the 3157 led bulb will not light when I switch on the turn signals. A.  The led bulb may be inserted backwards.  Remove the bulb, rotate 180 degrees and reinsert.

B.  The led bulb contacts may not be making solid electric contact with metal contacts in the socket.  Check the contacts on the bulbs and socket.  Realign or adjust as needed.  Reseat the bulb.

C.  Are you sure the filament bulb still works?  Often in the process of installing, you can pop a fuse or lose a wire/connection to the socket.  Always use the glass bulb or a voltage meter to verify there is at least +12 volts to the socket. 

D.  In some vehicles some automotive circuits will not fully energize the circuit, or pulse current to the bulbs to check to see if the bulb is burned out.  Since the leds draw 90% less power than the glass bulbs, these circuits do not switch on full voltage , or will not stay on when the led bulb is inserted.  This can be corrected by installing one 6 ohm load equalizer across the circuit at each led bulb.  This will add more load to the circuit and make the full 12 volt power switch on.   In this instance, the glass bulb will make the power switch on, but the led bulb by itself will not make the full 12 volts switch on.  

This creates the illusion that the led bulb is at fault when in fact there is not 12 volts at the connection when the led bulb is inserted.

The glass filament style bulbs work fine, but the led bulb will not blink or blinks rapidly when I switch on the turn signals.

With many flashers, led bulbs will cause the turns signals to flash rapidly, or not flash at all.  

If using led bulbs for turn signal applications, or in vehicles with bulb-out warning systems, like Mercedes, BMW and others, you may need to add load equalizers.    

For led turn signals, you can change the flasher out using one of our new patented combination led/oem bulb flashers.  Most electronic flashers are not the same as an led flasher.   Many electronic flashers do not necessarily work with led bulbs, unless they are led flashers.

If we do not have an led flasher that matches your flasher, use two 6 ohm equalizers for two front, or two rear led turn signal bulbs.

Place one load equalizer at each led turn signal bulb location.    For turn signal led bulbs, the equalizer must be spliced across the - ground wire and the + turn signal wire feeding each led bulb.

More details on load equalizers and led flashers can be found at:    

http://superbrightbulbs.com/equalizers.htm

I get a bulb-out warning on my dashboard when I install the led bulb. 

If your vehicle is equipped with an electronic bulb-out warning system, then any led bulb used in a bulb position that is monitored by the electronic bulb-out warning system will likely trigger an electronic bulb-out warning. 

Not all bulbs are monitored by the electronic bulb-out warning systems. To test to see if a bulb is monitored by an electronic bulb-out system, you can remove the bulb to see if you get a warning, 

To stop the electronic bulb-out warnings, install a load equalizer across the + and - wires that feed each led bulb that is causing an electronic bulb-out warning.  Use one 6 ohm at each led bulb  that is 3/4" diameter and larger.  More details on load equalizers can be found at:    

http://superbrightbulbs.com/equalizers.htm

I get a ABS warning light and/or my cruise control is not working after I installed the led bulb in my brake lights.  

In some vehicles, any led bulb used in the brake light positions may trigger an ABS warning light and disable the ABS braking system and or the cruise control.   

To correct this, install a load equalizer across the + brake light wire and - ground wire that feed each led brake lights bulb.  Use one 6 ohm at each led bulb  that is 3/4" diameter and larger.  More details on load equalizers can be found at:    

http://superbrightbulbs.com/equalizers.htm


Automotive Replacement  Bulbs: Other Products: Reference:
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3157 3156  3457 4157 3057 Wedge Tail-Brake-Turn Signal & Back-Up Bulbs Lights For the Home, Yard & Garden Cross Reference
7443 7440 Wedge Tail-Brake-Turn Signal & Back-Up Bulbs Electrical Contacts, Sockets, Connectors & Fuses Technical Data
194 168 2825 W5W Wedge Side Marker License Plate &  Interior Bulbs Light Bright NEON Glow Wire Bulb Dimensions
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3022 3122 561 578 6418 6411 Festoon Dome Bulbs LED & Neon Light Tubes Application Charts
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6 Volt Antique - Vintage Bulbs  & 24 volt Windshield Washer LEDS  
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Xenon Plasma Super Hyper White Bulbs Miniature Train Bulbs & Parts  
G4 T10 2 Pin Bi- Pin High Powered Leds  
Semi, Truck & Truck Trailer Leds   Universal Programmable Remote Controllers & Switches for Garage Openers.  
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  LVD Electromagnetic Induction Bulbs  
     

