Diode Dynamics LED bulbs flickering

[davidsn_670]

As stated in the title, has anyone had issues with the HP3 194 LED bulbs from diode dynamics? Got mine 6 months ago and 2 of them start flickering after 20 seconds of being on. Replacements have been sent thanks to their great customer service but I wanted to know how often it happens. Thanks!

[Vital]

I have the interior & exterior LED package from Diode Dynamics and i havent had a single issue with their bulbs or quality. Also, i had a few of their bulbs on my old car and no issues there either. You might have just gotten a bad bulb or something, but their customer service will take care of you

[86geek]

IMHO you're getting them replaced by DD so all is good. I've had my DRL LED's warrantied by them with no issues.

[7c8]

You can contact DD for warranty replacement. I've gone through 3 sets with the same problem. If you have these for your license plate lights, the problem is that the solder joints seem to be cracking with repeated temperature cycles, usually only in one of the three LEDs in the bulb. It's pretty easy to resolder them but you have to be careful about not reflowing the solder that holds the two boards together, just the LED.

I've started using Philips and it's been good so far.

[Stang70Fastback]

It's interesting you ask this. I have all DD bulbs in my entire car... and have for years... without any issues... APART from the HP3 bulbs. I had THREE of them go bad on me (the ones used in the front side marker housings, as well as one of the rear side marker bulbs.)

Here is the email I sent to Diode Dynamics. I was impatient and ordered HP5 bulbs to replace them before they even answered me (they're cheap anyway), so this was more of an FYI for them than anything else. They've always been helpful, and I love all of their products, and continue to buy from them (my most recent purchase was a $200 aux light kit for my girlfriend's STI for Christmas), but I do NOT like the design of the HP3 bulbs, and I probably wouldn't buy those specific bulbs again.

Hello!

I want to start out by saying that I love your products. I think they are very good quality, well put together, and overall superior to many of the other LED bulbs I have tried in the past. Every single bulb in my BRZ has been replaced with one of your LED equivalents.

Having said that, I've been having issues with your HP3 bulbs. I ordered two amber bulbs for my front side markers, and two red bulbs for my rear side markers.

Within a few months of installing the front ones, one side started flickering, with the other side starting to do so not long afterward. The fronts were frustrating because the OEM design is terrible, which means every time you remove the assembly you risk breaking some clips.

Anyway, upon further inspection of the bulbs, it appeared that the problem was simple: The metal contacts that come out and bend under the body simply go up into the base of the bulb and are soldered to the resistors inside, but that solder connection was weak. I don't know if just pressing the bulbs into the socket was enough to damage that connection, or if vibrations over time (it IS a pretty tightly-sprung sports car) caused the solder point to break, but eventually one of them breaks. The metal wire can't actually fall out of place since it's held tight as long as the bulb remains in the socket, so instead you get a flickering bulb as the metal just barely remains connected.

Anyway, rather than make a big deal out of it, I simply purchased WHITE HP5 bulbs, which I hoped had a better design which would not cause the same issue. So far they haven't had the same problem.

HOWEVER, now one of my rear, red HP3 bulbs has experienced the problem. I simply pulled it out, and I'm debating whether I want to replace it with a WHITE HP5 bulb as well, but I also thought I should send you guys an email, as this now makes THREE of those bulbs which have had the same issue, while all of the other bulbs in the car have been fine, which makes it pretty clear to me that you guys have a design issue with the HP3 that could stand to be looked at.

Hopefully you guys can find a way to beef up the design to prevent this from happening in the future.

In the meantime, do you plan on offering the HP5 bulb in red at any point? I think the white HP5 will be awkwardly bright for the rear taillight assembly. Thanks!

[davidsn_670]

Thanks for the input guys! Very interesting. I'll probably keep running the HP3 until I get annoyed of it going out and go with the HP5.

[Stang70Fastback]

Originally Posted by davidsn_670

Thanks for the input guys! Very interesting. I'll probably keep running the HP3 until I get annoyed of it going out and go with the HP5.

FWIW, the HP5 bulbs I replaced them with have been fine for me, so if you decide to replace your HP3s, the HP5 is what I would suggest.

[JazzleSAURUS]

HP3's are crap from DD. After three warrantied sets they replaced them with HP5's that have been fantastic. Wonderful service the whole time from DD.

[Santana]

One of my HP3's are flickering, so I ordered some new HP3's (Diode Dynamics charge you for shipping from Canada if you want to RMA something, which is pretty lame when the shipping costs more than a replacement bulb ). I'm worried they're just going to start flickering again after a year...

Do you guys find the HP5 too bright for a license plate? It's hard to tell from pictures, but I vaguely remember driving by another Subaru with a blindly bright license plate and figured he was using HP5's. If anyone has a video comparison that would be cool, too.

[Aiden]

Reading this thread has helped so much!

I was beginning to lose my mind with my HP3 side markers starting to flicker weeks after putting a new pair in.

I am on my third replacement pair and highly considering just replacing them with HP5's but spending $40 for side markers and plate leds is a little ridiculous. Am I ridiculous for thinking this?

Since this is apparently a known issue it would be ideal for Diode Dynamics to handle it without having to replace our HP3's over and over.

[davidsn_670]

Originally Posted by Aiden

Reading this thread has helped so much!

I was beginning to lose my mind with my HP3 side markers starting to flicker weeks after putting a new pair in.

I am on my third replacement pair and highly considering just replacing them with HP5's but spending $40 for side markers and plate leds is a little ridiculous. Am I ridiculous for thinking this?

Since this is apparently a known issue it would be ideal for Diode Dynamics to handle it without having to replace our HP3's over and over.

I just had DD replace 3 sets of HP3 and again they are flickering again. I sent an email to try and upgrade to HP5 for free since the replacements and shipping was costing them. We settled at them paying for 1 set of HP5, I buy the second set and they pay shipping. They have been shipped and now I wait. Amazing customer service! Time to use the HP3 for the trunk light and my other vehicles!

[Chimera]

got a set of HP3 amber for my sidemarkers april 2016. only just started to flicker. looking into replacements now. I know I could warranty them, but they made it nearly 2 years, and tbh I don't want the hassle of worrying about when they break again. I do have a set of HP5 Red in my taillights. time will tell if they develop any issues. had them for roughly a year so far.

[Stang70Fastback]

Originally Posted by Chimera

got a set of HP3 amber for my sidemarkers april 2016. only just started to flicker. looking into replacements now. I know I could warranty them, but they made it nearly 2 years, and tbh I don't want the hassle of worrying about when they break again. I do have a set of HP5 Red in my taillights. time will tell if they develop any issues. had them for roughly a year so far.

Just replace them with the HP5s. They don't have the same issue. You'll be happy with them.

[Cheeky]

Sorry to revive any old thread, but my DD HP3 on the license plate lights are flickering too... I can do warranty but if I am in canada I wonder if it is even worth it.

Anyone know other options for LED plate replacement lights?