2002 Ram 1500 LED brake lights blinking when brake lights are on

[corneileous]

Hey guys, my little cousin just got a 2002 Ram 1500 and the aftermarket LED brake lights blink when the brakes are applied. Using a test light, the light plugs only show 2.1 volts on the circuit. Any ideas? I tested the lights with a 9 volt battery and everything works. Also checked the fuses and those are all good as well.

Any ideas?

 

[Smokeybear01]

Did he put in the resistors? Mine blinked like an emergency vehicle until I wired in the resistors. You'll need 2 for each side in the rear and 1 for each side up front to do it right. Good luck

 

[corneileous]

For the brake lights? The turn signals work good. I pulled his tail lights out and there’s no resistor pack that I could see unless they’re perhaps built in which would be beyond me. The Anzo LED tail lights I put on my 08 came with Resistor packs but so what’s weird is that the voltage tester I used only showed 2 volts on the brake light circuit while the brakes were applied.

 

[Smokeybear01]

Yep-for the brake lights. You need a 6w 50ohm resistor for each turn signal and one for each brake light. I'm not kidding. When I did my leds throughout the truck the brakes looked like an ambulance on steroids. With no resistance the controller reads it as a light out and does weird crap to the circuit. You want to be sure and mount the resistors on metal because when you sit with your foot on the brake pedal at an intersection those bad boys will get really hot. I'm going to try and attach a pic of my rear housing with them installed.\ The only lights that didn't require the resistors were the backup lights, running lights, and cab lights. You want to connect them to the positive side of the harness and then to the ground. Good luck

 

[corneileous]

We will definitely try that, that’s for sure. Where did you get your resistors? I went online to Oreiley's and they have these which are 12V 6 ohm but don't say anything about their wattage. Would these work? I bought a pair of these 4 and a half years ago to correct the hyper-flash of a pair of LED 3157's I put in my headlights on my old 2008 Ram. The Anzo LED tail lights I bought had an included resistor pack lookin' thing that was with each tail light but I figured it was just for the turn signals. Hell for all I know, it coulda been for the brake lights, too.

 

[Smokeybear01]

Those will do the trick. I bought some off ebay for cheap and that is exactly what they were. I paid a few bucks more through NAPA and what a difference even though they were all rated the same. You shouldn't have to cut any wires if they come with the clip connectors. Also, if he decides to upgrade his fog lights he won't need resistors for those. And if your cousin hasn't upgraded his backup lites to led he will definitely want to. I can't believe how much brighter they are over the stock bulbs. When I put my rig in reverse it's like turning on flood lamps haha. Hope that helps.
I think I got the numbers reversed earlier-should be 50watt 6ohm 12V. The watt isn't really relevant, just the ohms and volts.

 

[corneileous]

Those will do the trick. If you upgrade your fog lights you won't need resistors for those either. If your cousin hasn't upgraded his backup lites to led he will definitely want to. I can't believe how much brighter t

I’m not sure the brand of the lights that came with his truck but I do know they are full LED, back up lights as well but ok, if those load resistors my local oreileys has will work, I’ll pop that along to him, thanks.

 

[corneileous]

Those will do the trick. I bought some off ebay for cheap and that is exactly what they were. I paid a few bucks more through NAPA and what a difference even though they were all rated the same. You shouldn't have to cut any wires if they come with the clip connectors. Also, if he decides to upgrade his fog lights he won't need resistors for those. And if your cousin hasn't upgraded his backup lites to led he will definitely want to. I can't believe how much brighter they are over the stock bulbs. When I put my rig in reverse it's like turning on flood lamps haha. Hope that helps.
I think I got the numbers reversed earlier-should be 50watt 6ohm 12V. The watt isn't really relevant, just the ohms and volts.

So, do these trucks not have a replaceable turn signal flasher to where you can put an electronic one in?

 

[Smokeybear01]

I haven't seen one on my truck. I just assumed the blinker was controlled by the brain up front. They did upgrade to canbus in 2006 I believe so your 2008 will be different from your cousin's 2002. But I've heard mixed things on that too. I'm getting old and my memory isn't what it used to be. Lots of info online and good utube vids with lots of other people doing this stuff too so you know it's been done before and what challenges were faced so you don't have to go through it the hard way.

 

[corneileous]

I haven't seen one on my truck. I just assumed the blinker was controlled by the brain up front. They did upgrade to canbus in 2006 I believe so your 2008 will be different from your cousin's 2002. But I've heard mixed things on that too. I'm getting old and my memory isn't what it used to be. Lots of info online and good utube vids with lots of other people doing this stuff too so you know it's been done before and what challenges were faced so you don't have to go through it the hard way.

I was curious about when they started that canbus stuff but if yours is a 2005 and you say they started the new system in 2006 then I would say his 02 and your 05 would be in the same boat so if you had to put resistors on both the rear turn signals and brake lights then I would his would too.

But see, then again, his and yours had the separate brake lights from the turn signals; my 08, they were combined.

 

[Smokeybear01]

I was curious about when they started that canbus stuff but if yours is a 2005 and you say they started the new system in 2006 then I would say his 02 and your 05 would be in the same boat so if you had to put resistors on both the rear turn signals and brake lights then I would his would too.

But see, then again, his and yours had the separate brake lights from the turn signals; my 08, they were combined.

Yep, his and mine should have the same setup-separate circuits and bulbs for brakes and turn signals. When I first converted all my lights to LED I purchased bulbs that were supposed to work without resistors-the seller told me they were canbus bulbs and should be plug and play. They weren't. At least not on my vintage of truck. That's how I know everything flashed including the brake lights before I put in the resistors. I kinda liked it, but the wife told me she wouldn't ride with me with flashing brake lights. I guess I blew that haha. I like LEDs so much that I even put them in the interior of the cab. Every now and then I will still get a warning on the dash that I have a light out, but then the next time I start it the warning is gone so I just ignore it now. You do want to watch how you wire in the resistors or they won't work. Good luck

 

[corneileous]

Yep, his and mine should have the same setup-separate circuits and bulbs for brakes and turn signals. When I first converted all my lights to LED I purchased bulbs that were supposed to work without resistors-the seller told me they were canbus bulbs and should be plug and play. They weren't. At least not on my vintage of truck. That's how I know everything flashed including the brake lights before I put in the resistors. I kinda liked it, but the wife told me she wouldn't ride with me with flashing brake lights. I guess I blew that haha. I like LEDs so much that I even put them in the interior of the cab. Every now and then I will still get a warning on the dash that I have a light out, but then the next time I start it the warning is gone so I just ignore it now. You do want to watch how you wire in the resistors or they won't work. Good luck

I just think it’s kinda weird it’s his brake lights going haywire and not the turn signals but then again, the only time I’ve dealt with hyperflashing was when I put LED turn signal bulbs in my headlights on that old 08 I had. The LED taillights I bought for that truck already had a resistor pack wired in to each light assembly.

 

[Smokeybear01]

I didn't buy complete LED tail light assemblies, just bulbs and smoky housings. I reused the existing circuit boards. Had I replaced the entire assembly I might not have needed the resistors as the new ones probably would have had that all integrated into them, kinda like the new headlights that come as a complete assembly. I put new smoked housings on the headlights and didn't need resistors for those. They're just plug and play.