Hey all,

GOAL: Stopping Hyper Flash!!!

Tried to find out how to install LED load resistors for brake / tail LED bulbs because I hated the "hyper flash". I couldn't find exact details on how to complete the wire tapping so I just went ahead and took what I did learn and applied it. So following is a "How To" on installing load resistors on the rear brake / tail lights of a 2009 Cobalt LT Sedan.

By the way... it worked. Hyper flash is gone

Tools required: 10mm socket, 9/32 socket, pliers

Parts required: 2 x 6 Ohm 50W and 2 x line taps (purchased off ebay for $4.99), 4 x 6x3/8 self drilling screws (local hardware store)





Step 1: Remove tail lamp assembly... (inside trunk) plastic "nut" on outside of carpet, pull carpet back and remove 10mm upper bolt. remove the 2 bolts on outside of assembly.







Step 2: Mount load resistors where they will not come in contact with wires or plastic (they get HOT). Use 2 self drilling screws per load resistor. Drivers side then passenger side.





Step 3: Use the blue wire taps to connect the load resistors. There are 3 wires (black, brown and yellow - same on both sides) Connect one wire from the load resistor to the black wire then connect the other wire from the load resistor to the yellow wire using the wire taps. Then crimp the wire taps using pliers but not too hard.





Step 4: Reassemble the tail light assembly by simply following step 1 but in reverse.





Hope this helps others who are not to keen on the "hyper flash" that LED bulbs cause. Personally I hated it and thought it may give a police officer reason to stop me.

Done!!!

 

Hey so my BIG question of the day is. If you have LED light bulbs for the front and back, you will need to splice these in for both the front and back. So that means 2 in front and 2 in back right... I did 2 for the back but it still didnt slow it down. But will try to put both in.

 

From my understanding if you get one big enough, you'll just have to put one on each side. I tried doing this just now, but it change the rate of the blinker. I might not have gotten one big enough? It was 25w 4j

 

From my understanding that is not correct. Neither of mine would not work until i had one resistor spliced into the left lamp and 1 resistor spliced into the right lamp.

I have a total of 4, 6 ohm resistors and i mounted them all with sticky tape- been going on about 2 months with no issues they are still holding like rocks.

 

are you talking from front to back, or side to side. Because I don't understand why you would have to do both sides before they would work if one side can hyper blink and the other be normal.

 

Side to side- I installed the left rear side first: tested with a resulting hyper flash for 5 mins.

installed the right rear side and then both sides were blinking normal in seconds.

I experienced the same exact same result when i tested my switchback LED's left to right in the front with my headlights.

 

Agreed... 4 LED bulbs = 4 load resistors.

 

Instead of self tapping screws, I personally would use double sided thermal tape (The type used for attaching heatsinks). Does less damage to the car and also offloads the heat into the body better.

 

Where can you pick that up at?

 

Sub'd

 

Didn't see this until now.

You can find thermal tape on ebay. It is commonly used to mount computer heatsinks to components.

 

Worked flawlessly! Hyperblink no more!

 

sub'd

 

would it matter if my wires are yellow brown and black on the left and green brown and black on the right? of course the right side didnt work! ugh could it just be the resistor or just the wierd wire thing?

 

Sub'd. Thanks!

So tape instead of drilling holes is no good?

 

Do those actually last. I had a set go bad after 2 months on my other car. Finally I just replaced the factory flasher with the electronic one and fixed the fast flash and cost less than half of what the resistors did. Was curious since this would be easier for my SUV since I am tired of taking the dash panel off.

 

Over a year and still no problems (fingers crossed)

 

So I have to ask... Why is everyone using those big **** resistors? Just buy an electronic flasher to replace the DOT canned flasher. I seen a few posts up that someone mentioned it. Also another nice thing about the electronic flasher is that you can replace the cap in them to get a faster or slower blink and with LED's it looks nice at a slightly faster flash rate. Just stay within the 15% tolerance of DOT and your good.

Electronic Turn Signal Blinker Flasher Relay - YouTube

 

Now will this work with the aftermarket led tail lights or is this only for the led light bulbs?

 

They work with any light or no light at all. They have an internal "timer" based on the capacitor. Back in the mid nineties i bought one for normal bulbs and changed the capacitor to make them blink faster. So yea they will work and every auto store carries them last time i checked.

 

Wont work. Our cars don't have turn signal relays. Its controlled by the BCM.

 

Learn something new each day. This guy has a good idea too. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9AJdwNwrtI&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I've also heard of bring lights, essentially its a blacked out regular bulb that is hooked up in parallel to the tail lights which keeps the load equal. I am just opposed to those big **** hot resistor, not to mention they are expensive.