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Turn signal idiot light not working after LED Turn signal and idiot light upgrade

14K views 21 replies 7 participants last post by  madi05 
#1 · (Edited)
I've read a bunch of posts and I THINK I know what to do, but I'd love some clarification before performing the procedure. I also wish there was a solid, definitive DIY guide for installing LED turn signals – maybe there is and I simply haven't found it.

1) I installed the CF13GL-02: LED Bulb Flasher Unit from Superbrightleds.com to be ready for the LED turn signals.

2) Bought and installed the Idiot Light Upgrade Kit from Newbonneville thinking this would be all I would need to get things working properly.

3) Purchased and installed mini bullet LED turn signals from Harrison Specialties.

4) Used OEM wiring harness and bought OEM connectors from Bella Corse so that my LED turn signals would be plug and play.


Results:

At first I was under the assumption the LED flasher unit was all that was needed. Hooked it all up and had the 4 way flasher issue anytime I used the turn signal switch. That's when I bought and installed the NB idiot light kit. That fixed it so that they flash correctly – left and right. My ONLY issue now is that my turn signal idiot light is simply not working. The LED bulb is fine, as I tried placing it in the low oil light socket and it worked fine.

Next Step:

I suppose I WILL have to go ahead and do the diode mod for the turn signal light? I hate the idea of cutting into the original wiring harness. I'm not opposed to it but would like to know if there's another way around this.

Will adding resistors to the turn signals fix this issue?

Is there another option other than the diode mod to get this idiot light working?

Can't wait to hear your advice (ahem...DEcosse....cough...cough...ahem...Forchetto ...) ;)
 
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#2 ·
hmm I installed the NewBonneville LED kit on my 03 bonnie without a hitch. I did run into problems with my fuse however when I installed the NewBonneville running light kit my signals were loopy. At first the flashers didn't work but the idiot light did. I checked and rechecked all the wiring and even the fuse. The fuse was still good but I had an extra one lying around so I replaced it anyway and it fixed the problem. Maybe it might work for you as well. Good luck!
 
#3 ·
So wait a minute. Your setup is:

- Newbonneville idiot light LED upgrade
- Newbonneville running light kit (bulbs or LEDs?)
- Stock flasher relay or LED electronic relay?

I've checked the fuses too. Do you recall which one you replaced? No biggie if not, I can look it up in the service manual. Just away from the house and my bike right now.
 
#4 ·
Set up is-
NB Idiot light LED upgrade
NB running light kit (bulbs)
Stock flasher relay.

Fuse I switched out was the fuse for the directionals, can't remember where on the fuse box it was. If I recall correctly the fusebox should have the diagram on the inside of the fusebox cap.
 
#7 · (Edited)
Bought and installed the Idiot Light Upgrade Kit from Newbonneville thinking this would be all I would need to get things working properly.
As has recently been proven to me, the NB idiot light upgrade is just that - an upgrade to the idiot lights. It has nothing to do with installing LED turns or making anything work. The only reason the NB LEDs are 'bipolar' is so that they can be inserted into the bulb holder either way around. With a normal T5 LED, if it doesn't light you have to take it out and turn it 180 degrees, because a LED is a diode and only passes current in one direction.

If you have LED turns and relay you can still keep the bulb OR fit it with a T5 LED but either way you will need to do the diode mod. If it helps, I tackled mine in the short harness that runs from headlamp shell to the gauges. There is no need to remove the idiot light assembly.

EDIT - Just a word of caution - there are TWO gree/red wires in that harness, make sure you get the right one! The only other way it can be done that I can think of, is to fit two idiot lights for left and right. This is okay if you have a bespoke instument panel or gauge bracket.
 
#9 ·
so where did u ground out or what wire , i did the brown wire with the green/white and i get all flashing when using left turn but it does right flashing right side smh
 
#14 ·
thanks but my america has brown instead of black wire going to the high beam light so that should be correct so now i have to check and see if i did the diodes backwards i felt i did it right as per the diagram but maybe i was backwards will let u know thanks again
 
#15 ·
so i went back over it all , it has to be correct , btw i dont have two green/red wires , just 2 wires going to the turn signal idiot lights a green/red and a green/white , so i snipped them two and made the diodes shorter being they are pretty long from radio shack , i soldered the correct ends to each green/red and green/white wire coming from harness then i twisted the 2 silver side diodes together hit them with solder and then soldered it to the green/red wire and then soldered the green/white wire left behind to the brown your black wire for the ground , so after that the right blinker worked fine but left would all go on like hazards , so tonight i switched the diodes and the blinkers switched as well , so now if i hit left turn it blinks correctly and right all blink , so now i think maybe i damaged one of the diodes maybe overheated one with the soldering iron cause they get hot quick ? any ideas or do u think that is possible to have a bad diode and does that sound like what i have or something else?
thanks
 
#16 ·
do u think that is possible to have a bad diode and does that sound like what i have or something else?
Yep - sounds like one of the diodes got damaged by the heat from the soldering iron. Don't just change the bad one, for the cost of a pair of diodes you may as well change the pair. But this time leave the wires on the diodes a little longer, and whilst doing the soldering, try putting a crocodile clip or something similar on the diode wire near to the diode body - the clip will sink some of the heat and protect the diode.
 
#18 ·
Edit - one of the diodes is shorted
What type of diode did you use?
*edit - you posted this while I was typing
1n4004 should be adequate - it is rated for 1A but only having to supply 0.25A (to 3W indicator lamp)

Yes, the ground to the Hi Beam light is indeed brown on your America

Re "I don't have two green/red wires ......." The reference to two green/red wires was not to the two wires going to the indicator lamp - it was a general caution that there ARE two green/red wires with DIFFERENT FUNCTIONS in the instrument harness - one (along with the Green/White) are indeed the signal wires; however there is another Green/Red that is ignition power (used to provide the positive power for the oil & neutral indicator lamps) The caution was to to avoid getting the wrong Green/Red wire.
But if you took the two wires that you know are going to the indicator lamp that is all that matters.

Re your issue again, the diode that is connected to the opposite side switch position that causes all lamps to flash is the one that is questionable (either to orientation or simply shorted)
As you have it now, with the right side of switch causing all to blink, it would be the diode connected to the left side (i.e. to the green/red wire) that is bad .

Edit - the one side must be shorted - if reversed it would not work at all on one side.

 

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#19 ·
thanks decosse , it is stated radio shack IN4004 i asked should i go bigger? these looked substantial enough and i read someone else used them without a hitch but i could be wrong
 
#22 ·
yep it was bad diode , got new ones soldered in and everything works fine as it should, thanks guys

all that was described is what needs to be done its pretty simple actually , just skin the black or brown wire going to the high beam indicator and solder the cut green/white wire to that from the socket side and then wire the green/wire with both diodes on the socket side and from the harness side green/white and green/red solder individually the diodes to each wire and u are done
 
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