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LED "check engine soon" light

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Old Nov 5, 2017 | 01:50 PM
  #1  
MeenZ28's Avatar
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From: Whitter, CA/La Puente, CA
Car: 1992 Z28 Targa Top. Full air ride
Engine: 305 5.0 tpi v8
Transmission: A4
Axle/Gears: 3.73 gears posi
LED "check engine soon" light

I'm wiring up a set of Speedhut gauges and got a bunch of LED warning lights from Ebay to go with them. Everything is working right with the exception of the CBS light. It's on constantly. It appears to be working properly as it flashes brighter when checking for codes but it's still on (albeit dimmer) when it's supposed to be off. I assume this means I'll need a resistor but I'm a noob when it comes to LEDs so I don't know what size?resistor or where to put it to make this work. Any help would be appreciated.

this is the LED I'm using.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/372035806587

Last edited by MeenZ28; Nov 5, 2017 at 01:51 PM. Reason: Included more info...
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Old Nov 5, 2017 | 03:41 PM
  #2  
Camaro86IrocZ's Avatar
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Car: '86 Iroc Z & '91 RS
Engine: 305 TPI & 305 Qjet - Future LC9
Transmission: 700R4
Axle/Gears: 3.23
Re: LED "check engine soon" light

try reinstalling it plugged in at 180 turn. just flip it around in the socket from my experience. that check engine light on my car I just left the stock style bulb in. the rest in my dash are those cheap ebay ones

edit: should have looked at your link 1st , mine are the plug in stlye, maybe switch the wires then???
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Old Nov 5, 2017 | 03:44 PM
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From: Chasing Electrons
Car: check
Engine: check
Transmission: check
Re: LED "check engine soon" light

It is on due to leakage in the ECM driver for the CES lamp. Not sure what to do to fix that. But a resistor across the LED may help.

RBob.
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Old Nov 5, 2017 | 08:38 PM
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Car: 1989 Firebird
Re: LED "check engine soon" light

Interesting . On my 89 bird every bulb possible with the exception of the headlights are LEDs , including my check engine light , and none of them exhibit any leakage glow . For the dash the ones I used are the LEDs marketed as direct plug in replacements for the 194 style incandescent , I wonder if these have a small value resistor to prevent the leakage glow ? If so it couldn't be much because back when I installed them I had some fun with an amp meter and a 12 volt battery , I set up test sockets to see just how much less each LED drew than it's incandescent predecessor and I remember the LEDs as drawing a lot less than the standard bulbs they were replacing .

And yes , I of course did need to install the electronic style flasher units for both my turn signals and emergency signals , no biggie they plug in just like the regular current dependent stock ones do with one black wire that needs to be grounded (the ground for the unit's electronics) .
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