LED bulb upgrades for SE & Trophy.

[Pebble]

Nice to see LED headlights and DRLs on the facelift but that's about the sum total of LEDs - come on MG, you can do better!

So before anyone asks "why do want to change the halogen bulbs to LED?", I'll give my opinion - LEDs are sharper, faster reacting on the brake lights and indicators and generally consume less energy/run cooler. Oh, and a more "modern" appearance in use.

So unless anyone has been down the same route, maybe on the pre facelift, I'll go ahead with the "project" in the near future. Any input will be gladly appreciated. Have done several cars before, so am aware of some of the pitfalls of LEDs, eg. hyperfalshing, errors etc..

BTW, interior bul;bs have already been changed to LED. At least now I can see things in the car - the dim halogen ones were awful.

 

[DewiSant]

I've just upgraded the interior bulbs to LED because the standard ones are useless. It was a bit tight fitting the new bulbs but the difference is massive. I'd like to fit lights in the front and rear footwells and glove box as I've had them in the past few cars I've owned but would need to get them done professionally as I'd want them properly integrated.

I'd be interested to see what the indicators and break lights look like once you've upgraded.

 

[BugEyed]

James Coates (aka James and Kate, Cleveley etc) has done this on some bulbs (the W5W wedge) on both his pre-facelift and facelift MG5. I'm not sure that he has done brake lights etc, but why not ask him?

 

[Gomev]

The rear lights on the pre-facelift are LED. I have changed the interior courtesy bulbs to LED.

 

[BugEyed]

Is that all of the rear lights including brake and reverse as well as position? The manual implies not.

 

[Gomev]

Is that all of the rear lights including brake and reverse as well as position? The manual implies not.

No just the rear lights, not the stop or indicator or reversing.

edit, just remembered I upgraded the reversing lights to LED, a vast improvement. Uses the same bulb as the interior courtesy.

 

[Pebble]

Having read the owner's manual, I'm not convinced of the type/fitment of the bulbs mentioned for front & rear indicators, brake and reversing lights. Going to pull them out one at a time and see excatly what fitrment they are.

 

[Gomev]

Having read the owner's manual, I'm not convinced of the type/fitment of the bulbs mentioned for front & rear indicators, brake and reversing lights. Going to pull them out one at a time and see excatly what fitrment they are.

Why are you not convinced ? Have you got the correct manual for the facelift ?

 

[Pebble]

For example, the manuals in both the car infotainment and on the MG website show the rear interior bulbs as festoon but they're wedge type. The manuals talk about halogen headlights with a caveat that LED headlights may be fitted. So much for the manuals being specific to the Facelift.

 

[Pebble]

Moving on, I've had all of the bulbs out to confirm type and fitment:

Front indicators - W21W Amber
Rear Indicators - W16W Amber
Brake lights - W21W Red

FWIW on the FL, the light cluster on the tailgate that contains the reverse lamp (only one on the n/s) and the red foglight (only one o/s) are OEM LED in a sealed unit. This cluster also contains the LED side lights. I was hoping the reverse lamp was halogen and MG hadn't bothered to fit one to the o/s but not the case. I appreciate these days that reversing lights aren't there to help you see going backwards, more of a "marker" light to let others know you're reversing but to me, the more light you have can only be a positive. Looking into a slim marker/grill light that could be fitted onto the black plastic bar under the reg. plate. Something like this: ALS F4 GRILL LIGHT/SURFACE MOUNT

I've used Auto Bulbs Direct (ABD) in the past on many cars and trust their own branded products, the 20/20 range. So here's what on order for brake and indicators:

7440 Twenty20 Impact Cree LED Canbus Bulb 582 12V W21W

7440 Can-bus Super Bright 360 Degree 6 LED bulbs The new 582 super bright LED bulb requires only 2W of power increasing bulb life up to 4,000 hours, 360 LED design for maximum light output and brightness.

www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk

16W amber LED indicators aren't available in the 20/20 range, so going to fit the 21W version. From experiance, if they're deemed to be too bright to anyone behind me, I know of a way to reduce their intensity.

The project continues and will post pics and video when fitted

 

[smokie]

I like a bit of tinkering but what is the ambition here? It can't be to save electricity...?

 

[Pebble]

I like a bit of tinkering but what is the ambition here? It can't be to save electricity...?

Just my opinion on LEDs - they have a " sharper/crisper" look, faster reacting on the brake lights and indicators . Oh, and a more "modern" appearance in use