I know there have been multiple threads about these lights but I thought I'd relate my experience.

I originally decided to go with all PIAA Hyperwhites for the Reverse and license plate lights.

I picked up the PIA19224s for the backup lights the PIA19172s for the license plate.

When I installed them I realized I wasn't really happy with the results but didn't feel like messing with it anymore that night.

Well tonight I was able to try a few things.

I took the 2 Hyperwhite 9LEDS (from Techtoyz) from my doors and put one in one of the reverse lights and one in the license plates to see how htey look compared to the PIAAs.

Here is the result.
(note, I have tried to correct this image a little bit for a closer representation of what you will actually see intensity-wise, however I did not color correct. Despite this, the picture isn't a great representation of real life)



On the left are the 9LEDs and on the right are the PIAAS.

The LEDs are NOT as blue as they appear.

For the reverse lights...

As a result of my crappy camera, the lights appear to be more like spotlights than they really are.
The reality of the comparison is that I like the LED light color better, but the LEDs don't illuminate the inside of the housing at all, hence you actually see each individual LED and the light appears to only come from the very center of the housing. This doesn't really look that good in person IMHO.

The PIAAs, produce pretty much pure white light, and since they are a regular bulb, they reflect that light off all the little facets inside of the light housing. This produces a much better look from behind and it actually appears brighter from behind as well.

For the license plate lights...

The picture pretty much speaks for itself. The LEDs are a much better color and brightness than the PIAAs.

Oh yeah, and while doing this I had my trunk open for a while and didn't seem to have any problems with the 18w PIA19224 in the trunk light heating up too much so I'm ok with it there.

So in conclusion I would recommend 9LEDs all around the interior and in the license plate lights, but PIAA PIA19224 in the reverse lights and trunk light.

Hope this helps someone else before you order $80 work of lights.

Brian

 

Why can't I post pictures?

 

Ah, I was stupid , maybe a mod could put this in the OP and delete the followup posts. please...

 

How does the stock reverse light compare to the PIAA ones you have?

 

Unfortunately I was too lazy to take those pictures when I originally changed them or tonight. However I believe there are comparisons already on here. The brightness is about the same with maybe the PIAAs just a hair less bright, but the stock color is MUCH more yellow and looks simply ugly by comparison.

 

thanks! that was very helpful for my decision making. can you tell me how you got the trunk light out? will the 9LED's from techtoyz fit in there. i tried prying the trunk light but wanted to see how other people did it cause i didn't want to break it. i was considering the polargs on ebay for the reverse lights. specifically the polarg M-6. i used polargs for my clear corners, interior, and reverse lights when i had my legend and was very happy with polargs. the color was excellent and the bulbs lasted for years. none ever burned out. anyone tried polargs in their TL's yet?

 

Just a small note - The 12 LED bulbs that I got from Superbright fit just fine for both the reverse light and license plate applications

 

The reverse lights are easy to take out once the trunk liner is off, its the license plate bulbs that are REALLY hard to take out.

Dave

 

So for the 3 different lights, here is how I took them out.

Trunk Lights
Remove the 5 (I think) clips that hold the trunk liner to the underside of the rear deck. Push it down and it can just hang. Now if you look up you'll see the trunk light sitting in the metal structure underneath the deck. Reach a finger into the opening to the right of the trunk light on that metal beam (that the trunk light is in). Using your finger you should be able to push in on a clip which holds the trunk light in place. If you do this the trunk light should be able to be pulled out of its hole rather easily.

I do believe people have reported the 9LED will fit in there but I didn't even try as multiple people have said it is way too dim to be usuable. The correct replacement is the PIA19172 however I mistakenly put in at PIA19224 and it is very bright and nice. My only concern was heat melting something (18w vs 5w) but after having the trunk open for about 30minutes last night, I didn't notice anything that caused men concern when touching the housing. I am not responsible if you catch your trunk on fire or melt your housing/wiring so do this at your own risk.

Brian

Reverse lights
Remove the liner to the trunk lid. It is easier to remove it completely if you are doing this the first time, but once you realize how to remove both the license plate and reverse lights, you can actually just remove a few of the fasteners, screws and bump stops, and pull the liner away from the lid enough to do the work (this is what I did last night)
The reverse lights simply twist out of the mounting hole

License plate lights
These are just a bit trickier (although I'm not sure I would classify them as difficult).
Once you have the trunk liner removed, locate the lights. They have plastic squeeze pins on each side of the light. It is usually easier to squeeze one side in and pull the connector out at an angle rather than try to squeeze both sides and pull it straight out. Put it back in the same way, put one side in completely and then angle the other side in squeezing the pin to get it to pop into place.

