DIY: Side Marker LED Color Change
 

Hey all! I've been meaning to post this DIY for a long time, and I finally got around to doing so. Hopefully this helps some of you. :icon17: You can also download a PDF copy of this DIY here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/4d6etl9l7y...0LEDs.pdf?dl=0. Shoot me a message if you have any questions and I'll do my best to answer. If this helps you out, I'd appreciate the rep! :tiphat:


Supplies
• 20 Piranha SuperFlux LEDs (I order from Kingbright) (4 spare, just in case)
• De-soldering Iron or Soldering Iron
• Heat Gun or Hair Dryer
• Small flathead screwdriver
• Small phillips screwdriver
• Waterproof epoxy

1) Remove the side markers from your car. Follow the diagram below and it should just pop right out. If not, try using a small plastic tool to give you a bit of leverage. Once you do that, just disconnect the wiring harness
http://ccnerdalert.smugmug.com/Side-...0Removal-L.png

2) Let me start this step off by saying that I tried this about 15 different ways and this is the only one that truly worked. Take a heat gun (low setting) or a hair dryer (high setting) and apply heat to the top of the marker. We need to heat up the epoxy that keeps the reflective piece sealed. Be careful not to overheat the plastic, as it will begin to warp at the slightest touch
http://ccnerdalert.smugmug.com/Side-...hoto%201-L.jpg


3) Once the epoxy has become flexible again, take a small flathead screwdriver (or something similar) and begin to GENTLY separate the reflector from the side marker. Take your time and DON’T rush this step, or the reflector will crack. You can even see where I got too excited and I started making dents in the plastic rim. Take your time
http://ccnerdalert.smugmug.com/Side-...hoto%202-L.jpg

4) This is what you should see with the reflector removed
http://ccnerdalert.smugmug.com/Side-...hoto%205-L.jpg

5) With the reflector removed, you should now see 2 screws. Remove those to gain access to the LEDs
http://ccnerdalert.smugmug.com/Side-.../L/step5-L.png


6) Now take the plastic holder that keeps both LED boards in place and remove it. This should be a simple wiggle and remove process, but to take note that the boards are connected via small cables
http://ccnerdalert.smugmug.com/Side-...hoto%209-L.jpg

7) Once you have the small plastic piece removed, disconnect the red and black cable to separate the boards from the marker. You can leave the small black cable attached to both boards
http://ccnerdalert.smugmug.com/Side-.../L/step7-L.png

8) There are 8 Piranha SuperFlux LEDs that we want to swap. 2 on the large board, 6 on the small board. Using a de-soldering iron, remove the solder from the old LEDs and pull them off
http://ccnerdalert.smugmug.com/Side-.../L/step8-L.png
http://ccnerdalert.smugmug.com/Side-.../step8-2-L.png
http://ccnerdalert.smugmug.com/Side-...oto%2020-L.jpg

9) Place a new LED in each spot and solder it to the board. Each LED has a flat corner, so make sure you line it up accordingly to the outline on the board
http://ccnerdalert.smugmug.com/Side-.../L/step9-L.png

10) Once you have all your new LEDs soldered onto each board, reconnect the red and black cable
http://ccnerdalert.smugmug.com/Side-...L/step10-L.png


11) Place the boards back in the plastic piece and insert them back into the side marker. Insert both screws to hold down the boards


12) Prepare your epoxy and apply a thin layer on the reflector’s edge. Attach the reflector back to the base of the side marker and press firm for 60 seconds to help the epoxy set. Wipe any additional epoxy from the base when you’re finished


13) Reconnect the side markers to the wiring harness and snap them back in place on the car



14) Turn on the car and give them a test! You should now see the new LED color light up in each side marker
http://ccnerdalert.smugmug.com/Side-...015%20AM-L.jpg

Awesome DIY man :tiphat: I've got an extra set waiting :tup:

The only thing I would recommend is avoid using metal tools if you can. I use plastic panel tools or my fingernail (if long enough) to remove them from the car. And I have some plastic toothpick-like tools that should work well to remove the reflector. Just my thoughts to avoid scratches on adjacent surfaces :twocents:

You're absolutely right about the tools. Anything you can do to avoid scratches is definitely the way to go! I didn't have any trouble removing them following this diagram
http://ccnerdalert.smugmug.com/Side-...0Removal-L.png

You can also use dental floss to pull off the reflector as well, but it's tedious work! If you do open up that spare set, make sure you post a picture of the finished work. I'm excited to see what color you go with. :tup:

Just throwing it out there.. but would you be willing to sell a couple sets to some DIY-challenged forum members such as myself? LOL

PM'd, sir. :)

I'd also like that in blue as I'm DIY challenged myself...

Yeah, dude.. thats tight work..

PM'd as well. :tiphat:

Nice! No need to Dremel the darn thing. I thought it was heat welded.

Recently replaced the interior and license plates with some nice white LEDs and was thinking about going white on these side markers. Saw some other DIYs online but they looked kind of janky while this is a very nice one.

Would also buy a set, please PM

Same here, pm sent.

i guess the 2015+ base Z owners will be needed a DIY to add LED period since they don't come with the led side markers lol and paddle shifters add DIY

I bought my LEDs from Lighthouse, put 8 of em in before I realized that they are reversed polarity to the ones that come OEM (relative to the outline/45 degree angles corner) and had to bust ALL 8 of them back out (clipped them out with wire cutters, heated solder and individually pushed the pins out, twisting with pliers to get them detached from the last bit of solder, at times) after hours of fearing I had fried the circuit being hasty.

TLDR; CHECK POLARITY BEFORE INSTALLING

Been trying to find those LEDs on the website but no luck. Lol might also be interested in purchasing some from u indiana102