DEPO LED Tail Lights installed

[Kirk]

Turn on your rear fog lights (only one side will light up) and see if that makes the outer portion of the LEDs light up. It's been a while since I installed my Depo LED tail lights, but I remember that a large portion of the LEDs were setup for the rear fog light and I didn't feel that enough were dedicated just for braking. My solution... I ran a jumper wire in the wiring harness that feeds the lights between the brake light and the fog light. Now my fog lights (red LEDs) also come on with the brake lights. IMHO this is how they should have been wired in the first place, but the manufacturer wanted you to keep that rear fog light (I NEVER use it though). No problem though as it's an easy fix.

Kirk

[2K3_Boxster_S]

Originally Posted by Kirk

Turn on your rear fog lights (only one side will light up) and see if that makes the outer portion of the LEDs light up. It's been a while since I installed my Depo LED tail lights, but I remember that a large portion of the LEDs were setup for the rear fog light and I didn't feel that enough were dedicated just for braking. My solution... I ran a jumper wire in the wiring harness that feeds the lights between the brake light and the fog light. Now my fog lights (red LEDs) also come on with the brake lights. IMHO this is how they should have been wired in the first place, but the manufacturer wanted you to keep that rear fog light (I NEVER use it though). No problem though as it's an easy fix.

Kirk

is that exhaust on your car custom made? that looks crazy sic. nice

[Kirk]

Originally Posted by 2K3_Boxster_S

is that exhaust on your car custom made? that looks crazy sic. nice

Thanks man. No my exhaust is not custom. The exhaust, rear bumper, and side skirts are all part of a Gemballa kit.

http://www.gemballausa.com/986boxster_aero.asp

Kirk

[Couper1]

Kirk,
Thank you! That's the answer I was looking for. And you're right, it is a bad design as both section of brake lights should be lit. At least I now there's nothing wrong with the Depo lights. Thanks again for your input.

[2K3_Boxster_S]

Originally Posted by Kirk

Thanks man. No my exhaust is not custom. The exhaust, rear bumper, and side skirts are all part of a Gemballa kit.

http://www.gemballausa.com/986boxster_aero.asp

Kirk

OH! damn man. wish you didn't show me that site. I'm gonna go broke now!

havent seen that site before. I am a new Boxster owner. (last march) looks like expensive stuff.

Thanks

[986NY]

Hi Kirk,
Thanks so much on your write up on the Depo LED rear lights.
Do you now have extra LED lights on both sides due to your jumper wire from the brake light wire to the fog light wire.
Does this work for both side because I thought only the driver's side rear fog is designed to be on.
So, do you run a jumper wire on the existing car wire harness on both left and right sides?
Or, do you run a jumper wire in the new Depo light housing.
Question:
Is your jumper wire installed on the existing car wiring or is your jumper installed on the new Depo lights.
As evidenced by the number of the questions on all the Boxster forums, there are alot of us Boxster owners that can benefit greatly from your well thought out remedy.
Thanks so much for sharing your experience with us all.

[JNC]

Originally Posted by Kirk

My solution... I ran a jumper wire in the wiring harness that feeds the lights between the brake light and the fog light. Now my fog lights (red LEDs) also come on with the brake lights.

Kirk

Kirk, I did the same as you above with my Boxster DEPO LEDs, and both the brake LEDs light and the LED fog lights came on first time I braked (ie worked as planned). Since then, only the brake LED lights work when I brake. I checked the fog LEDs via lil rewiring, to make sure they still work, and they do, but not together with my brake light. My son suggested maybe a voltage or amperage issue for both to turn on together powered by only 1 socket (brake socket). If so, think anything internal blew since first try?

This is the second set of DEPOs I've had....With my first set, all 4 LED sets on both tail lights worked for a while when I braked, then the fog light on the passenger side stopped working with the brake light (driver's side tail powered both brake & fog LEDs).

Any suggestions? Thx in advance! I believe these sets to be made with cheap electronics but they do look nice when you can get all 4 sets of LEDs work when braking.

[anti-bling]

Check out my DIY on how to make the "fog lights" on the Depo lights into the rear turn signals...I just put it up today

Anti-Bling, Porsche 986 DIY's

[crogers106]

Originally Posted by anti-bling

Check out my DIY on how to make the "fog lights" on the Depo lights into the rear turn signals...I just put it up today

Anti-Bling, Porsche 986 DIY's

I followed anti-bling's DIY blog post regarding turning the fog light LEDs into turn signals. The blog says to wire both resistor wires to the RED wire. When I do I get a turn signal but with "hyper blink". I've researched online and everything I find says one resistor wire should go to the RED and the other to GROUND or BLACK. Before I re-wire, I wanted to get your thoughts out there. Wiring is not my most skilled area. Thanks!

[crogers106]

I figured out the answer on my own. Anyone doing this mod - one resistor wire tapped to red wire, one resistor wire to black wire. No more hyper-blink....

[JNC]

Originally Posted by Kirk

Turn on your rear fog lights (only one side will light up) and see if that makes the outer portion of the LEDs light up. It's been a while since I installed my Depo LED tail lights, but I remember that a large portion of the LEDs were setup for the rear fog light and I didn't feel that enough were dedicated just for braking. My solution... I ran a jumper wire in the wiring harness that feeds the lights between the brake light and the fog light. Now my fog lights (red LEDs) also come on with the brake lights. IMHO this is how they should have been wired in the first place, but the manufacturer wanted you to keep that rear fog light (I NEVER use it though). No problem though as it's an easy fix.

Kirk

Kirk, I've tried this as well but only the small inner brake light still works when both are wired together. If I disconnect the brake light and leave the foglight wired, then it (fog LEDs) works. The only way both do come on together is when, with the brake depressed and both LEDs disconnected, when I initially reconnect both LEDs with power going to them. If I then release the brake pedal, then re-depress it, I'm back to only the small inner brake light working even though the fog LED is still connected with power still on it. What could this mean? Thx in advance...I really want the brake and fog LEDs work together when braking.