Why Do LED Taillights on Vehicle Cause &quotBulb Burned Out Message on Dash

Updated 04/25/2017 | Published 04/24/2017

Products Featured in This Question

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

(44)

$10.33

Question:

I have a 2003 Dodge Ram 1500 and I ordered new tail light Spyder Brand- 3 light set and a new brake light bar and I installed the left one first and it worked fine. Installed the right side and my dash light came on saying tail light out. Why would the left work and not the right? I checked the website out and it said to add a resister. Do I really have to do that?

asked by: Tom C

Expert Reply:

When you replace incandescent bulbs on a vehicle's turn signal circuit with LEDs the blinker circuit doesn't want to work right. This is due to the amperage rating being too low on the LEDs and thermal flasher units needing to see a specific amperage rating to work right. Now with some vehicles if the circuit doesn't see a specific amperage load on the circuit it thinks the bulb has burned out. The LEDs will cause this. A load resistor puts that same amperage back on the circuit so that it thinks the lights are all working properly.

For a load resistor we have the part # PDI34ZR. You most likely just got lucky with the first circuit you installed the LED on.

expert reply by: Jameson C