Interior lighting question

Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Joseph Garcia

Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 2, 2018
Posts
7,356
Reaction score
9,946
In my case, the LEDs fade out, but they do so quicker, than the incandescent bulbs did.
 

iddqd

Full Access Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2017
Posts
224
Reaction score
651
Location
San Francisco, Comifornia, USSA
There is a caveat that not everyone knows. The courtesy lights will work perfectly (the ones that come on with doors open). But the vanity/reading lights will barely light or no light at all. The reason - GM's Inadvertent Power Supply system. This system disables those lights after 10 mins of use when the ignition is off.

Do not confuse it with RAP - which is Retained accessory power system. RAP is a system that permits the operation of some accessories for up to 10 minutes after the ignition switch is turned OFF.

Inadvertent Power Supply will come on for 10 mins every time there's a request for it. The problem is that BCM monitors load in order to determine that you turned on ur reading lights and it needs to start 10 mins timer. And since LEDs have significantly higher internal resistance, BCM can not pick it up and you have ur LEDs are off or light poorly, cuz all you have is some odd voltage in the system. The solution is to install a chunky resistor (I used 5 Watt 150 Ohm, 10 Watt would be even better) to let BCM know that there's a demand for power. This it required for Sun visor lights, front and back reading lights and in my case bed lights as well.
 

HiHoeSilver

Away!
Joined
Feb 28, 2017
Posts
10,918
Reaction score
14,572
Location
Chicago
There is a caveat that not everyone knows. The courtesy lights will work perfectly (the ones that come on with doors open). But the vanity/reading lights will barely light or no light at all. The reason - GM's Inadvertent Power Supply system. This system disables those lights after 10 mins of use when the ignition is off.

Do not confuse it with RAP - which is Retained accessory power system. RAP is a system that permits the operation of some accessories for up to 10 minutes after the ignition switch is turned OFF.

Inadvertent Power Supply will come on for 10 mins every time there's a request for it. The problem is that BCM monitors load in order to determine that you turned on ur reading lights and it needs to start 10 mins timer. And since LEDs have significantly higher internal resistance, BCM can not pick it up and you have ur LEDs are off or light poorly, cuz all you have is some odd voltage in the system. The solution is to install a chunky resistor (I used 5 Watt 150 Ohm, 10 Watt would be even better) to let BCM know that there's a demand for power. This it required for Sun visor lights, front and back reading lights and in my case bed lights as well.

Where did you install the resistor?
 

Forum statistics

Threads
132,401
Posts
1,867,453
Members
97,059
Latest member
2009TahoeLT

Latest posts

Top