Spoiler brake light not working

[chicane]

Hi all,

A friend pointed out my spoliers brake light is no longer working... where should I start looking to fix it?

Cheers

chicane

[JimX]

This is a common problem. Almost certainly it's the diode in the circuit under the red plastic. Check the fuse first to make sure, but I think the same fuse controls other things like the rest of the brake lights so you'll probably have no brake lights at all if it's the fuse.

Remove the whole lighting assembly (I think it's held in with 2 screws from underneath) and check the circuit with an ohmmeter. If it's open, then it's probably the diode. Separate the red lens from the backing plastic with a razor blade or the like, and look near where the wires go in, you'll see the diode and probably notice it's burnt out.

You can either replace the diode with the same type, or just put a straight piece of wire in. The diode is only there to stop the whole series of LEDs getting zapped if you wire it in back to front, which you won't do because the plastic clip is directional. So a bit of wire is fine (that's how I fixed mine).

Put it all back together, using spots of super glue here and there to hold it in place. Not too much though because you want to be able to pull it apart again if you need to fix it in future. If you use wire instead of another diode though you probably won't ever have to fix it, except to replace individual burnt out LEDs, which is a total bitch to do and probably not worth the effort.

[chicane]

Hi JimX,

Many thanks for your reply - I was hoping I wouldn't have to pull it apart but it looks like it will need to be - I'm just thinking where the screws are, is ther 2 screws under the spoiler in the middle and the led lens bit will slide out or something?

[JimX]

Yeah that sounds about right. I'd like to give you a definite answer but I fixed mine so long ago that I can't remember. And I'm at work so I can't check for you I'm pretty sure it's just 2 screws, one either side and underneath. I used a stumpy philips head screwdriver under there somewhere.

[sherlock_nzl]

Hi

The thingi that Jimx called a diode is really a resistor and it is there to drop the voltage down so you dont blow the LED's so putting a piece of wire in is not a good idea. mine was burnt out so could not see how many ohms it was. I worked out it should be around either 47 or 470 ohms (I cant remember, its writen down at home) If you can see the colours on it can you please let me know,

[Knat]

Mine has gone too. I've had a couple of cracks at separating the red from the black plastic... Its a BIATCH! :cuss: I'm making progress, but I end up just putting it back in after a while of cutting with a stanley knife. Might have another go this arfo.

BTW: it's 3 screws on an R33

[JimX]

Edit: God I hate being corrected by people that don't have their facts straight

Whatever the case, the wire works. You don't have to replace it with a resistor or diode.

[Airzone]

Nah, it's a diode. There's a diode sign on the circuit board and you have groups of 4 or 5 diodes running in series, dropping the voltage to each to somewhere between 2 and 3 volts removing the need for a resistor.

Put a diode in. Not that it means much, since all the LED's are diodes anyway Just bridge it if you don't have a replacement diode handy. I had one lying around and it's been working for 12 months.

[Bombster]

Hi

The thingi that Jimx called a diode is really a resistor and it is there to drop the voltage down so you dont blow the LED's so putting a piece of wire in is not a good idea. mine was burnt out so could not see how many ohms it was. I worked out it should be around either 47 or 470 ohms (I cant remember, its writen down at home) If you can see the colours on it can you please let me know,

Serlock_nz

Its a freaking diode man. I was the electrical knowledge guy that helped jimx fix his spoiler light. From a rough memory the diodes are grouped together that the forward voltage drop on them is enough so you dont need to worry about dropping the voltage.

Lets just say that jimx's haev been running fine for at least 12 months and leds blow pretty fast when you put 12v or higher through them.

Cheers

Bombster

[sherlock_nzl]

Well the one that I replaced was a resistor because I could see a couple of coloured rings but couldnt tell what colour the other rings were,

In mine only one section of the LED's had gone out, about a dozen.

they must use both diodes and resistors on the different models

Would I be right in saying to identify which you have, diodes are usually black with a silver ring around them with the diode symbol, and the resistor is usually cream coloured with coloured rings around them to show resistance value

Cheers

[sewid]

Well hmm. It doesnt matter if it is a diode or a resistor. Both diodes and resistors lower the voltage.

The average diode will drop the voltage around 1.5v and have the added bonus of only conducting in one direction for polarity protection of the circuit.

If you replace either with a piece of wire you may not necessarily destroy the device immediatly but you may reduce the potential lifetime of the LED's in the brake light assembly. Depending on the tolerence of the circuit of course.

Chances are nothing bad will happen.

[Phil]

I have the same problem

I took the unit out from under the spoiler, but I have absolutely no idea how to get it apart to fix the diode! The unit seems impregnable!

Has anyone got any tips, instructions or pics on how to get it apart?

Thanks.

[JimX]

Razor blade along the seam.

[Phil]

Which seam? I've tried a bit of that, but it looked like the glue (or whatever it is) is on the inside edge, which is inaccessible.

Anyone know how much a replacement part costs for the whole light?

[JimX]

I think the whole light is around $200 second hand. Once I used the razor blade, I kind of levered it apart with a screwdriver. I managed to chip a small bit off the red part, so be careful.