[EricSmit]

OVERVIEW (TIME REQUIRED: < 1 minute)

I recently received part of my prize for winning Cruze of the Month, a pair of DiodeDynamic LED license plate lights. They make the light much whiter and clearer, and are LED so that's bonus bragging horsepower. They are the same lights the first gen uses, although our cars use a different housing.

TOOLS REQUIRED

A flathead screwdriver, or a flathead drill bit, or anything at all that you can pry with. A popsicle stick would work.

PARTS REQUIRED

One pair of Diode Dynamics LED license plate lights- HP3

PROCEDURE

1) Use a screwdriver or popsicle stick to pry the tab over and pop down the light.

2) Pull the housing down.

3) Twist the housing a quarter turn clockwise and pull the housing off.

4) Yank the bulb out.

5) Insert the LED bulb.

6) Put the housing back on.

7) Clip it in place.

8) Both sides are oriented identically. Enjoy your new lights.

LED on the right.

 

[ChevyGuy]

You may find that you have to spread the wire leads on the light a bit. The DD lights use a single wire bent over the form. That can make connection to the socket a bit of a hit-or-miss. OEM bulbs use a thinner wire bent into a "U" shape and are effectively "wider".

 

[EricSmit]

You may find that you have to spread the wire leads on the light a bit. The DD lights use a single wire bent over the form. That can make connection to the socket a bit of a hit-or-miss. OEM bulbs use a thinner wire bent into a "U" shape and are effectively "wider".

Mine plugged right in, but that's good information.

 

[EricSmit]

@Diode Dynamics they were plug and play, no problems, by the way.

 

[money_man]

I bought some in October or November. Both are already no good.

 

[LiveTrash]

I bought some in October or November. Both are already no good.

The problem with the ones I've been using is that they're fully exposed. These Diode Dynamics ones are slightly more enclosed, but still open. Just enough moisture or water or something must be getting into the housing to corrode the circuitry. I find rust on the weld points on the LEDs I use once they are starting to flicker.

I just bought these and they arrived today: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B017VORB7M
They're very bright. They have small holes on either side and the cap on the top isn't sealed to the base. I'm sure those holes are there to allow heat to dissipate, but in my case I don't have an option. I'm going to use a glue gun and plug up the holes and seal up the entire thing basically and see what happens. I'm also putting dielectric grease in the bulb socket to assist in corrosion prevention as even the copper contacts in the socket have corrosion on them after a while. I really don't know for sure where the moisture/water is coming in from. Maybe travelling down the wire and into the housing? I put silicone on the wires a while back to block any holes where water may be coming in to we'll see if that solves the problem.

Oh well. What's done is done. I'm sure once I seal these Phillips LEDs up they'll work fine. I've always had positive experiences with any of Phillips' products.

 

[ChevyGuy]

I bought some in October or November. Both are already no good.

I've had one fail, but DD's warranty service was great. Just email them with enough information to find your order.

Since they let me keep the old one, I took it apart. I noticed it doesn't have a regulator - meaning no protection against high system voltages. I'm wondering if that has something to do with it. I'm not sure what kind of over-voltage margin the design has. I do think the Cruze has periods of higher voltage than most cars. Older cars had a charging voltage of 13.8. GM went to a 14.2 for a different battery chemistry. And I know the Cruze will sometimes get up to 15V.

 

[EricSmit]

 

[money_man]

I feel like the constant shutting of the trunk kills the life of the leds on the 1st gen

 

[Diode Dynamics]

I bought some in October or November. Both are already no good.

I'm sorry to hear that you are experiencing issues, please contact us and we will make sure you receive a replacement set: [email protected]

We back our products with a solid, 3-year limited warranty and want to make sure you are taken care of!

Thank you,
Nick C.

 

[rob_zomb]

Thanks for this! I was trying to pry it out with something a bit wider than a flathead screwdriver and I just couldn't get it out. I thought I was missing something, apparently just needed the correct tool for the job. Thanks again!

 

[rob_zomb]

You may find that you have to spread the wire leads on the light a bit. The DD lights use a single wire bent over the form. That can make connection to the socket a bit of a hit-or-miss. OEM bulbs use a thinner wire bent into a "U" shape and are effectively "wider".

This happened to me with one of my new LEDs. I did the same thing.