MJNewton Posted April 3, 2017 Share Posted April 3, 2017 Looking through ETIS today I noticed that our Fiesta's spec is listed with 'Tail lamps - LED Rear' but from what I recall they didn't look like they were. Can anyone confirm? Perhaps it just consists of an LED bulb instead of the standard incandescent (in which case, why? I suppose it would save a little bit of power consumption). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonro2009 Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 What spec? The titanium has LED Bulbs, they are longer lasting, brighter and they illuminate quickerSent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Lanc Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 Seen them on eBay for £150 a pair and look smashing, no idea how they are wired up or if there are any other electrical wizardry further around the car to control them. Be great on the Titanium but not 'sports type' Fiesta's due to the chrome bits. £150 for the pair: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Ford-Fiesta-MK7-MK7-5-MK8-Rear-LED-lights-/262916525182?hash=item3d370bcc7e:g:RIwAAOSwdGFY3T9T Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJNewton Posted April 4, 2017 Author Share Posted April 4, 2017 Thanks both. Jon - yes; Titanium spec. I can see the longevity and brightness benefit of the uprated bulbs but the speed response is only really applicable for brake lights. Ian - I'm not looking to buy a set, it was more that I was just a bit perplexed that if the Titanium touts LED tail lamps as a spec 'upgrade' then it would be more than just different bulbs but rather uprated housing too (like the ones you linked to and, presumably, what are now available on more recent models?) that provided more of the aesthetic benefits of LED technology. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerFlame Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 By LED they mean the LED brake light :) Only 2016+ have full LED units and even then it's only the taillights that are LED I fitted the LED units to my 2014 fiesta. They're plug and play. I've then changed all the other bulbs to LED with units from Autobeam :) I used YDET10 for 10% off It's on a Zetec S and I haven't noticed any additional "chrome bits"... :S 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJNewton Posted April 4, 2017 Author Share Posted April 4, 2017 40 minutes ago, GingerFlame said: By LED they mean the LED brake light :) Are you sure? Surely Ford would know the difference between a brake and a tail light! I think Jon's suggestion of it referring to an LED bulb in the tail light sound more plausible. If it wasn't such a seeming faff I'd pop out and have a look but it hardly seems worth it removing whatever's necessary just to satisfy my curiosity. That said... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJNewton Posted April 4, 2017 Author Share Posted April 4, 2017 Thinking about this further, the tail/brake light are I think a combined dual-filament and so if the 'tail' light is LED then presumably the 'brake' light has to be also! That would fit with both what Kieran and Jon have suggested it is referring to and would justify being counted as an upgrade given the £20(?) or so difference in price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CREED Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 6 minutes ago, MJNewton said: Are you sure? Surely Ford would know the difference between a brake and a tail light! GingerFlame is correct it is referring to the high level brake light. The brake light is just a halogen bulb. About half way through 2015 Ford changed the rear lights to include an LED sidelight rather than using a dual filament brake/sidelight bulb. The brake light in these units are single filament halogens. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJNewton Posted April 4, 2017 Author Share Posted April 4, 2017 That really doesn't sound right. ETIS and the brochure are quite clear about 'tail lamps' and so they surely haven't got both the name and the number wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karl46 Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 The sales brochure says. "LED night signature to rear lights". I asked about that when I took my car in for service last week and was told they are just normal lights, not LED. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJNewton Posted April 4, 2017 Author Share Posted April 4, 2017 Having said I'd read about them in my brochure I can't for the life of my find where now! Oh well, it's pretty clear they're not LED as many of you have been suggesting and it certainly doesn't look like they are when they're on. Thanks everyone for the input. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonro2009 Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 I'm going to stick my neck out here and say that for now forget about the high level light and think about the tail light alone. The majority of the bulbs are halogen accept for the 4 vertical stripes on each unit, these are LED and are the 'signature' marking for the fiesta. @MJNewton there would also be a benefit to have them as indicators too, the flash would be crisper and peak sooner. Not by anything noticeable to our eyes though lol. That's my interpretation of the blurb and the unit itself.Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJNewton Posted April 4, 2017 Author Share Posted April 4, 2017 Might you be thinking of a different model/year Jon? Mine's a 2013 Fiesta (Titanium) and doesn't have any stripes on the lamp housings. Here's a stock photo of the type I've got: I am pretty certain there are no LED Bulbs in it, despite what ETIS might say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonro2009 Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 You're right sorry, I thought you were referring to a 2016+ car. The lights @IanLanc linked to and the comments by @CREED and @karl46 all referred to the 2016+ models/lights. I didn't realise yours is a 2013, apologies.Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJNewton Posted April 4, 2017 Author Share Posted April 4, 2017 No problem at all. For completeness I'm assuming these are the ones you mean: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonro2009 Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 Spot on, those are the ones. Sorry for the confusion, on Tapatalk you can't see anyone's signature Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJNewton Posted April 4, 2017 Author Share Posted April 4, 2017 That's good to know actually; I'll make sure I avoid any ambiguities in future by including such detail in the post. It arguably helps future proof archives of discussions too as when someone changes their car and updates their profile any old posts might start to make little sense! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonro2009 Posted April 4, 2017 Share Posted April 4, 2017 It's not a great setup on Tapatalk for this forum, even if you click on someone's name you dent get to see their bio or any info. Some of the forums have a better setup, you can see people's profile info.Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karl46 Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 I have a 2016 festa with the later rear lights with the clear stripes. The Ford main dealer said they are not LED, but only look like they are, The same as the earlier ones were brochured as "LED night signature". but were not LED. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MJNewton Posted April 5, 2017 Author Share Posted April 5, 2017 LED lamps are usually quite easy to spot given them being so much quicker to illuminate and extinguish. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerFlame Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 They 100% are LED strips, if you look at the back of the light you'll see small black and red wires going into the unit. They are not removable, meaning the LED is not replaceable. By the looks of it it's only one or two LEDs lighting up the strips but I could be wrong. As mentioned above you'll also notice the LEDs illuminate faster(instantly) when switched on which is another giveaway :) The brake light however is not LED. The only LED part is simply the taillight/sidelight itself. This is only on late 2015/2016+ models I have also fitted LED reverse, brake and Indicators to complete the full LED rear end :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerFlame Posted April 5, 2017 Share Posted April 5, 2017 15 hours ago, Jonro2009 said: I'm going to stick my neck out here and say that for now forget about the high level light and think about the tail light alone. The majority of the bulbs are halogen accept for the 4 vertical stripes on each unit, these are LED and are the 'signature' marking for the fiesta. @MJNewton there would also be a benefit to have them as indicators too, the flash would be crisper and peak sooner. Not by anything noticeable to our eyes though lol. That's my interpretation of the blurb and the unit itself. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk The difference with the indicators being LED is hugely noticeable! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jbell Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 On 05/04/2017 at 1:21 PM, GingerFlame said: They 100% are LED strips, if you look at the back of the light you'll see small black and red wires going into the unit. They are not removable, meaning the LED is not replaceable. By the looks of it it's only one or two LEDs lighting up the strips but I could be wrong. As mentioned above you'll also notice the LEDs illuminate faster(instantly) when switched on which is another giveaway :) The brake light however is not LED. The only LED part is simply the taillight/sidelight itself. This is only on late 2015/2016+ models I have also fitted LED reverse, brake and Indicators to complete the full LED rear end :) This is a bit of a relief -- so my 2013 titanium will have a regular bulb for the brake light? I suspect my right ones gone. Will save some notes if it's just a regular bulb rather than having to swap the unit like you do with the stock front DRLs... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GingerFlame Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Yes your brake bulb will be a standard filament bulb. Although you could do what I've done and replace it with an led unit? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zico Posted April 17, 2017 Share Posted April 17, 2017 Which make LEDs are you using for the rear bulbs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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