These Bulbs are Commonly Used in: Acura CL Integra Legend MDX NSX RL RSX SLX TL TSX Vigor Alfa Romeo Spider AMC Aston Martin Audi A3 A4 A6 A8 Allroad Cabriolet Q7 RS4 RS6 S4 S6 S8 TT Austin Austin Healey Bentley BMW 2002 3 Series 5 Series 6 Series 7 Series 8 Series M3 M5 M6 M Roadster & Coupe X3 X5 Z3 Z4 Z8 Buick Century Electra Grand National Lacrosse LeSabre Lucerne Park Avenue Rainier Reatta Regal Rendezvous Riviera Roadmaster Skylark Cadillac Allante Catera CTS DeVille Eldorado Escalade Fleetwood Seville SRX STS XLR Chevrolet Astro Avalanche Aveo Bel Air/150/210 Blazer C/K Pickup 1500 C/K Pickup 2500 C/K Pickup 3500 C-10 Camaro Caprice Cavalier Chevelle Cheyenne Cobalt Colorado Corsica Corvair Corvette El Camino Equinox Express G20 Van HHR Impala Lumina Malibu Monte Carlo Nova S-10 Silverado 1500 Silverado 2500 Silverado 3500 SSR Suburban Tahoe Tracker Trailblazer Uplander Venture Pickups Chrysler 300 Series Aspen Cirrus Concorde Crossfire Imperial LeBaron LHS New Yorker Newport Pacifica Prowler PT Cruiser Royal Sebring Town & Country Citroen Cord Daewoo Datsun Z-Series DeLorean DeSoto Dodge Avenger Caliber Caravan Challenger Charger Coronet Dakota Dart Durango Grand Caravan Intrepid Lancer Magnum Neon Nitro Power Wagon Ram 1500 Ram 2500 Ram 3500 Ram Van Shadow Sprinter Stealth Stratus Viper Pickups Eagle Edsel Ferrari 360 Fiat Ford Aerostar Aspire Bronco Bronco II Contour Crown Victoria Edge Escape Escort E-Series Van Excursion Expedition Explorer Explorer Sport Explorer Sport Trac F-100 F-150 F-250 F-350 Fairlane Fairmont Falcon Five Hundred Focus Ford GT Freestar FreeStyle Fusion Galaxie Model A Model T Mustang Probe Ranchero Ranger Taurus Tempo Thunderbird Torino Windstar Geo GMC Envoy Jimmy Safari Savana Sierra 1500 Sierra 2500 Sierra 3500 Sonoma Suburban Typhoon Yukon Honda Accord Civic CR-V CRX Del Sol Element Fit Insight Odyssey Passport Pilot Prelude Ridgeline S2000 Hummer H1 H2 H3 Hyundai Accent Azera Elantra Santa Fe Sonata Tiburon Tucson Infiniti FX G20 G35 I30 I35 J30 M Q45 QX4 QX56 International Harvester Scout Isuzu Amigo Rodeo Trooper VehiCROSS Jaguar E-Type S-Type XJ6 XJ8 XJR XJS XK8 X-Type Jeep Cherokee CJ Commander Commando Grand Cherokee Liberty Renegade Wagoneer Wrangler Kia Rio Sedona Sephia Sorento Spectra Sportage Lamborghini Lancia Land Rover Defender Discovery Freelander LR3 Range Rover Lexus ES GS GX IS LS LX RX SC Lincoln Aviator Continental LS Mark Series Navigator Town Car Zephyr & MKZ Lotus Elise Esprit Maserati Mazda 323 626 929 B-Series Pickups CX-7 Mazda3 Mazda5 Mazda6 Millenia MPV MX-3 MX-5 Miata MX-6 Protégé RX-7 RX-8 Tribute Mercedes Benz 190 Series 200 Series 300 Series 400 Series 500 Series 600 Series C Class CL Class CLK Class CLS Class E Class G Class M Class R Class S Class SL Class SLK Class SLR McLaren Mercury Capri Comet Cougar Grand Marquis Mariner Milan Montego Monterey Mountaineer Mystique Sable Tracer Villager MG MGA MGB Midget T-Series Mini Classic Mini Mini Cooper Mini Cooper S Mitsubishi 3000GT Diamante Eclipse Galant Lancer Mirage Montero Nash Nissan 200SX 240SX 280ZX 300ZX 350Z Altima Armada Frontier Maxima Murano Pathfinder Quest Sentra Stanza Titan Versa Xterra Oldsmobile 442 Alero Aurora Bravada Cutlass Eighty-Eight Intrigue Ninety-Eight 98 Silhouette Toronado Opel Packard Peugeot Plymouth Acclaim Barracuda Duster Fury Grand Voyager GTX Neon Prowler Road Runner Satellite Sundance Voyager Pontiac Bonneville Catalina Fiero Firebird G6 Grand Am Grand Prix GTO Le Mans Montana Solstice Sunbird Sunfire Tempest Trans Am Vibe Porsche 356 911 912 914 924 928 930 944 968 Boxster Cayenne Cayman Renault Rolls-Royce Saab 900 9000 9-2X 9-3 9-5 9-7x Saturn Ion L-Series S-Series Sky Vue Scion tC xA xB Shelby Studebaker Subaru Forester Impreza Legacy Outback SVX Tribeca Suzuki Toyota 4Runner Avalon Camry Celica Corolla FJ Cruiser Highlander Land Cruiser Matrix MR2 Paseo Previa Prius RAV4 Sequoia Sienna Solara Supra Tacoma Tercel Tundra Yaris Triumph Spitfire TR-6 Volkswagen Beetle (Pre-1998) Beetle - New (1998-Present) Bus Vanagon Cabrio EuroVan Golf Jetta Karmann Ghia Passat Phaeton Rabbit Thing Touareg Vanagon Volvo 240 740 850 940 C70 S40 S60 S70 S80 V40 V50 V70 XC Cross Country XC90 Willy s

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