LED Tailight irregularity - defect?

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Old 06-16-2005, 11:43 PM
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LED Tailight irregularity - defect?

Looking at my left LED taillght, I find middle two on top row is only about half bright compared to other lights. Do you think it's defective? I notice it everytime I walk by car in night. I am gonna try to engage brake and see if it does same thing at full intensity.
Old 06-17-2005, 09:55 AM
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I have noticed that one entire tail light is brighter than the other. Very subtle but it drives me crazy too!
Old 06-17-2005, 06:10 PM
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I think there are 2 possible reasons for this.

1) The line of LEDs may not be oriented in the exact way leading to off center light coming out of the reflective lens housing. You might be able to look carefully through the lens housing to see if this is the case. I'm not sure as I have not looked at this issue myself.

2) Or the LEDs are not matched such that the light intensity is not the same as the others given the same voltage driving them.


I suspect that the 2nd case would be the most common situation. In order to have the same output levels, basically the factory who produced the LEDs has to test each one with the same voltage applied and measure the light intensity output (+/- a given allowable process tolerance.) Those would go in the same bin as matched components.

Hope this gives you a better understanding of the issue.
Old 06-18-2005, 09:15 AM
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After reading this post, I went out and checked my 2005 TL AT at night and my entire driver's taillight does not seem as bright as the passenger side taillight.

My head was even with the height of the taillights at varying distances of 6 - 20 feet and moving from center of the car to directly behind each taillight.

It seems to me the driver's side taillight has a "sweet spot" of high brightness directly behind the taillight. In other words, you are standing directly behind the driver's side taillight at 6 feet with your head about the height of the taillight.

I am wondering if it is an alignment issue with the taillight housing or a manufacturing problem with the left taillights that are causing the alignment issue.

Being single, I am not able to test the brake. Has anyone tried the brake at night to see if there is still a brightness difference?
Old 06-19-2005, 07:48 AM
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Damn - I don't even want to go look couse it will bug the hell out of me if it is different! I am finding so many little things like this. Such as the pain job, door handles, leather. Car is somewhat poor quality.
Old 06-19-2005, 07:54 AM
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Originally Posted by A_UFO
After reading this post, I went out and checked my 2005 TL AT at night and my entire driver's taillight does not seem as bright as the passenger side taillight.

My head was even with the height of the taillights at varying distances of 6 - 20 feet and moving from center of the car to directly behind each taillight.

It seems to me the driver's side taillight has a "sweet spot" of high brightness directly behind the taillight. In other words, you are standing directly behind the driver's side taillight at 6 feet with your head about the height of the taillight.

I am wondering if it is an alignment issue with the taillight housing or a manufacturing problem with the left taillights that are causing the alignment issue.

Being single, I am not able to test the brake. Has anyone tried the brake at night to see if there is still a brightness difference?
You could just grab a brick/large rock and rest it on the brake, thats what I do to check my lights when no one is around.
Old 11-13-2005, 08:56 PM
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Originally Posted by UnsanePyro
You could just grab a brick/large rock and rest it on the brake, thats what I do to check my lights when no one is around.
I've used the power seats to hold a cardboard box against the brake pedal, but I suppose a pole or ice scraper would work too
Old 11-15-2005, 11:47 PM
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Who cares if a few leds look a tad different? When you're driving you can't see them anyway!! LOL Gosh there are some anal people here.
Old 11-16-2005, 12:13 AM
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I think car looks little cheaper with irregularity since all the infiniti lights i've seen are perfect. Actualy it is annoying to look at other TL with non-matching lights.

I saw a TL with third brake light (high mount brake light) out of level to one direction. Now that was really bad looking.
Old 11-16-2005, 12:08 PM
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I had the problem with the driver's side tail light being about half the brightness of the other side when the headlights were on. This is a not frequently reported problem, but something Acura definitely knows about.

Dealer replaced my driver's side taillight assembly. Problem solved.
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Old 11-16-2005, 03:37 PM
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I've never seen a 3rd gen (and I see tons of them) with this problem. Odd.
Old 04-05-2006, 01:06 AM
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Don't forget the dashboard. I only clean it with a damp cloth. But it looks powdery. I know this should be in another post. But any ideas on how to maintain the dashboard. Will Leather CPR work okay?
Old 04-05-2006, 05:41 AM
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Cool

Originally Posted by TangLed2005
Don't forget the dashboard. I only clean it with a damp cloth. But it looks powdery. I know this should be in another post. But any ideas on how to maintain the dashboard. Will Leather CPR work okay?


Maybe it is just because the light cast from your LED tailights makes the dash look that way?

Oh, and I like raisins in my oatmeal.....

<forgive me. I am up too early and the coffee is not yet ready.... >
Old 04-05-2006, 08:40 AM
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What happened to "TampaMike"?
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