How To: dual-tail light mod for 03-08 Vibes

Technical info on the Pontiac Vibe and Toyota Matrix including do-it-yourself info
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KITT222
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Joined: Sat Dec 04, 2010 1:45 pm
Location: Flint, Michigan

How To: dual-tail light mod for 03-08 Vibes

Post by KITT222 »

Greeting Vibers! Recently I did a mod that I am very proud and excited about. Basically I put an LED in my blinker light housing, and connected it to my parking lights. Note: none of these pictures do proper justice. If anyone has any tips on how to get my point-and-shoot to take better pictures of light in low light, I'd love that. It looks orange, but it's red. Here's a pic with the blinkers on:Here's the stuff you need. Overall, it's really simple and takes under a half-hour to do. All you need is two red LEDs (I chose two red 4-chip Superflux lights from Oznium: http://www.oznium.com/prewired-superflux), some tap-in connectors from Radioshack for $2.09, and some pliers. Now then... begin with finding your tail lights. It's not too hard, they're the red and orange things on the rear of your Vibe. Open the hatch, and get into the secret compartments in the sides of your loading floor walls. Unclip the harness from the red bulb, leaving the bulb in the housing. Take the leads to the LED light, and put them into the center harness lead, and the one with the white wire, since the white is the ground. Turn on your lights and make sure you have this:Good, it's working! Now all you need to do is tap-in the ground...... and the parking light lead...Fantastic. Is it still working?Perfect! Now remove your blinker bulb from its housing, and slide the LED in the gap, like so.(to get a good light spread, pull the LED next to the bulb, so that as little wire as possible is inside the housing)Plug the connector back into the brake bulb, and repeat for the other side.And there you go! Enjoy your rather unique tail light pattern. You're now distinguished amongst the other Vibes out there!And, as a plus, with your leftover tap-in connectors, do the fog light mod:http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=32111
hotbug1776
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Re: How To: dual-tail light mod for 03-08 Vibes (KITT222)

Post by hotbug1776 »

Sweet deal!!! It was even easier than you thought when you posted the idea on Facebook. No drilling!!! LolNext up, you should try to figure out sequential blinkers. Now THAT would be something.
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chadhgraves
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Re: How To: dual-tail light mod for 03-08 Vibes (KITT222)

Post by chadhgraves »

So I've been wanting to make a 3rd brake light mod using LEDs and saw your post. You gave me an idea to use the 4 chip LEDs to do it. http://www.oznium.com/prewired-superflux I ordered 7 of them and I'm thinking of mounting these on a custom fit board or just drill some holes in the existing reflective plastic on the inside of the 3rd brake light. I'll probably run a wire from the power and ground source of the 3rd brake light and just splice each light into them. I think it should work. It may be overkill with 7, but I'll have to wait and see.
NascarXprt
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Re: How To: dual-tail light mod for 03-08 Vibes

Post by NascarXprt »

i was thinking this would be going into the third lower section of the tail light where the reflector is, but i cant remember if there is any room there to get a decent reflection going to have it spread through out the lower section.
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A Psycho Martyr
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Re: How To: dual-tail light mod for 03-08 Vibes

Post by A Psycho Martyr »

I like this idea.
So is the yellow (now red) section a functional brake light?
When you turn, can you tell it's blinking if the brakes are also lit?
302LVR
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Joined: Tue Mar 01, 2016 2:04 pm
Location: South Florida

Re: How To: dual-tail light mod for 03-08 Vibes

Post by 302LVR »

A Psycho Martyr wrote:I like this idea.
So is the yellow (now red) section a functional brake light?
When you turn, can you tell it's blinking if the brakes are also lit?
I believe he tapped into the parking lights so his LEDs are constantly on but not alternating on/off with the blinker. I'm also pretty sure the amber halogen bulb overpowers the red LED when his blinkers or hazards are on but regardless i like his concept and it is different and stands out from other vibes. I also did the LED 3rd brake light mod by using about an 8-10" board with red LEDs i picked off another car at the junkyard(99' Explorer hi-mount lamp) and also installed small trailer lamps with 3 LEDs per light n mounted them on the frame right above the rear tag. I'll try n upload pics one of these days once i figure out how to do so but these are the lights i used.... http://www.ebay.com/itm/140870636389?_t ... EBIDX%3AIT
tpollauf
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Re: How To: dual-tail light mod for 03-08 Vibes

Post by tpollauf »

Now that I officially own a 2003 Vibe GT, I will eventually get into LED modding the first gen Vibes similar to what I've done with the 2nd gen Vibes. Don't hold your breath though .... it will be summer or fall before I begin anything. Getting excited just thinking about it :D
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302LVR
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Re: How To: dual-tail light mod for 03-08 Vibes

Post by 302LVR »

I'm pretty much running full LED lights out back including Sylvania 7443 red LEDs for my tail lamps, LED 3rd brake light, and added the trailer lights i mentioned in the above post. It may sound a bit like excess but it really isn't and i did these mods with safety in mind being that Vibes are small vehicles and the taillights are pretty small in comparison to other cars. I will say this, the 3 LED trailer lights made a big difference in visibility out back without blinding drivers behind me.
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