Hi guys,

My girlfriend smashed off the passenger wing mirror the other day while reversing 🙈 but i managed to find the right spec genuine LR on ebay still in box for great price. So replaced and all working fine. Even though the approach / welcome light bulb didn't blow when she sham shed it i thought while doing this job i might upgrade the rear number plate bulbs and approach / welcome lights under the wing mirrors to brighter whiter LED's (got them from powerful uk) number plate bulbs work fine. But having issues with the mirror lights. They do not come on when i unlock the car.

Thinking back to this function when the original bulbs we're in. I remember they didn't always work. But i always thought maybe there is light sensor on them, so they don't come on unless its really dark. And they were so yellow and dim i didn't really notice it every time. These lights can't tell if its dark outside can they? are they meant to light up even in the middle of the day?

The new LEDs are so much nicer and brighter, i would like to solve this issue, so they work properly every time.

The issue i'm having since fitting the new LEDs is they don't work at all when unlocking car.

But it gets weirder. If use the light button on the key fob with the door open. The led mirror approach lights work perfect, but the second i shut the doors, and use the same light button the mirror lights won't come on. They just flash on for split second. The old bulbs work with doors open or closed when i hit the same light button on the key fob.

I have plugged in IID tool to see i can get it to throw up a code to try and figure this out. But it doesn't see anything. Powerful Uk said they haven't seen this issue before. They told me to try the old bulbs in the number plate to see if its resistor issue having to many LEDs but this didn't change the issue.

I know its not that big of deal, but would love to solve this. If anyone knows of anything i could try? worst case senario is i just stick with the whiter brighter number plate lights and revert back to old yellow-is bulbs for the mirrors. But that still doesn't solve the issue why they don't always light up when unlocking even with old bulbs in.

Sorry for long msg. Have uploaded an image of the mirror LED lit up with the door open when it hitting the light button on key fob (bulb hanging out as still testing it before i put it in the lens holder).

Thanks to anyone that repies


 2012 RRS HSE 5.0 SUPERCHARGED Santorini Black

wonder if its the wiring in the hingle area broken?

does moving the door, p[en close slowly cause the light to flicker off ?

Hey Andy K thanks for replying, ahh i don't think i tried moving the door open and close back&forth etc to check this. But both lights in left and right door mirror do the same thing. So i don't think its broken wiring, but i will go down and check this later.

Also i wondered if it had anything to do with me turning off the interior lights to save the battery while i'll doing this because the doors were open a lot. But according to google research turning off interior lights has nothing to do with the welcome / approach lights. Such a strange issue.

Also checked the manual and it says the approach lights work when it's dark. So i'll go down tonight when its dark in the garage to see if that makes any difference.

Thanks again for trying to help. 2012 RRS HSE 5.0 SUPERCHARGED Santorini Black

You need load resistors like what Osram offers to get the right wattage draw. Same with the puddle lights in the bottom of the front doors. 2011 RRS HSE Luxury 3.0 TDV6 Fuji White on Ebony/Ivory
Born and raised in So Cal. Moved to the UK in 2018 for a few years. Now in Poland and looking at moving back to the UK.

I would have thought they would work with load resistors. Just fade differently o

Hi no Expert, thanks for replying. Powerful Uk the supplier hinted at this, but they said you really only need a resistor change when you've replaced every single bulb to LED interior and exterior, but they said you don't really need this when just replacing the mirror light and number plate lights. Also they work fine when the front doors are open. Its only when the doors are shut, they won't turn on or they just flash on for a second.

I think i'll try some more investigating tonight when its dark out to see if i can get them to work. Do you know where i could buy the resistors from (i'm guessing osram) or what they would be called so i could try to see if this would help?

Also would it be complicated to fit them?

Ps really like your RRS in white with the dark wheels. 2012 RRS HSE 5.0 SUPERCHARGED Santorini Black

Hey Andy,

Thanks for help, do you know where could buy some? and how hard they would be to fit? electrics / wiring isn't my strong suit 2012 RRS HSE 5.0 SUPERCHARGED Santorini Black

The mirror lights and the puddle lights on the front doors are controlled by modules in the doors which look for load. None of the other bulbs require it as they’re run off the CJB (I’ve replaced every W5W bulb in my car with Osram LED’s). The load resistors are easy to install and pretty small. If you get the Osram units they come with everything needed to install them. They just bridge across the positive and negative wires, so not much effort, just plan where the clips go so you don’t end up with a big bulge of connectors.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/LEDriving-Control...B00I409J9G 2011 RRS HSE Luxury 3.0 TDV6 Fuji White on Ebony/Ivory
Born and raised in So Cal. Moved to the UK in 2018 for a few years. Now in Poland and looking at moving back to the UK.

If I turn off the interior lights at the overhead console the only lights that work are the ones in the bottom of the front doors, lower passengers glovebox and those in the vanity mirrors, the ones in the mirrors only work along with the others if the interior lights are set in the on position via the console button.

Cheers
Col

Hey Col,

Good to hear from you. And thanks for the help as always. I just went down this morning and tried it with my finger crossed, but sadly turning the interior lights on didn't help, i still sadly just get a flash of light from each wing mirror.

But this has helped to understand why with the old bulbs in place the approach lights only worked sometimes. As i quite often i flick between interior lights on and interior lights off but never put 2 & 2 together. So least that has ruled out that it wasn't a pre-existing problem 🙌🏻.

Interestingly with the interior lights turned on. These new LED bulbs won't turn on at all when i hit the light button on the key fob with the doors closed or open.

So that points further to it being a load issue.

Thanks NoExpert for link and further detail, if i can find a install video online, i'll order these up and have a go, and pray it fixes this issues. But with out a video i'm clueless with these sort of things. Will send an update soon as i've had time to try and sort it.

Thanks again for all the help guys. 2012 RRS HSE 5.0 SUPERCHARGED Santorini Black

Hi drexal, just wondered if you have managed to resolve your issue.

I only ask as I've just fitted approach light mirrors to my RRS, new old stock. When I unlock the doors, both approach lights flash and turn off, all other interior lights are working fine.

I too have changed all my interior bulbs to leds from Powerful apart from the glovebox, prior to fitting the new mirrors.

Silly question, do the approach lights only work when it's dark, are they controlled by the ambient sensor ?

Many thanks

Craig 2010 RRS 3.6 TDV8 HSE Galway Green

The answer to that question is no and no.

Cheers
Col

Hi Col,

Is that a no to the resolution and a no for the ambient light sensor

So, with my issue inmind, do I also need the resistors ?

Many thanks

Craig 2010 RRS 3.6 TDV8 HSE Galway Green

Hi, sorry should have said the lights are not controlled by a sensor and work in daylight as well.

Cheers
Col

Thanks Col  2010 RRS 3.6 TDV8 HSE Galway Green