LED rear reflector turn signals

[Themitigating]

I had this issue with two different sets of lights from aliexpress, it bugged me really bad. So I gave up.

I spoke with the store and he sent me a diagram and said changes had to be made. I had my friend translate but it still not obvious. Since the drivers side does work I wonder if just jumping one cable over the passenger side might work.

So the light has the following functions
1. Steady when Headlights on
2. Scrolling when Turn signal for that side on
3. Flashing when Headlights on AND (Brake pedal depressed OR regen?) AND speed > X

Since there are four wires, one being the ground, then shouldn't one wire send the required signal?

Below is the diagram he sent me for the changes partially translated by my friend. I'm going to investigate how the light works by sending power to each wire.

So far -
red 12v - flash 3 times then steady
yellow 12 - scroll once then steady
blue 12v - startup motion then steady

an important note is I'm applying 12v steady, I assume for the yellow wire and red wire it's intermittent to create the effect

 

[Themitigating]

I think the confusing thing is that if the red wire is used for the flashing while braking how does that work when it's connected to the rear tail light which is steady.

I also tested both sides and they are the same, just in case this was a difference in the light.

 

[Themitigating]

By jumping the red wire from the driver's side to the passengers side and disconnecting the original red wire on the passengers side I was able to get the following situation.

	State	Notes
Headlights on Should be Solid	Working with either installation type
Braking or regen with headlights on Should Flash	Mostly Working with red wire modification Not working with standard install	Problem 1- At slow speeds while switching between braking, regen, and movement they may remain solid. It's very inconsistent, maybe there's some sort of delay circuit that gets overwhelmed Problem 2 - If changing from braking to acceleration at night the lights will turn off after flashing then one or two seconds later return to solid on
Braking or regent with headlights off Should Flash	Not working with red wire modification or standard install	Either they remain solid the same as "problem 1" while "braking with headlights on" or only the passenger side will blink. Without the red wire modification the drivers side blinks
Turn signals	Working
Hazards	Working
Startup	Working

 

[Themitigating]

Just a final note for those that come across this , I gave up and cut the red wires which disables the flashing on deacceleration.

 

[ExAudiphile]

Just finished the install on this and found a much, much, much easier way. No removing of tail lights, no partial removal of bumper or wheel-well liner and no drilling. Probably did the install in about 15 minutes. Sorry no pictures.

1. Pull the plastic that surrounds the trunk latch.
2. Remove the black plastic tabs revealed.
3. Pull back the liner behind the tail lights.
4. Remove the harness and install the new harness.
5. Locate and remove the rubber grommets behind the liner under where the plastic surround would be.
6. Pull wire through holes that were covered by the grommets.
7. Remove rectangular panel held by two plastic screws under the car.
8. Remove reflectors.
9. Use fishing wire or thick gauge wire to pull harness wires through bumper. You can see the wires hanging from the rectangular panel.
10. Install new lights and close her up.

Bought the RPM plain (no fishbone) version.

 

[Themitigating]

His method works on 2021+ and may some 2020 models as the bumper access panel is a recent additional to the car.

 

[Hayden]

Just finished the install on this and found a much, much, much easier way. No removing of tail lights, no partial removal of bumper or wheel-well liner and no drilling. Probably did the install in about 15 minutes. Sorry no pictures.

1. Pull the plastic that surrounds the trunk latch.
2. Remove the black plastic tabs revealed.
3. Pull back the liner behind the tail lights.
4. Remove the harness and install the new harness.
5. Locate and remove the rubber grommets behind the liner under where the plastic surround would be.
6. Pull wire through holes that were covered by the grommets.
7. Remove rectangular panel held by two plastic screws under the car.
8. Remove reflectors.
9. Use fishing wire or thick gauge wire to pull harness wires through bumper. You can see the wires hanging from the rectangular panel.
10. Install new lights and close her up.

Bought the RPM plain (no fishbone) version.

