Are Load Resistors Needed When Converting Incandescent Taillights to LEDs

Updated 05/07/2020 | Published 07/01/2015

Products Featured in This Question

Load Resistor Kit for LED Turn Signals - 50 Watts - 6 Ohm - Qty 2

(36)

$10.44

Question:

read where you need a load resister for each turn signal wire in an LED light conversion. Also said on the 4 way flashers. Do you have to have a load resister on the left and right side wire to the Flashing light or just one seeing as how both flash at the same time.

asked by: Ron L

Expert Reply:

If the vehicle has bulb-out sensors, you'll want to use load resistors on each turn signal circuit to prevent hyperflashing. Because LED lamps draw so much less power than an incandescent bulb, the bulb out sensor thinks the bulb is burned out. The load resistor adds resistance to the circuit, which simulates a full load on the circuit.

Hazard flashers use the turn signal bulbs, so the same two load resistors will cover that, as well. I've linked you to the install diagram for the load resistors.

expert reply by: Mike L

Joe

5/4/2020

Installed led tail lights on 04 Ram 1500. Rear turn signals had hyperflash as expected with lampout indication on dash. Installed load equalizer on tail lights and hyperflash slowed to normal speed and lampout turned off. Lights work normal. When the engine is started there is no lampout on dash. The problem is when the vehicle is in drive the lampout light and audible bing noise turns on after the first time the break peddal is pressed. While driving the lampout light sometimes turns off and will turn on again while the turn signals are being used such as changing lanes or at an intersection. Perhaps the risistance is wrong and I need to use a different load equalizer or add load equalizer to the break light pos and ground as well. On a different note I am planning to install LED / Projector headlights for the front but I want to solve this problem first. Could installing the new headlights with load resistors for the turn signals actually solve the problem by tricking the TIPM computer into thinking the lights are working? Is it possible that having stock headlights with newer LED taillights actually causing the computer to detect an electrical resistance imballance between the front and rear lights? Thanks for the help.

Chris R.

5/7/2020

That is interesting. I'm not quite sure what's triggering the lamp out message to still pop up. Just to clarify, the hyperflash is not also still occurring when this happens, right? Switching out the headlights may resolve the issue, but in the meantime you could try adding resistors to the brake light circuits as well, especially since stepping on the brake pedal is what initially causes the error to come up. I would start there.