The Saga of the Trans Am Parking light

**GULLETT17** · 09-25-2009, 11:27 AM

As most of you know the design of the parking light in our cars is absolutely horrible. For those who don't. . . to sum it up, the bulb gets too hot, causing cracking of the light fixture. This allows moisture into the housing. And because the bulb and socket enter the housing vertically from the bottom, this moisture settles in the socket, creating corrosion, shorting out, burning out of bulb, etc.

For those of you that have had your car for a substantial amount of time, I'm sure you have dealt this frustrating problem. I have went through countless number of bulbs. I have changed the socket on the drivers side once and the passenger side three times. I have also installed new housings only a few months ago, only to be disappointed with the dreaded non flash to my passenger side turn signal just this week. When I inspected my housing, I saw this yet again:

The replacement of the socket for the third time:

Because the high heat of the bulb is the only changeable cause of this, I believe converting to LEDs is the only real solution to this problem. After much research, I am finally about to attempt this conversion. I wanted to create this thread to prevent you fellow trans am owners from having to go through the trouble of replacing bulbs/sockets/housings and researching the LED conversion process.

To convert LEDs, you cannot just pop the bulbs in and go.

Due to the way the circuitry is devised on the GM DRL's, LED bulbs are extemely
vulnerable to premature failure without using the exact correct circuitry and
installation methods.

-Chris @ Autolumination

In-line LED protectors must be installed at each socket and a 6 ohm load equalizer for each socket or LED/electronic flasher.

I think am going to be using Autolumination to supply my parts. They have an LED bulb tower called a switchback. This means the running light will be white and the turn signal will be amber.

I will hopefully be ordering today. The question I did have for them, however, was the length of their various bulb sizes (this is do to the option of different 3157 style towers with different amounts of LEDs on them). Again, because the idiotic style of our housing, some of these LED towers may be too long to fit in the housing without hitting the top.

Updates soon to come. . .

**TempleU_WS6** · 09-25-2009, 11:43 AM

Awesome!

Please please please do a full write up of all this. I'm not good with electrical stuff so most of it goes over my head.

I havnt had this problem but I dont want to and want to switch to LEDs anyway.

If you could do a step by step process of what you bought and had to do that would be awesome and would not only help me out but everyone else!!!

I'll definitely be tuning in as details come in from ya!

Thanks again!

**KMdef9** · 09-25-2009, 06:27 PM

You can plug and and go with the proper LED's. Depends on thier resistance, very typically, LED's use much less power so the car thinks that bulb is out. I have been looking into this subject as well. I have heard of some LED's coming with a resistor built in, otherwise you need to purchase the inline resistor (If the led doesn't use enough power). I have heard LED's in the taillight also reduce mositure build up, so that's wear I'm starting. It is painstaking to get this manufactures to give me measurements (Watt/Ohm). If I can get my hands on a potentiometer, this would be easier...

But it is battle we will fight together!

**need4fun2469** · 09-25-2009, 06:50 PM

got to a semi chrome shop and get a led bulb.

make sure you get a clear one and not an amber.

worked for me.

**wooddaniel** · 09-25-2009, 11:16 PM

I put silicone in the top and drilled holes in the bottom of the fixture. I have not had to replace a bulb or a socket in a long time since I did that.

**Sweet Chops** · 09-26-2009, 06:02 AM

Originally Posted by KMdef9

You can plug and and go with the proper LED's. Depends on thier resistance, very typically, LED's use much less power so the car thinks that bulb is out.

That must of been the reason when I put LEDs in my tail lights on my bike they blinked so fast.

**BIG GUNS** · 09-26-2009, 10:08 AM

I did the DRL delete and this fixed the issue with mine. Got tired of the damn thing getting smoke checked and having to replace them all the time.

Now, my DRLs only work in blinker mode and not on all the time.

There are a few write ups on how to do the DRL delete but, it is very simple and will save you some headache and expense in the long run.

**xzaero0** · 09-26-2009, 02:09 PM

Wow I've onlly had to replace one of mine in the last 7 years.

**wooddaniel** · 09-26-2009, 03:12 PM

Originally Posted by xzaero0

Wow I've onlly had to replace one of mine in the last 7 years.

