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OK folks, got my LED 3rd brake light today and installed it. My bulb was out when I got my E. I finally had to replace it with a better one. Had to take out the reflector and red lens to make this work. Cheers.
The only LED factory 3rd brake light in the US & Canada
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It is said in this forum.. without pictures it didn't happen. 
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I see an image. Wouldn't call it "factory," though.
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ramblerdan and duplicated02, you are right. They are not factory LED 3rd light. The title was just a teaser. The thing about this is, it is a direct replcement for the factory bulb if you want to switch to LED with a factory look. There are no splicing, no tapping of wires, no modification done to the OEM 3rd brake light housing and uses OEM snap brackets. It's totally plug and play. That's why I can safely say it's "factory LED 3rd brake light". Here's a picture I took with the LED's on. I'll take a picture when it gets sunny outside later. I'll test this out and will let you guys know later about the outcome. This is just in the initial stage of testing and I want to make sure this darn thing works and is reliable. So be patient. Cheers...
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Let me test this product first before I promote it. ;-)
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Let me know if you need someone in NorCal to test one out for you!!!
Otherwise, as soon as they are available, let us know. I will buy one
of those for sure!!!!!
Sounds like a Group Buy to me!! Count me in for one as well, wanted to do this for a while..... 8)
Thanks!! :razz::razz:
Thanks!! :razz::razz:
Red LEDs output shouldn't be diminished by a red brake light lens. If the lens had to be discarded, the LED unit isn't a direct replacemennt.
I'm wary of any OEM lamp mod that requires "clearing" a factory lens, since it's illegal in most states, as is changing the color of the factory bulbs.
Does your "direct replacement" have a DOT number on it?
I'm wary of any OEM lamp mod that requires "clearing" a factory lens, since it's illegal in most states, as is changing the color of the factory bulbs.
Does your "direct replacement" have a DOT number on it?
i suspect that the removal of the red lens was required by physical space considerations and not by optics.
so, it would be a "direct remove and replacement".
i base my conjecture on my installation of a custom LED setup that just needed more/different space in order to fit into the housing.
so, it would be a "direct remove and replacement".
i base my conjecture on my installation of a custom LED setup that just needed more/different space in order to fit into the housing.
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It does not have DOT number to answer your question. The OEM red lens was remove to install the LED light that is enclosed by the casing with clear lens which uses factory snap clips/hooks like the OEM red lens use. It's basically a direct replacement. I really don't see a clear lens being illegal due to the fact that a good number of car manufacturers use clear lens now with their third LED brake light. Plus LED's are more monochromatic in color than thier counterpart. I think it is safe to say that red lens is used on this OEM third brake light is the fact that it uses an incadescent light bulb and red is a color standard for brake light and tail lights for automobiles. Just my opinion and I can be wrong.
For some reason, Honda still uses incadescent light bulbs for their 3rd brake light even with their latest models. :shock: It's a thing of the past. They need to step up the plate and follow others.
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You can't see the red lens behing the rear tinted glass anyways.... It's just there because the bulb behind it lights up white....
Really a DOT #?? come on now you know its aftermarket and most likely doesn't carry a DOT #. most anything you buy won't carry a DOT #...
Really a DOT #?? come on now you know its aftermarket and most likely doesn't carry a DOT #. most anything you buy won't carry a DOT #...
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Finally got some testing done today in very good weather conditions. Had the third brake light facing the sun. Tested it with red lens and without red lens.
Without red lens top photo, with red lens middle photo and distance shot bottom photo without red lens. Noticed that with the red lens, it made the LED light pattern wider. There is more than enough room to just stick the red lens without modification other than just glueing it to the casing but requires cutting the clips off or no cutting by just reversing the red lens that is what you see here in the photo. I was also planning to just remove the clear lens from the aftermarket led and replace it with the OEM red lens and I think this route may look much better. Overall, I am very satisified with the LED replacement. Unfortunately, I could not compare it with the factory light since I don't have the bulb for it.
Without red lens top photo, with red lens middle photo and distance shot bottom photo without red lens. Noticed that with the red lens, it made the LED light pattern wider. There is more than enough room to just stick the red lens without modification other than just glueing it to the casing but requires cutting the clips off or no cutting by just reversing the red lens that is what you see here in the photo. I was also planning to just remove the clear lens from the aftermarket led and replace it with the OEM red lens and I think this route may look much better. Overall, I am very satisified with the LED replacement. Unfortunately, I could not compare it with the factory light since I don't have the bulb for it.
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No, the red lens it's there as a part of the originally certified fixture to meet a Federal regulation, because there is no RED replacement bulb, incandescent, halogen or LED, that is SAE/DOT certified for use with that fixture.
Maybe you buy aftermarket replacement lighting parts of unknown origin, but I won't risk my safety to products whose manufacturers won't certify them to meet relevant standards. I limit un-certified lighting to supplementary and auxiliary applications.
Every automotive replacement bulb from Sylvania, Bosch, or any other "real" lighting manufacturer has their name and either a DOT # on the envelope or the base, or a part number that references back to an SAE/DOT standard.
In the US, all legally required automotive lighting fixtures must have DOT/SAE numbers molded into them, usually on the lenses. If you go through the complete list of Element recalls, you'll find several aftermarket replacement lighting fixture products that have been recalled for removal as illegal (and the manufacturers fined). The fixture certification is based on the use of a specified SAE/DOT certified lamp type and color. To be legal, all replacement brake or headlamp "bulbs" must be the same type and color as the originally installed bulb, and SAE/DOT certified for the application. To date, only Sylvania and OSRAM have submitted replaceable LED "bulbs" for certification, not as replacements for existing incandescent bulbs, but in conjunction with fixtures designed specifically for us with them.
Future Honda models will eventually incorporate LED brake and/or other exterior lighting. My guess is that the 3rd brake lamp fixtures will be the first to be replaced by LED fixtures. When they do, to be sold in the US, their LED assemblies will have SAE/DOT numbers on them. It would be nice if they were certified as a direct replacement for the 03-10 fixtures, but I wouldn't count on it.
As I read it, nothing in ILSC 625 Vehicle code requires tail lights to be DOT certified. Headlights yes, specifically mentioned, but not tail lights.
All they spell out is how far you must be able to see them from in sunlight, how many of them for special vehicle instances, etc.
Could be wrong, but here is the link:
http://www.ilfirechaplains.org/files/blue_lights_laws.pdf
All they spell out is how far you must be able to see them from in sunlight, how many of them for special vehicle instances, etc.
Could be wrong, but here is the link:
http://www.ilfirechaplains.org/files/blue_lights_laws.pdf
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See post number 5. Make note that there is a flourecent light behind me when I took that photo.Great job.8) Looks like an array of SuperFlux l.e.d.s were used. I planned on making something similiar to that awhile back,but I just haven't got around to it yet. How about posting a night time shot?
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