[Euro] LED taillights & angel eyes

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Originally Posted by yfin

some info here but not the complete standards.

VSI 10 is problematic as it refers to lab tests usually being required to demonstrate compliance of a particular lamp

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Had a look at this doc and this may not be a problem if I can get the specifications of the LED's used which should be available from the manufacturer. Seeing that it's not the first time LED's have been used/approved in OZ it should not be an issue.

The only problem I can see may be with the angle of light needed, in some case 85 degrees from the centre to the side of the car. This may be an issue with the LED's. I noticed that the Mazda 3 LED taillights have some chrome reflectors that could be for this reason. Will need to look into this further.

With regard to the intensity of the light, this doc only mentions that the brake light needs to be brighter than the normal taillight. Maybe this detail is in the ADR.

After looking into this further, the issue of the viewing agle of the light needed to be legal is going to be a big issue. The LED's that are bright enough to be used for the tailights only have a 20 degree viewing angle at best.

Having a closer look at the cars that have LED's from the factory they seem to have chrome reflectors in front of the LED's that reflect some of the light to the sides. This is definitly the case with the Mazda 3 optional tailights.

I also noticed that the LED replacement globes sold by Jaycar mention that they are only to be used for show or off road. I also emailed a mob in QLD that also sell these replacement LED globes asking if they meet the ADR and so far I have not received a response.

Not looking good unless someone can work out a way to build a reflector easily.

Thanks for your efforts Hoffy! I still think it is worth pursuing even if you need to sell them on the basis that the kits must only be used for "show" - if you know what I mean.

Plenty of people accept the risk that their lights may not be legal - just look at some of the altezzas and aftermarket HID kits. They still sell. I prefer to keep everything as kosher as possible on my car - but not everyone does.

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Originally Posted by yfin

Thanks for your efforts Hoffy! I still think it is worth pursuing even if you need to sell them on the basis that the kits must only be used for "show" - if you know what I mean.

Plenty of people accept the risk that their lights may not be legal - just look at some of the altezzas and aftermarket HID kits. They still sell. I prefer to keep everything as kosher as possible on my car - but not everyone does.

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Thanks for the encouragement yfin.

I tracked down a wreck in melbourne at Imlachs and ordered the taillight from it. Only cost $99. Unfortunately I could only get the body part and not the boot part as they sold the boot complete with lights. It will be enough to try it out.

I was thinking that if the LED's are mounted back where the globe normally is rather than right up against the lens like in the photos prev in thread then some of the light will reflect off the side and light up to the side and hopefully meet the legal requirement. I may also be able to have both the LED's and globe with a switch to select either. Have the best of both worlds.

Also, got a response from the mob on the net about their LED replacement globes. They have a new globe that has some LED's that point out the side to light up the housing and refelect to the side. They say that this should make them legal. Also, he mentioned that he has some new models coming out this year that use the new 1W and 3W LEDS. This will be interesting to have a look at how they do it as they are mounted on a heatsink that makes them about 20mm in diameter. You could maybe fit three in each of the Euro tailight sections or maybe even just the one 5W with a lens that fits over the LED to disperse the light. Not as fancy as using several LEDs to make some pattern.

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Originally Posted by Hoffy

Thanks for the encouragement yfin.

I tracked down a wreck in melbourne at Imlachs and ordered the taillight from it.

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a wrecked euro ? so sad... :(

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Originally Posted by kam

a wrecked euro ? so sad... :(

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The strange thing is the only problem with the car was a blown motor. For that they used the whole car for spares. It hardly seems logical. It would not have been that much to rebuild the motor?

The tail light has arrived. The next big problem is how do I get into it without permanently damaging the unit or loosing the mounting bolts. It seems that the lens is plastic welded to the housing. I cannot see how the lens can come off which only leaves cutting an access hole in the back. This is probably why the US version has the LED's monted right up against the lens.

Has anyone got any ideas?

Well good news, I have found another wreck to get parts from. That's right it's my car. It was written off last Saturday when I took on an Astra. Either way I won. I get a new car. I will start a new thread with photos. It's interesting how much damage happened and it was still written off.

You wrecked your Euro? :eek: So you get a new 06' yea? Maybe u can get a Manual this time :)

Anyway, how about leaving the original bulb in there, and simply put LED's around it? Surely that would make it legal enough.

lolz omg , can't believe u wrecked ur euro!


haha , wellz , i would be very interested for ones for the 4th gen lude. if i can get some soughta ring look going on like in that euro pictured, would be awsome! i'd pay money for that!

to get into the 4th light , u gotta chuck it in the oven and pry the lense away from the housing ... :(

can you wreck my euro as well? i want to get the 06 model with sat nav! i'll give u my tail light as compensation lol :)

Hoffy: Do you have a photo of you totalled Euro? hope you dont mind sharing with us (at another thread off course)