View Full Version : LED taillight repair


buzz
11-24-05, 06:31 PM
The LED taillight at the top of the trunk lid on our SLS has a few dead lamps on the passenger side. I investigated having the lamp assy replaced and they almost had to give me CPR when I heard the cost!

Does anyone know if this assy can be repaired; i.e., replace only the burned out LEDs? Or, do I just let it go and live with only a partial lamp?

MACTICULOUS
11-24-05, 06:48 PM
You can't fix any of the lights in that tail light. Ypu have to buy a new one. Your best bet is to go onto EBAY and buy one. Go to parts and accessories, and search under Cadillac Seville. Good luck and let us know how it comes out.

Ranger
11-24-05, 08:48 PM
Logan Loagn, he's your man. If he can't fix it no one can.
http://www.ledfix.com/pages/1/index.htm

MACTICULOUS
11-24-05, 10:36 PM
Logan Loagn, he's your man. If he can't fix it no one can.
http://www.ledfix.com/pages/1/index.htm

Maybe I was wrong, I was always under the impression that if they went bad, you were screwed and you had to have the whole thing replaced... I would listen to Ranger on this one I guess.

iametarq
11-24-05, 10:37 PM
i was hoping it could be fixed to, but it cannot. i have saved my defective one after i bought a new one from gmpartsdirect.com for an arm and a leg, but still an arm and a leg LESS than the dealer wanted.

I kept my old one but the damn glue they used is quite strong. only thing i can think of now is a dremel tool with cutter bit... :mad:

Ranger
11-24-05, 11:27 PM
Call Logan. He will tell you if it can be fixed or not.

buzz
11-25-05, 05:24 PM
Thanks for all the help, and thanks especially to Ranger. I will be contacting Logan. I see he's in Tennessee.

dutch STS
06-20-06, 03:10 AM
I know this is an old topic, but I was browsing round randomly.

I repaired the 3rd brake light for a friend, but it mounted so tightly in the lid, that a couple of lights got loose again.

Now I'm playing with the plan of making a flexible print where the leds go in. So all the LED's can move individually. Because most of the times I think, the problem is the print in which the LED are placed.

And what I did to open the third brakelight was using the Dremel and just cut it open and used window-kit (glue for car-windows, haha) to seal it afterwards.

Mountie
06-20-06, 08:40 PM
I have only the right 3rd lighting up. I talked to Cadillac service, and one of the guys will fix it for about $150.00. In my '93 STS, the led lamp is made up of 3 sections. Between the sections, there is an electrical "attachment", that gets loose ( the contacts 'lay over' each other). I was told to use glue to re-attach it.

( I didn't realize, it was tough to remove, besides the sheetmetal nuts - I'll have a talk w/ Cadillac to find the trick.)

Anyway, after removal, my T.V. VCR repair guy said he will use a dremel to open up the back, where the elec. attachment is, and fix it.

I don't know what he is going to do, but when I find out, I'll let you know.

I believe it will be in working shape for less than a 100 bucks!

Mountie
06-20-06, 08:44 PM
I know of a Hot Rod guy that could make a neon light in it's place!

iametarq
06-20-06, 09:13 PM
If anyone wants my broken old LED light bar i'll send it to you for shipping, i have no time to try to fix it myself, since i've already purchased a new one from gmpartsdirect about a year ago.

iametarq
06-20-06, 09:14 PM
i bought a new one from gm last year, if anyone wants my old one, i'll give it to you for whatever shipping costs are. send me a PM or post here.

ceeg
07-02-06, 01:37 AM
I played it easy i went to a junk yard and grabbed 3 of them for 5 bucks a peice granted one of them did not work but for 5 bux you cant complain.... its way better then the $450 the dealer wants for em!

ewill3rd
07-03-06, 06:18 AM
Some of the older ones had a way to strategically cut them to restore operation of a section. If individual LEDs are burned out just drive with them burned out.
If a whole section is lost, you CAN resolder the leads inside but it's not an easy task.
Used or new would be best, depending on what your budget will allow.

Daniel Schleppi
07-03-06, 10:42 AM
Cadillac uses leds in their brake and tail lamps because they light up more cripsply and they will illuminate about .5 seconds quicker than incandescent bulbs (if you stare at the back of your car and have someone step on the brake pedal you can actually see the led center lamp come on a split second before the outer incandescest brake lamps lightup).

When I worked at a Cadillac service dept. in the late 90's, this part retailed for about $430.00. I was fortunate, in that the one in my 94STS had 28 leds not working, and I replaced it with one from a car going for scrap and it is perfect! They gave me the part, as they wanted to remove all the plastic to get a better price on the scrap. I am going to disassemble the old one a see what is needed to reapair it, and I will let you know.
If you attempt a repair, leds tend to be polarity sensitive, so be sure to connect the wires according to their color code.

Regards,
Dan

Dooman
07-05-06, 09:30 AM
I tried the salvage yards around Mass, but most were long gone or they will not sell it without the whole deck-lid....