2008 Suburban custom tail light Mod

[kbuskill]

Just to update this post...

I discovered the Pilot brand "canbus" LEDs in the original/upper position to be the culprit for backfeeding power through to my front parking lights when the brake pedal was applied.

They also had some of the LEDs start flickering so I replaced them with a matching set of the strobing LEDs that I installed in the lower portion of the housing (original turn signal location).

I discovered 2 things...

1. My front parking lights no longer come on when applying the brake pedal.

2. The "canbus" bulb was completely unnecessary.

I thought that without a regular bulb or resistor or canbus bulb that the cruise control wouldn't work because I thought the BCM checked the amperage draw on that circuit and would disable the CC.

I thought I had read that somewhere. Either that is not the case OR the addition of the 2 extra LED bulbs + the fully modded 3rd provides enough resistance to trick the BCM into thinking there are regular bulbs in there.

Either way I am happy that I don't need any resistors on the brake side as they get super hot, super fast. I would eventually like to send my BCM to have it reflashed to ignore the bulb out warning for the turn signals so I can lose those resistors as well.

Thanks @Fosscore for bringing this back to my attention so I could update this post.

I really need to start a "build" thread... even though it isn't heavily modded I have done a few subtle things that I think are cool... I try to keep people scratching there head and wondering if the truck came that way and if so how come theirs doesn't have that option... lol

Some times less is more IMO... I like things to be "Chopper Clean"... it is a phrase my buddies and I use in the motorcycle world but it can apply to anything.

If I do start a build thread at least mine will have some pics... @Galante .. lol

 

[PG01]

Thanks ken... looks good btw.... now send me your 3rd and we’ll call it even....

 

[kbuskill]

Thanks ken... looks good btw.... now send me your 3rd and we’ll call it even....

I will think about it... ask me again later

 

[PG01]

I will think about it... ask me again later

 

[Fosscore]

Just to update this post...

I discovered the Pilot brand "canbus" LEDs in the original/upper position to be the culprit for backfeeding power through to my front parking lights when the brake pedal was applied.

They also had some of the LEDs start flickering so I replaced them with a matching set of the strobing LEDs that I installed in the lower portion of the housing (original turn signal location).

I discovered 2 things...

1. My front parking lights no longer come on when applying the brake pedal.

2. The "canbus" bulb was completely unnecessary.

I thought that without a regular bulb or resistor or canbus bulb that the cruise control wouldn't work because I thought the BCM checked the amperage draw on that circuit and would disable the CC.

I thought I had read that somewhere. Either that is not the case OR the addition of the 2 extra LED bulbs + the fully modded 3rd provides enough resistance to trick the BCM into thinking there are regular bulbs in there.

Either way I am happy that I don't need any resistors on the brake side as they get super hot, super fast. I would eventually like to send my BCM to have it reflashed to ignore the bulb out warning for the turn signals so I can lose those resistors as well.

Thanks @Fosscore for bringing this back to my attention so I could update this post.

I really need to start a "build" thread... even though it isn't heavily modded I have done a few subtle things that I think are cool... I try to keep people scratching there head and wondering if the truck came that way and if so how come theirs doesn't have that option... lol

Some times less is more IMO... I like things to be "Chopper Clean"... it is a phrase my buddies and I use in the motorcycle world but it can apply to anything.

If I do start a build thread at least mine will have some pics... @Galante .. lol

Build thread FTW.

 

[kbuskill]

I just realized that I have been posting, all night, in the wrong thread... the posts that were previously here are now in my "mod" thread which can be found here, http://www.tahoeyukonforum.com/threads/kbuskills-2008-burb-ltz-mod-thread.100141/ , if you are so inclined.

Have you ever just felt like a real dumbass?.... I have.

 

[kbuskill]

Same song, second verse.

See above.

 

[HiHoeSilver]

Ok... I think I lied.... but not on purpose... I actually think the next mod after tint was the installation of my Rosen CS- GM1210:

https://www.adcmobile.com/product/cs-gm1210-ca/

The reasoning for this is because I absolutely HATED the original GM Navigation unit that came in our '08 LTZ.... I don't know how much better the newer factory Navi is but I seriously doubt it could be any worse. The sound that came from the original head unit through the Bose system sounded flat and boring.... when I am jamming out to Johnny Cash I need to hear some bass... and the maps and Navi interface were awful and no Bluetooth in '08. There is probably more bad I could say about it but I will move on.

I went with the GM1210 after a lot of research. I liked it for many reasons. For one, it had Bluetooth, so that was an automatic upgrade. One of the main reasons I like it is because it looks stock... I know, crazy right?....
Remember earlier in my thread where I said "less is more" and "Chopper Clean".

I didn't want to come out and find my window busted and a big hole in my dash along with cut wiring and broken dash pieces, you know the routine. Plus I have had all the fancy doodads and gizmos through the years and I'm not trying to impress anyone any more... I've gotten to the age where as long as I'm happy with it, that's all that matters.... OH, and the wife.... HWHL remember...lol

View attachment 191432
Horrible pic, I know, and that's ok because everyone knows what a factory Navi looks like... which this isn't, but if it were off its hard to tell the difference.

Here is another pic just to show what the Nav screen looks like... Bear in mind, I live out in the sticks so there isn't much around to show up on the screen. Even so if you have ever messed with the factory Navi you should be able to appreciate the difference.
View attachment 191434

I also decided that since my truck had 2 cig lighter plugs in the dash, because in '08 the USB plug was not an option, I was going to change things up a bit.

I installed the factory USB port and matching cover on the passenger side and on the driver's side I kinda did my own thing.

I measured and researched and hunted and procured a 3 way toggle switch that just happened, by chance, to fit exactly in the original cig lighter cover and housing. I hooked the lower side up to a 5 pin relay that is mounted under the dash in the kick panel where the wiring block is located. The relay was required to maintain the factory functionality of the rear camera coming on when you put the truck in reverse (5th pin = NC) but the other pin ( 4th pin = NO) allows me to power up the rear cam while driving forward or anytime the truck isn't in reverse. This allowed me to NOT have to power the rear camera CONSTANTLY, which would cause premature failure, just to be able to view it while moving

The top portion of the switch is wired to the front camera I installed in the lower portion of the grill. It is nice when parking.
View attachment 191435
I did have to grind just a bit off the inside cover to clear the switch. I should have probably done a little better job of cleaning it up and smoothing it out BUT it stays closed 99% of the time. It's cool to because if you have either camera selected, when you close the cover it automatically turns it off.
View attachment 191436

Looking for that. Link to the switch /cover?

You have it setup how? Is it off=camera with reverse, i=front, ii=rear?

 

[kbuskill]

Looking for that. Link to the switch /cover?

You have it setup how? Is it off=camera with reverse, i=front, ii=rear?

You would have to go and ask me a hard question now wouldn't you?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/252506023079

This MAY be the guy I bought it from but I am really not sure as that mod was done many moons ago and unfortunately it doesn't show up in my eBay history.

I would measure the factory cover housing and Inquire with the seller to confirm the diameter of the switch. The housing and cover are just the standard cig lighter port covers.

And YES on the way it is wired.

 

[kbuskill]

Third verse... it happens.

See above.