 

not sure if anyone else is having this problem, but it seems that the 9LED bulbs i got from techtoyz have problems as license plate lights.

they work fine in the cabin but they start to flicker and eventually blow when used for the plates. it usually takes about a couple of months, but sooner or later they all die the same way.

any ideas?
collin

 

i'm using two hyperwhite 9LED lights from tec-toyz for my license plate lights and have had no problems with them...the color they give off is very nice...i've only had them in there for a week, but appear to be working great...

 

Hmm, this isn't the first time I've heard of this.

I will still be planning on getting 2 9LEDs for my license plate lights. We'll see how it goes.

 

how do u change your reverse lights? i have the stock but i got nice blue ones. so when i put it in reverse it glows blue

 

I'm not really sure what you're asking (sounds like you may have already changed them). If you are asking how to change your reverse lights read above.

 

Just got the following from Tech-Toyz. Easy transaction.

2 White 9LED Door Lights = $10.00
2 BLUE 9LED Door Lights = $10.00
2 White 9LED Map Lights = $10.00
2 White 9LED Rear Overhead Lights = $10.00
2 White Single LED Lights (Glovebox and Center Console) = $3.00
2 White 9LED License Plate Lights = $10.00
2 White 9LED Reverse Lights = $10.00

Didn't like the blue on the doors at all.

Not sure if I like the reverse lights either with the spolight effect. I plan on returning the reverse lights and going with PIAs.

On the license plate I wonder if anyone has compared the 6LED with the 9LED. My TL is white and the 9LED may be a bit bright (draws attention to itself). Any thoughts? Thanks

 

Here are some new pictures I took the other night while deciding if I truly wanted the 9LEDs in the license plate.

(disclaimer, I have adjusted these pictures a little but the lights themselves still appear brighter than in real life.)


Here is the PIAAs in the license plate.


Here is a PIAA on the left and the stock bulbs on the right.


Here are the 9LEDs on both.


In real life the 9LEDs look closer in brightness(but better in color) to what the PIAAs show in the 1st picture and the PIAAs are much dimmer than the pictures show.

Go with the 9LEDs.

I ordered 4 from Brian last night and already had an email and a shipping notification when I got to work this morning.

 

Brain, THANKS for the write up and posting pics. This makes my decision a bit easier, I already order 4 White 9LED for the license plate + reverse light. (have not installed them yet, I was waiting when I'm installing the DOM unit + backup camera). After reading your post, I will definitely go with White 9LED for license plate but might order PIAA light for my reverse light.

I got BLUE 9LED in all interior, still debating on whether to keep it or switch to WHITE 9LED. I like the blue when not looking directly at the light and when the blue is reflect off the ebony leather. However, when i look at the blue dom light directly, it looks ricey.

 

No problem on the writeup.

I think for me, the 9LEDs in the license plate is a definite.

However the reverse lights isn't so obvious.
The 9LEDs produce the same white light as the license plate lights (assuming you go with my recommendation of the 9LEDs in there) but are too... spotlight-y with all the light emenating from just the little head of the LEDs (not spreading around inside the housing like a normal bulb/PIAAs)

The PIAAs color doesn't match (but its not terrible) the 9LEDs in the license plate, but does spread around the entire light housing producing a much more visible (from someone looking at the car from behind) light and therefore looks better in my opinion. Also something to consider is the PIAA bulb is actually blue in color (not clear like the stock) and therefore in the daytime you can see if through the plastic lense. I didn't initially like this but have gotten used to it and since I like the light output better I'm sticking with it.

BOTH solutions don't do a great job of lighting up the area behind the car (but then again, neither does the stock)

As for the interior, I debated the blue/white and am very happy I got the white. I really think (no offense) the blue is too ricey, and not as usable for looking at things. The white gives off an awesome slightly blue tinge which looks very cool but refined and not cheesy at the same time. Of course I have a quartz interior but I've heard others with ebony say they were very happy with the white over the blue interior.

So my suggestion, when you get the 4 whites for the plates/reverse, pop them in the cabin first and see how you like them.

And if you decide you don't want them for the reverse but want to switch the interior to white, you could replace 2 of the blues until you order/get the rest of the whites.

Good luck

 

Well thanks to very quick response by Brian at Tech-Toyz (ordered late sunday night, recieved wednesday) I have installed the 2 9LEDs in my license plate and now am very happy with the lights on the rear of my TL.

I ordered 2 extra 9LEDs as spares but decided this morning decided to pop them into the vanities for now (we'll see what the wife thinks the first time she goes to check her makeup)

I think I'm completely done with these mods for now.

 

Reviving this thread to ask if anybody has tried out the PIAA brand LED bulbs

I feel like the PIAA LEDs might stand up a bit better to vibration from the trunk opening and shutting over several months. Anybody have experience or care to comment on potential durability of the PIAAs vs. Ebay brand?