LED license plate lamps
 

I just orderd a pair of Hoen C5W LED rear License plate bulbs for my R56MCS. I'll post some pics when I get them. I've seen the "blueish" lamps on some Lexus' and though it looked really sweet.

Also I found a Motorsports store right down the street form me (next town over) that sells performance parts for BMW, MINI , VW etc. http://www.namotorsports.net/ I'm pretty psyched and I'll have to pay em a visit.

Very lucky you to be so near them. :nod: I want to visit their retail location but it's quite the drive for me. Their prices cannot be beat!

Let me know how that goes, I ordered some replacement LED License plate lights as well. I heard in a different thread that the LED lights have to have the correct resistance or they'll trigger the bad bulb warning .. (not sure what that is, but given I've had this with other BMW products, I can see it as a possibility).

Really? I'll check em' out.

Yep! Their prices for ALTA parts especially are the lowest I've found anywhere. :nod:

Kevin,

We'd love to have you stop by and visit! We will begin stocking many of the Alta R56 parts this month. Let us know if advance if you are looking for something and we can make sure we have it here.

Thanks for the kind words, we appreciate it!

I've had LED's in my driving lights, rear plate lights and interior and the exteriors trigger the bad warning bulb. You get use to the little chime.

Find the right resistance and you should have no problem. I don't want to splice wires and put resistors in. If you find out anything post up in this thread.

I have high intensity LED's for both front and rear for my car. Twice as bright as regular LED's.

I have also seen this mentioned for the R56 (it was not the case for 1st gen MINI). The remedy is to wire a resistor in parallel with the LED bulb. Be careful about positioning the resistor because it will get hot (just like an incandescent bulb).

Another issue with LED bulbs for the license plate is that it is a constant-on application (they remain on for long periods of time, unlike interior lights or turn signals). Many aftermarket LED bulbs do not have adequate heat sinks or built-in voltage regulation for constant-on applications. Constant-on makes the LED hot and subject to current surges from the alternator, which shortens its life. For applications such the license plate or running/parking lamps, people often experience LED burn out or flickering after a few months. This is more true for the brighter, higher power varieties of aftermarket LED bulbs.

so how do you go about fixing that issue?

you could just buy the xenonmatch c5w incandescent bulb to get the whiter light.
http://www.hoen-usa.com/licenseplate.htm

i have those on the license plate lamps and the w5w for the parking lights above the foglights.

You're welcome! Perhaps one of these days I'll make the drive over myself. If not then a very good sized order. :thumbsup:

sweet, i just ordered them last night. I cannot wait to get these!

I just got the C5W LED bulbs in the mail this morning. I put one in today and it sucks it does not stay in the socket its sooo loose. I tried to push the 2 pins closer together to hold it in it's place but it didnt help.

What should I do? I put the stock lamp in and it stays fine. The light is on now because I placed it perfectly just right to have it stay on but if I were to even drive the car ofr close the lid it would go off....I think I am going to return them to Hoen dont buy from them because these dotn fit but Im sure there other products may work ?


Pictures:

So im still waiting to her back form them on a return or exchange of the incadesant ones I wonder if thell be any better.

i have the incandescents coming in soon. i will let you know if they are any better.

Cool. yeah let me know when you put them in the socket if the are loose and need to be held in place to light up.

I actually went today and got cheap solder iron and solderd the light to the socket so when it hangs upside down it stays in place.

It took me about 1 hour to get it complete, first time soldering :) It worked and there intact and i feel confident when closing opening the boot thell stay and wont get loose.

I had to position them just right running back and forth to connect it to the car temp to see if they lit up. ( the verrrrry end of the lamp has a tiny tip and that had to touch the socket piece in order to light up so I had to hold down the light in the correct position and then solder it in place. )

Well everything is installed now and to say it looks great. I really lilke the "xenon color" light and it stands out.

I would def do this mod but maybe with different bulbs that may fit better. I'll post pics once it gets dark out, suns still up.

Pics:

Nice install. :thumbsup: LED lighting is the future.

I have the LED dome light panel from fastmini.net installed. My cousin said it looked like a night club in my car. :o

Not sure I really want my license plate more visible, though. :wink:

ok, i got them today along with the sidemarkers. I think the bulb holder is just a bad design. One of mine was loose as well but i just took some pliers and straightened them out.

The incans put out a white light without the blueish tint the LED's put out. If i were to buy them again i would go with the LED's but im happy with what they are now. i just wanted to get ride of the crappy orangish glow the stock ones put out.

Any night pics with the incans ghosthound? Just curious.

Yeah some pics would be great.....But you just bent the socket pieces to hold the bulb and they stay on fine?

i just received the c5w bulb and they are freaking looose.

Can you teach me how you installed it? like solder?

you guys might laughing at this...but wouldn't it better and cheaper just to paint the lenses? I tried putting some color tint film on and has the same effect. :-)

What did you use? Pics? :)

Your right, that would be easier, hehe.

Installed my license plate LED's last night, and BINGO! Bad bulb warning light triggered on the tach readout. I replaced my side marker turn signal bulbs with multi-directional LED's and they weren't any better than the stock incandescents. I'm going to return the LED's.

I just can't take any warning lights going off in my face.....