Upgrading Your Car's Interior Lights: A Guide to LED Options, Installation, and More (2024)

LIST

  • Why should we upgrade LED interior lights?
  • What type of LED interior lights can you choose to upgrade?
  • The Basic information of Interior Lights
  • Other interior car lights recommendations

Upgrading Your Car's Interior Lights: A Guide to LED Options, Installation, and More (1)

A lot of new cars have moved away from dim halogen interior lights and are using LED lights as the lighting system. LED interior lights provide better visibility for drivers and passengers with better energy savings potential.

We'll talk about why you should do the upgrade, the different types of interior led lights options, how to install them, and some of AUXITO's LED interior lights review videos here. You can find the information you're looking for here!

Why should we upgrade LED interior lights?

  • LED Interior lights come with a long lifespan than traditional lighting options. They can outlast traditional lights by anywhere between 30,000 to 50,000 hours.

  • LED interior lights produce less heat and more visible light than original halogen lights. So they are much more energy efficient than traditional lighting options.

  • LED Interior lights offer excellent illumination with surprisingly uniform light distribution than original halogen lights.

  • Making the switch to LED bulbs allows the owner to choose from a wealth of colors and brightness levels.

  • The stock halogen bulbs can become hot and cause wear and tear on the light housings. This is the cause of cracks in the housing. LED interior lights generate less heat, which helps ensure a much better level of safety in case something messes up.

What type of LED interior lights can you choose to upgrade?

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  • Dome Lights

The dome light is the large light source typically placed in the middle of the car ceiling. It provides better vision to passengers while boarding and alighting the vehicles and makes it easier to find the items in the car.

  • Map Lights

The map lights were mounted on the roof of the front of the car and designed to help people read maps at night . There's one light on each side, so either the driver or passenger can choose to use their light at any time.

  • Interior Door Lights

These lights provide illumination for the driver and passengers to enter and exit the vehicle.

  • Trunk Lights

The trunk light bulb is located on the top part of a car's trunk and to light up the trunk when the lid is opened.

In addition to the commonly used interior lights mentioned above, there are also glove box lights, Vanity Mirror Lights, reading lamps, storage lights, and various other places within the vehicle that you can upgrade to LED interior lights to personalize your car.

The Basic information of LED Interior Lights

There are two basic types of bulbs for interior lights.

I. “Wedge base” bulbs - only has metal at the bottom and looks kind of like the tip of a knife or of a pair of closed scissors, the corresponding bulb type is T5, T10, T15.

Ⅱ. "Festoon" bulbs - the type with silver caps on both ends. The corresponding bulb type is 31MM, 36MM, and 42MM

Before buying a new bulb, you need to check the type of bulb to be replaced by checking the model owner's manual or by removing the original halogen bulb.

An easy way to do this is through AUXITO's bulb finder!

A. “Wedge base” bulb

If you have the space and just want the brightest option, nothing beats the 120LM/pcs 24H series high-output LED bulbs!

The flat design of the bulb makes it very easy to insert or pull out, tools are not required, just install it with your hands directly. Stay away from all kinds of installation problems!

  • Series: 14E

  • Power 2w/pc

  • Color: White/Red/Blud/Amber

  • Non-polarity

If you are replacing LED interior lights, but the assembly leaves too little room to maneuver, making it is difficult to remove or replace the bulb. For such cases, the flat LED bulb is your best choice.

  • Series: 2E

  • Voltage 12V

  • Power 2w/pc

  • Color: White

Step to replace the T10/194 LED bulb

Vehicle Information: Honda Passport

1. Identify where the hinge and the plastic tabs are on your map/dome light.

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2. Use the flathead screwdriver or interior trim removal tool to gently insert between the lens and the plastic molding of the map light. You need to remove it carefully to avoid breaking the old lenses during replacing or reinstalling.

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3. When touching the halogen bulb, pay attention to the heat of the halogen bulb and use an insulated cloth to remove the original map light bulb.

