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Interesting LED turn indicator bulb issue

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Main Forum' started by nfschlaack, May 20, 2024.

  1. nfschlaack

    nfschlaack Junior Member

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    Greetings all! Been a while since I've posted.

    I will apologize in advance as this will get long winded! :D

    Okay, so we have a 2004 and 2011, not so long ago, replaced all the parking / turn indictor bulbs with LEDs in both cars. Loved the "performance" of them. The 2004 as been flawless. The 2011 is another matter. Within the last several months, the LEDs sporatically, dim with each blink. It'll be dim / bright, bright / bright / dim, dim / dim / bright - you get the idea. My first suspect was the trun indicator relay, but the folks I spoke with found this very unlikely. I went as far as switching bulbs between the vehicles and the ones that worked fine in the'04 didn't in the '11 and vice a versa.

    More info - last year, we lost the right front wheel well liner. I replaced it, but it's gone now (that's another story) and have left everthing exposed. (I know, I know, leave me alone :LOL:) I inspected everything that's exposed and found no damage or fraying that I could tell.

    That's pretty much it in a nut shell. Hoping there's an expert out there that could point my nose in the right direction to try to solve this mytery. Many thanks in advance!

    Norm

    Moderators - More than happy to move this post if need be. Vehicle involved is a Gen 3 hence my posting here.
     
    #1 nfschlaack, May 20, 2024
    Last edited: May 20, 2024
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    If you didn't have this problem before my sense is that something in the light circuits is using more power than normal. I'd look for damaged wires or faulty LED bulbs or swap out blinker relay with a known good one.
     
    Danno5060 likes this.
  3. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    Gen 3 isn't there a wiring harness issue but I thought that was just for the headlights we're talking just a little 194 bulbs in the marker lights right? And I'm not sure what else you can replace the LED h8 and h11 or whatever it is you have in that model
     
  4. Tombukt2

    Tombukt2 Senior Member

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    My 2013 Persona has been LED out for 4 years or so now I'm using the zevo bulbs from Sylvania I think they're one watt 194s and whatever the headlights are I can't remember and I'm thinking that's it Not sure about the turn signals.
     
  5. nfschlaack

    nfschlaack Junior Member

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    Thanks for the replies everyone. Unfortunately, they don't clear up my issue.
    So the lights / bulbs affected are pretty much the turn indicators / hazard lights. Reverse bulbs, other parking lights and headlights are not the problem in this scenario.

    I'm wondering if a good cleaning of the electrical contacts may help the issue?
     
    Brian1954 likes this.
  6. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

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    You've already changed out all LEDs to confirm its not a bad LED board/circuit?