Sup everyone,

Been changing around the LEDs in my car and have noticed that they actually stay very faintly on all the time. I had a quick look around the forums and it appears that the interior lights use a negative switch, so there is constant power going in and because the LEDs require such little voltage, obviously they can power on (slightly) with this residual effect.

So I ask, those of you with LEDs in your interior, do yours also do this? How did you get around it? Wire in a resistor? Give up and go back to halogen?

I just ignored it.

I just ignored it.

Haha, that's one way to go. I'm currently doing just that... But I dunno, it's just a nagging thought. :)

You will forget about it after a few weeks of ignoring it and it wont drain your battery so i have to agree with Shoot

The LEDs i chose are very bright. I have a tinted plastic over them to get them the color i wanted. The main center lights are a soft yellow. These knock of the dull glow. I'd forgotten all about til now.
Not sure about the reading lights.
Never had an issue with power, after sitting a couple of days.

Somecars have interior LED's that shine a little light onto the dash and console so you can see switches or footwells etc. Just think of it like that and use the residual to your advantage.

Baha Win!

If the current leak was there before the LED's, it shouldn't have any negative effects all.

I just ignored it.


Some cars have interior LED's that shine a little light onto the dash and console so you can see switches or footwells etc.

Just think of it like that and use the residual to your advantage.

:woot:,As the almost resisdent led king ,go with the above ,of all the leds i have in my car,there is only ONE that has any "leak" its probably the best one to have some sort of leak..its actually the drivers door handle as well

http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x112/micpea/led%20door%20handles/3ledhandle-closeup.jpg (http://s184.photobucket.com/user/micpea/media/led%20door%20handles/3ledhandle-closeup.jpg.html)

I never did that mod to the XI. I had all the gear for it, but never got round to it.

It depends on the LEDs. The matrix style I have for the dome does not do it, neither does the rear reading lights. The 3x dome lights in the outlander does not do it as well. Cheap low quality LEDs will do it and it does not just apply to cars but also to house lights. I have fitted LED globes to every light housing in my house. When I first started doing it, I bought some cheap Chinese ones and they stay dimly lit with the switches off (in fact, before that I had some cheap CFLs and they pulse dimly). Better CFL and LED bulbs don't do it as they have better circuitry.

I have LED's in my car, I have none of this residual current you speak of...! All my lights go out and stay out, C Pillar, Dome, Foot well and Map lights. Extra LED's in the back for the foot area are also completely off as are the tree sets in the boot. Maybe there is just a bad earth or something..I see this occasionally on my trailer lights (LED's) until I clean the contacts and then it is OK, the earthing lead must just get dirty in there.