Never so the plain version in action, do you have a video?

 

[Felix Tsang]

I was just thinking about this a little more and the idea hit me. Wonder if these would work fully if you unplug the Turn Signal harness and connect that yellow/blue combo wire to the existing wire running the fender side amber turn signal. The fender camera/Turn signal combo is a dedicated turn signal only, so maybe a quick wiretap and run some new wire inside the car tucked along the door sill trim back to the taillights, etc.

Just a thought. This way the Black/REd wire that powers the LED bumper lights will stay lit and a new separate source for signal would be coming from the fender blinker.

Did you have to cut the yellow wire to tap it into the fender blinker?

 

[Dysan911]

Did you have to cut the yellow wire to tap it into the fender blinker?

If you mean the yellow wire from the sequential lights harness? If so yes. I cut the yellow wire so that it doesn't feed back into the harness. My repeater dedicated turn signal wire connects directly to the sequential turn signal.

 

[Felix Tsang]

If you mean the yellow wire from the sequential lights harness? If so yes. I cut the yellow wire so that it doesn't feed back into the harness. My repeater dedicated turn signal wire connects directly to the sequential turn signal.

Thanks, i will snip mine too. Do you have any pictures or videos of you running the cable from the side repeaters all the way to the back of the car? I've already tapped into them for my front fogs so I know how to get to the repeater, just curious about going all the way to the back.

 

[Dysan911]

Thanks, i will snip mine too. Do you have any pictures or videos of you running the cable from the side repeaters all the way to the back of the car? I've already tapped into them for my front fogs so I know how to get to the repeater, just curious about going all the way to the back.

I didn't actually make any photos or video of that but I did run the wires into the inside of the car using the big grommet in the firewall near the AC where you replace the filters. Once inside I ran the wires just under the glove box (Hidden) and then along with the door seals (under) all the way to the trunk. Hope that helps.

B.

 

[Felix Tsang]

I didn't actually make any photos or video of that but I did run the wires into the inside of the car using the big grommet in the firewall near the AC where you replace the filters. Once inside I ran the wires just under the glove box (Hidden) and then along with the door seals (under) all the way to the trunk. Hope that helps.

B.

Perfect, I need to replace my filters anyways. When you tapped into the fender signal light, did you need to run a cable from each side or can you run two cable from one side?

 

[Dysan911]

Perfect, I need to replace my filters anyways. When you tapped into the fender signal light, did you need to run a cable from each side or can you run two cable from one side?

I ran one from each side.

 

[Themitigating]

I'm not an electrical engineer but maybe it's possible to add some sort of blinking switch to the 12v red that fixes the lights staying on? Basically a device that when fed 12v power intermittently cuts that power on and off at some rate

 

[phaheem]

Thanks to everyone contributing to this thread! Just read all 8 pages (so far) and will continue to watch this thread to prepare to order my own

 

[Themitigating]

Thanks to everyone contributing to this thread! Just read all 8 pages (so far) and will continue to watch this thread to prepare to order my own

I paid $60 shipped on aliexpress and they work great. I'm wondering too if flashing on stop is unusual or distracting for other drivers.

 

[phaheem]

I paid $60 shipped on aliexpress and they work great. I'm wondering too if flashing on stop is unusual or distracting for other drivers.

I’ve seen that “flashing on stop” on some Kias or Hyundais. They’re distracting but in a good way because they get your attention. I think some cars, BMW or Mercedes or Volvo, will flash their taillights if the car detects sudden, unexpected, hard braking

 

[HitUpOlas]

Just did a video with some tips and tricks on the install of the rear bumper lights. I have a 2020 model 3.

 

[kjww]

Thanks for the video. A little off topic, where did you get your tail lights? They don’t seem to be anything I have seen out there…

 

[HitUpOlas]

Thanks for the video. A little off topic, where did you get your tail lights? They don’t seem to be anything I have seen out there…

They aren’t available. I’ll add a reply when they are.