I haven't had much trouble with em either after I did the drill a hole in the bottom so the water leaks out mod.. Before that I was replacing one a month.

**xzaero0** · 09-26-2009, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by wooddaniel

I haven't had much trouble with em either after I did the drill a hole in the bottom so the water leaks out mod.. Before that I was replacing one a month.

I have not done any modding to my lights at all. Guess I'm just lucky.

**darknesshunter** · 09-26-2009, 06:35 PM

im having same issue on my 2000 firebird water build up suck im in process of fixing housings and also thinking about led conversion if i get any info ill send it to you to help out if you want

**BirdCountry02** · 09-26-2009, 08:59 PM

Originally Posted by BIG GUNS

I did the DRL delete and this fixed the issue with mine. Got tired of the damn thing getting smoke checked and having to replace them all the time.

Now, my DRLs only work in blinker mode and not on all the time.

There are a few write ups on how to do the DRL delete but, it is very simple and will save you some headache and expense in the long run.

+1 I did this also, I don't know about you Guns but I like the mod a ton. Here's the link for anyone else who'd like to perform it. Takes about 10 minutes total:http://xse.com/leres/ss/drl.html
Thanks to Cutless for supplyin it in a different thread. Now all I have to do is fix the huge ass crack down both my DRL's. Anyone know if there's anyway to fix it myself with like lexan? Or am I gonna have to shell out $60 for new housings?

**GULLETT17** · 09-28-2009, 12:16 PM

Originally Posted by wooddaniel

I put silicone in the top and drilled holes in the bottom of the fixture. I have not had to replace a bulb or a socket in a long time since I did that.

Where exactly on the housing did you silicone? There is no open place except the cracks on my haha . . . I have been debating on drilling a hole, but can't decide if thats the best thing to do. I did do this on my firebird parking lights, and I don't have a problem with the lights burnin out on it anymore. However, its a little better design of a housing than the trans am housing.

Originally Posted by BIG GUNS

I did the DRL delete and this fixed the issue with mine. Got tired of the damn thing getting smoke checked and having to replace them all the time.

Now, my DRLs only work in blinker mode and not on all the time.

There are a few write ups on how to do the DRL delete but, it is very simple and will save you some headache and expense in the long run.

I agree that the DRL delete would eliminate the heat prob. . but I like the look of the DRL's . . .

**GULLETT17** · 09-28-2009, 12:18 PM

Autolumination confirmed that all their switchbacks are the same length. When I get a chance, I will make sure they will fit in the ta housing.

Also does anyone know what flasher style is in our trans ams?

**wooddaniel** · 09-28-2009, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by GULLETT17

Where exactly on the housing did you silicone? There is no open place except the cracks on my haha . . . I have been debating on drilling a hole, but can't decide if thats the best thing to do. I did do this on my firebird parking lights, and I don't have a problem with the lights burnin out on it anymore. However, its a little better design of a housing than the trans am housing.

I agree that the DRL delete would eliminate the heat prob. . but I like the look of the DRL's . . .

I just took the housing off and covered it around the backside edges with silicone. Then drilled a very small hole in the bottom of the light housing where it is not visible unless you are under the car. I ended up doing the same thing to the Brake lights on my 99 when I had it because those things filled up with water for some strange reason.

**GULLETT17** · 09-28-2009, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by wooddaniel

I just took the housing off and covered it around the backside edges with silicone. Then drilled a very small hole in the bottom of the light housing where it is not visible unless you are under the car. I ended up doing the same thing to the Brake lights on my 99 when I had it because those things filled up with water for some strange reason.

i see . . . yeah i did my taillights too. Mine were just gettin enough moisture in them to cause the chrome to turn black, in turn, makin them dimmer.

**wooddaniel** · 09-28-2009, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by GULLETT17

i see . . . yeah i did my taillights too. Mine were just gettin enough moisture in them to cause the chrome to turn black, in turn, makin them dimmer.

Cheap ass GM stuff... Lol

**enkryptik** · 09-28-2009, 05:10 PM

i did led conversion after replacing my housings. got switchbacks from superlumination and led protectors. works great now for most part. might get a special led flasher as standard mech. flasher acts a little funny with the colors. There's no heat though so this is a permanent fix.