4. Reinsert the replacement LED bulb.

Upgrading Your Car's Interior Lights: A Guide to LED Options, Installation, and More (9)Upgrading Your Car's Interior Lights: A Guide to LED Options, Installation, and More (10)
  1. Test the newly installed light bulb, and make sure the bulb can be used properly. If the bulb does not light up, you should pull the bulb out again and flip it 180° and reinstall it (this is for with polarity bulbs)

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6. Return the heat shield carefully

7. Replace other LED interior bulbs such as dome lights and Trunk Lights in the same way.

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Halogen Lights VS. T10 / 194 LED Lights

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If you are a visual learner, pls check out @Dullah Goso hard's video on the Honda passport LED interior bulb installation!

B. "Festoon" bulb

The Retractable Festoon LED Bulb is developed and designed by a team of R & D engineers, through the telescopic spring on the top of the bulb to achieve size adjustment, reducing LED light installation problems!

  • Color: White

  • Size: 39mm~42mm/31mm~36mm

With the extremely low power consumption of LED Interior light kit, LEDs convert more electrical energy into light energy, and incandescent lamps convert electrical energy into heat and light energy. The 6K series LED interior light bulbs run at 2w/pcs and give you 2-3 times brighter than OEM.

  • Wide voltage: 10-30V DC, (under 12v: 0.17A, Power: 2w/pc)

  • Color: 6000K xenon white

  • 0.47 inches in width, 1.41 inches in length

  • Size: 31MM/36MM/42MM

Has anyone had problems upgrading the vehicle's interior lights to LEDs, whether the map lights stay on slightly, flicker, or do crazy things? This CANBUS error-free LED bulb will solve these problems and make a big difference to your interior lighting!

Wide voltage: 10-24V DC,(under 12v: 0.2A, Power: 2.5W/PC)

  • Color: 6000K xenon white
  • 0.63 inches in width, 1.42 inches in length
  • Size: 31MM/36MM/42MM

Step to replace The Festoon LED bulb

Vehicle Information: BMW E46

1. The replacement of the Festoon LED bulb is similar to the T10/194 LED bulb. This replacement example is the footwell light bulb of interior lights with a disassembled plastic assembly.

Identify where the hinge and the plastic tabs are on your footwell light.

2. Carefully remove the plastic molded part with the interior trim removal tool and pull it out and then start handing it.(Pay attention to the heat of plastic parts)

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3. Slide the heat shield off and use the flathead screwdriver or interior trim removal tool to carefully remove the original festoon light bulb.

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4. When installing LED bulbs pay attention to the orientation of the single-sided LED bulb so that you can get the best brightness and view.

5. Turn on the power and test the newly installed light bulb, then return the heat shield and lens carefully.

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Halogen Lights VS. Festoon LED Lights

Upgrading Your Car's Interior Lights: A Guide to LED Options, Installation, and More (24)

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Here's a video of @Tenza Motorsports' installation of interior lights! You can watch more detailed steps!

Other interior car lights recommendations

If you want to add LED light strips to your interior, make your car look like it came straight out of the Fast & Furious series. Then you shouldn't miss our recommendation of Interior led strips for your vehicle to bring new life to your car!

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  • Drive mode: 12V cigarette lighter

  • Product specification: 2 meters

  • Product width: 6mm

  • Product color: blue / red

  • Voltage: 12V

  • Installation location: center console, door, etc.

  • Applicable models: general models

  • Uses: ambient lights, decorative vehicles

Effect Pictures of LED strips(Installation effect Upgrading Your Car's Interior Lights: A Guide to LED Options, Installation, and More (27)

Looking for other interior accessories for your car? Shop Switch Knob Button, Window Crank Handle, Car Trunk Organizer, Sun Visor Clips, Foot Treadle Cover Here!

Upgrading Your Car's Interior Lights: A Guide to LED Options, Installation, and More (2024)
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