Valenti tail light signal light issue

[Futaba]

As promised I did some experimenting with the cheap pair i bought (For just $40!!).
One side works flawlessly while the other had 6 out on the indicator and 3 out on the brake, here are the pics:



From looking at all of the other reports it would seem these particular sets are pretty much the exact sets that go wrong for people.
So what I did next was take a dremel and make some peek holes, note that the space in between the back plastic and the PCB cannot be accessed by splitting the light as other posters have found, so this is the only way to get clear access the PCBs.



The big hole on the back gives you access to both the first banks of LEDs and the main cable connections, i re-soldered all my wires to be sure while it was opened up.
I would advise once you have re-soldered the LEDs that you patch these with electrical tape, or as im currently doing, 3d printed patches to glue over the holes.


Now this is the real reason these units are having problems, dry solder joints, they will likely work from factory then randomly fail, or fail but work intermittently as they get knocked about by day to day use on the car.
I worked my way along the clusters through the peek holes, resoldering both positive and negative pins on the LEDs each hole gives access to.

Result:

Fully working set of Valenti tail lights for $40, score!

Note: It has been mentioned in previous posts that you should pull out the cables a bit from the hole to stop this issue from happening, I can tell you now, with complete certainty that this is NOT the issue, the issue is dry solder joints, hopefully someone from Valenti can be shown these pictures so that in future people with this issue within warranty can get them exchanged.

Since i bought this used for cheap I had no warranty and thus nothing to really lose, Don't attempt this if you're within warranty, just get them replaced!

Patching the holes:




Not super slick but it does the job.

Anyway, to make this super clear.
1) The LEDS are not blowing
2) Moving the wires on a working set will not prevent them from failing if they were going to fail to begin with
3) The fault is 100% down to dry solder joints failing
4) Warranty replacement is your best bet, or do what I did if your warranty is expired

[MaDBaRMaN]

My LEDs work fine, but Condensation built up in one of my tail lights and now the 'glowing ring' doesn't light up.
Does anyone know where I should be looking to fix this?

[rtrader]

Originally Posted by MaDBaRMaN

My LEDs work fine, but Condensation built up in one of my tail lights and now the 'glowing ring' doesn't light up.
Does anyone know where I should be looking to fix this?

Same problem here did you figure out a fix?

[ngbrack]

Originally Posted by rtrader

Same problem here did you figure out a fix?

Same here too, anybody have a messed up Passenger Taillight CR they can part with?

[Decimus]

my light bar doesn't light up either... any fix for the light bar??

[DoomsdayJesus]

Originally Posted by Futaba

Anyway, to make this super clear.
1) The LEDS are not blowing
2) Moving the wires on a working set will not prevent them from failing if they were going to fail to begin with
3) The fault is 100% down to dry solder joints failing
4) Warranty replacement is your best bet, or do what I did if your warranty is expired

Thank you so much for this, glad I found your post. You just saved me an awful lot of money on replacements.

If anyone is having issues with condensation I saw there's an actual spec for the gasket seal and how it should look. 1/4" visible, no creases. You may want to dry them out, possibly re-solder any broken connections, and re-install after checking the seal.

Stole this from modbargains.com:

[CAHetkey]

I bought a used 2013 frs with valenti tail lights and they have the same issues..

I bought warranty for the car when i bought it so i'm hoping that will cover it.

Do you guys think there is anyway to send my lights back for replacement even though i have no warranty for them?

[DoomsdayJesus]

Originally Posted by CAHetkey

I bought a used 2013 frs with valenti tail lights and they have the same issues..

I bought warranty for the car when i bought it so i'm hoping that will cover it.

Do you guys think there is anyway to send my lights back for replacement even though i have no warranty for them?

Nope. Repair or replace. The repair isn't that difficult if you know your way around a dremel, soldering, and epoxy or similar appropriate patching method.

[Blue Bird]

Reading all this makes me not want to buy them anymore

[LED86]

Originally Posted by Blue Bird

Reading all this makes me not want to buy them anymore

This was only an issue with the very first batches in 2012/2013. Since then I haven't had to do a single replacement from failed led. Don't let this thread scare you, just don't buy any second hand tails from 2012/13. The date is stamped on the back of the lights.

[Findlay]

You say it only affects 2012/2013 taillights but I purchased mine in 2017 from ModBargains and even though I purchased them only three months ago, when I sent a picture of the model number the lady said the lights are over a year old and they are out of warranty from the manufacturer. So your telling me that ModBargains sold me a old pair of taillights.... mine have two leds out on the turn signal, guess I'll have to try and see if it's a soldering issue..

[LED86]

Originally Posted by Findlay

You say it only affects 2012/2013 taillights but I purchased mine in 2017 from ModBargains and even though I purchased them only three months ago, when I sent a picture of the model number the lady said the lights are over a year old and they are out of warranty from the manufacturer. So your telling me that ModBargains sold me a old pair of taillights.... mine have two leds out on the turn signal, guess I'll have to try and see if it's a soldering issue..

Well that sucks! Shouldn't a reseller give you warranty from date of purchase not date of manufacture? That's what I do and that's what Valenti does. Do you remember what the date was on the back of yours? It could have been really really old stock.

There's always possibility led could die either this brand or another, but this particular issue I haven't had for sooooo long now.

I'm pretty interested to see what the date on yours was though.

[Findlay]

Originally Posted by LED86

Well that sucks! Shouldn't a reseller give you warranty from date of purchase not date of manufacture? That's what I do and that's what Valenti does. Do you remember what the date was on the back of yours? It could have been really really old stock.

There's always possibility led could die either this brand or another, but this particular issue I haven't had for sooooo long now.

I'm pretty interested to see what the date on yours was though.

So I purchased the lights on 9/04/2016 and I sent ModBargains.com a email saying I had an issue in march so that's around 6 months. The lady first said I had a year warranty but then after sending the photos which the stickers on the back say "201601 made in Taiwan" and "60-1412B ABS". I am assuming the 201601 is the date. I just can't believe they won't refund by the date purchased but by the date of the parts manufactured.

[Phantobe]

My lights are from March 2014 according to the date stamped on the lights. And Im having intermittent LED failure.

I made some rather large peak holes in search of any dry solder joints and had no luck. Guess I'll just re solder anyway since there already opened up.

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