I have a 2008 R55 Clubman and have already replaced the tiny single reversing (backup) light bulb with a P21W Cree 5W LED bulb. It produced much more light and has been fine for over a year or so.

I decided to replace the singke Cree bulb (5W) with a 16x5W =80W bulb because I could really do with more light when I reverse out of my home.

Worked OK and was pretty bright but no way was it 14 times brighter.

I was under the impression that although LED's are rated in Watts that this is an equivalent "Watts" and that the actual current draw was very significantly less. Of course the inevitable happened. As soon as it got dark and I go outside to try it, it doesn't come on. It has probably blown a fuse.

So what fuse is the Reversing /backup light bulb? On the back of the removable footwell fuse box cover, there is a cog symbol next to F13 which I have read as being the correct fuse. I check it and find there is no F13 fitted! So I check the PDC fuse (I don't have PDC) and that 5A fuse is OK.

Can anyone tell me what is the correct fuse please?

I guess the moral of the story is to not to get an LED bulb much more than 21W.

 

Following up on this.

I took the card for a drive last night and noticed that the 5W LED bulb that I but back in was now working.

So the fuse wasn't blown after all and this was probably caused by a bad connection.

I put the new 80W LED bulb back and that's works fine too.

So for now it's OK but I will keep checking it.

PS I don't like the fact that these new multi CREE bulbs are so long because they will move up and down on bumps which is never good.

 

fwiw, the claimed 80w is just the "wattage" of the leds, they do not draw that much in actual use.