7440 Reverse/Backup Light Upgrades

[-Virgil-]

Good pics and video. From the standpoint of warning others that you're backing up, the LED bulbs look like they probably do OK. But it sure looks like there is less light on the road from the LED, so I think you made the right choice in putting back the standard bulbs.

If you wanted a test lab such as Calcoast to test the reversing lamps, you'd need to send the taillight assembly to them, along with the bulb(s) you wanted them to test with, and be prepared to pay several hundred dollars and wait awhile, probably several weeks.

As for other bulbs to try, I'm out of ideas.

 

[jzchen]

From the standpoint of warning others that you're backing up, the LED bulbs look like they probably do OK.

If you wanted a test lab such as Calcoast to test the reversing lamps, you'd need to send the taillight assembly to them, along with the bulb(s) you wanted them to test with, and be prepared to pay several hundred dollars and wait awhile, probably several weeks.

As for other bulbs to try, I'm out of ideas.

Your advice is of great value to me. I would like to use them. They are more reliable and I do not have to worry as much about a bulb burning out on my elderly parents. I actually forgot that they have a backup camera to help them see when backing, which helps a lot. I don't expect nor hold you responsible for any final decisions I make, but if you think they are good enough I will use them. (I honestly do not think my parents will notice a difference. They do not drive much at night/in the dark nowadays anyways).

Thanks for the tip about Calcoast. I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask. Maybe they already have some insight and are willing to sell the answer, without having to do actual testing. (Shrugs)....

I like the bulbs you already recommended. Just don't want to cross the legality line if they're obviously a fail...

Thank you again for your time and advice, both you and Alaric.

 

[Alaric Darconville]

The pics and video were definitely helpful in seeing how they performed.

Definitely looks like the LED edges out the incandescent in terms of warning other drivers, but the incandescent pulls ahead for actual usable light for the driver. I saw a similar thing with my buddy's '99 RX300 (referenced in post 14).

It has an additional reversing lamp now (a Peterson unit, mounted below the bumper to the immediate left of the tailpipe outlet, and it is mounted symmetrically to the rear fog lamp I also installed) but I may recommend putting the incandescent 7440s back in the factory locations.

 

[jzchen]

I have a follow up question for you I'm afraid. This Prius was in a rear end accident where my mother backed into an office building. (Do not worry, she no longer drives). The shop I took it to did a great job in repairing it, but I found the backup bulb socket loose on the passenger side. It jiggles around fully seated. Then I saw this:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1Mv9oPvpdfrM5kLEU_apCstRHx12IbRXl/view?usp=drivesdk

It's been a few years but maybe I should take it back to the shop? (They do warranty their workmanship for a very long time. They claim lifetime).

Thanks!

 

[Alaric Darconville]

I have a follow up question for you I'm afraid. This Prius was in a rear end accident where my mother backed into an office building. The shop I took it to did a great job in repairing it, but I found the backup bulb socket loose on the passenger side. It jiggles around fully seated.

If the lamp assembly holding the reversing lamp was replaced due to the collision, they really should have noticed that when reinstalling bulbs. That's annoying.

But it's "been a few years"; probably it's better to replace the socket yourself because it's hard to prove the damage to it was from that accident, even if the lamp assembly itself had been replaced. Probably not worth the hassle driving out there to get it done.

 

[jzchen]

Thanks Alaric. I looked up the Toyota replacement part, discounted it is $24 roughly. Not bad at all....

But I confess I decided to take a chance and bring it in. The shop is 5.5 miles from home, and my son's school is about half way there. I dropped him off then drove straight there. I'm afraid I also neglected to mention that the car has accumulated a total of about 12k miles since the collision repair, which I quickly pointed out to the shop guy when he noted it's been a few years. I think with such low mileage I did have a case that it wasn't us. He mentioned he's going to order the part and call me to set up a time to do the repair.

Definitely a shop I'd recommend to anyone who lives near one. (They have several locations around Southern California)...

 

[jzchen]

So as an update they did replace the plastic portion which was damaged, but the "new" one was also slightly damaged and did not sit well in the socket as well. There's a little plastic pin that sticks out the circumference which clocks into the slot on the lamp which was busted. I ended up buying a lamp at a salvage yard I used car-part.com to find for $95, carefully figured out how to pull off that little plastic piece, and replaced it, which then sat nicely. I then replaced one LED with incandescent and looked at the two in very bright daylight. Even though I was very concerned that the more white LED light would be washed out by the sun, I was surprised I could see it pretty much just as well as the yellowish incandescent. I then replaced the other LED as well because of the decrease output at night. I figured at certain angles that decreased output, though unlikely to be experienced on the road, may just creep up to haunt me on maybe a ramp in one of those multi-level parking structures at night. (Of course my pictures, although I tried my best to check them to "show" what I was actually seeing, does not do the same work as sending the lamp with test bulb to a lab).