[CornishShaman]

Hi all, random question.

I pick my Kona up in a few weeks time and id like to know how bright are the reversing lights?

i live in a rural area with no street lights and lots of single track roads. At night (especially in winter) you always end up having to revers long distances. This can be problematic if your reversing lights are rubbish (Like my current ice car)

If they are not great has anyone upgraded there reversing lights?

 

[Mofo]

Not upgraded the reversing light, the camera seems pretty decent at night, if a little grainy
& I usually find I dab the brakes as I’m manoeuvring which shows the way
Best of luck

 

[Electra Glide in Blue]

Not brilliant! I have a new LED bulb to fit but it does mean crawling underneath the bumper to remove the back box.

 

[Tall Phil]

That's a good idea. What strength LED are you going to put in? I will have to look up to see what is in there at the mo.

 

[Spider]

I changed mine to LED last winter as I found the original bulb for me just did not give out enough light. I got these from eBay they came as a pack of two. Difference in light output was amazing. Make sure you order the P21W (180 degree pins version) not the PY21W which have pins at 150 degrees. Little fiddly to fit as it’s done from under the car and took about 10 mins.

 

[Electra Glide in Blue]

That's a good idea. What strength LED are you going to put in? I will have to look up to see what is in there at the mo.

I think the original is a 21w. This is my replacement to fit.
Hopefully someone who has actually done the job will post complete with their before and after photos. I’ve seen them on one of these thread last year so no chance of Me finding again!

!

 

[John2905]

I used this one. Hp 1x p21w led 2000lm 6000k white 144smd 12v 20w 360 ° compact globe anti error | eBay

 

[CornishShaman]

Awesome information peeps

do they need to be canbus?

 

[Sussex Trug]

I find that the standard light is not too bright but the main problem is that it is only on one side. I have narrow gateposts and miss the double lights on previous cars. I may consider an LED upgrade too.

 

[Richard Gledhill]

Slightly different solution, but we use solar powered movement-triggered LED lights on our driveway:

Amazon.co.uk : mpow solar lights motion sensor security lights

In particular these:

Mpow 30 LED Solar Lights, Outdoor Motion Sensor Solar Security Lights with 19.5% High-efficient Solar Panel, 270° Wide Illumination Angle for Front Door, Yard, Garden, Garage, Fence,Pack of 2: Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors

Mpow 30 LED Solar Lights, Outdoor Motion Sensor Solar Security Lights with 19.5% High-efficient Solar Panel, 270° Wide Illumination Angle for Front Door, Yard, Garden, Garage, Fence,Pack of 2: Amazon.co.uk: Garden & Outdoors

www.amazon.co.uk

£18 for a pack of 2 and they are genuinely brilliant. They've never failed to work and charge up enough even on our dull Winter days.

Make sure you get the Mpow ones though - there are lots of clones about which don't have decent solar cells or batteries in them. We have about 6 of these now and are so good our neighbours have also bought them!

(No, I'm not on commission )

 

[CornishShaman]

Slightly different solution, but we use solar powered movement-triggered LED lights on our driveway:

I have driveway lights. My big concern is in my current car at night when driving down single track roads when I have to reverse for someone (happens more often than you would think) im essential reversing blind as the lights are soo dim they don’t light the road.
by the sounds of it the Kona is going to be the same

so ill have to get some leds that are brighter. Halfords do some 500 lumen p21w leds that i might try. Only prob doest say if they are canbus and they are not e marked to technical not road legal.

 

[CicloByron]

I swapped out the reversing bulb as the stock bulb is pretty hopeless...

I took before and after photos, set my SLR to fixed settings so that it wouldn‘t flatter the photo, 21w LED bulb did the trick!

Hi all, random question.

I pick my Kona up in a few weeks time and id like to know how bright are the reversing lights?

i live in a rural area with no street lights and lots of single track roads. At night (especially in winter) you always end up having to revers long distances. This can be problematic if your reversing lights are rubbish (Like my current ice car)

If they are not great has anyone upgraded there reversing lights?

 

[CornishShaman]

Wow thats an amazing difference!

I swapped out the reversing bulb as the stock bulb is pretty hopeless...

I took before and after photos, set my SLR to fixed settings so that it wouldn‘t flatter the photo, 21w LED bulb did the trick!





View attachment 131763 View attachment 131764

 

[Richard Gledhill]

Bear in mind that will generate a lot more heat than the original bulb, even though it's an LED one. Should be ok if it's only on for a minute or two at a time though. Massive improvement

 

[Tall Phil]

I was having a look at how the rear lights clusters are fitted. Not particularly easy/quick to change a bulb. The manual seems to indicate (excuse the pun!) that the rear bumper should be taken off.
Probably should change the indicators and rear fog light as well, to make it worth while. Or......not bother changing any of them. An indicator bulb failure is not a roadside fix, it seems. Not particularly well designed then.

 

[Dan_Gleebitz]

No. Don't take the bumper off. I did the reversing light last week, purchased the same bulb Spider used. Just crawl under the car and remove the panel it is only fixed on with plastic bits and a few screws.
You will remove it in five minutes.
The bulbs (indicators/reverse/fog) are then removed by lying on your back and looking up and getting your hands in strange positions. I found it was easier to remove the holders then have someone else reach up using one hand to hold them while you use one hand to remove and refit the bulbs in the holders.
Look on youtube and you will see how to do it but they don't show removing the panel.
Dan

 

[brahcy]

I'm planning on changing the reversing light as well after reading this thread. Anyone know what LED-bulbs I should buy for the indicator lights?