Bklyn_Quattro

Has anyone successfully changed out the awfully dim stock bulbs to brighter LEDs without getting the bulb out warning? Also, what size (921, 725, bayonet, etc) are OEM reverse light bulbs on a 2011 Q7?? (search yielded only 1 thread with minimal info)

Thanks in advance,

Brian

cuatrokoop

I'm going to be upgrading mine, I bought load resistors and LED's from Amazon. I bought two types of LED's (7506 and 912), I'll have to let you know which ones they were, because I can't remember.

Canadian Lurker

Thanks for bringing this up as upgrading the reverse lights has been something I've thought about too. Interested to see what works and what improvement can be gained from an led upgrade.

cuatrokoop

Finally got around to replacing the reverse bulbs on the 3.6, as that is the one that is parked outside and typically gets backed down the driveway (garage has the 4.2 and a project car). I used 921 bulbs rated at 50W (5W x 10) with 50W, 6 ohm resistors.

Biggest pain was getting the resistor wiring tucked in the bumper so the light housing would seat back all the way. This junction must be in just the right spot and even at that it must be smaller and you need something to help shove everything back and out of the way. I used a hack saw blade to do the wire pushing.

Bulbs are definitely brighter, but the rear hatch glass is dark enough that the only benefit I've noticed from the driver seat is from the side mirrors.

All components were purchased on Amazon and are Prime.

Built4Sin

Looking at upgrading mine to LEDs here after christmas, looks like we can get around cutting the harness for the resistor if you're willing to spend a little extra.
I'll be using:
LEDS

Inline resistors

coleg

Was this set up successful? I have tried a few 921 LED bulbs on my 2007 Q7 and none of them would illuminate. I am hesitant to wire in a resistor without knowing if there is some other issue preventing them from working before I mess with the factory harness.

bspurloc

I am interested to know the results after several reverses. If the resistors are jammed in and touch plastic etc, they tend to get a bit hot, are they melting things around them?

coleg

As a follow up question, I would be curious if anyone has successfully installed any aftermarket LED bulb setups that do not flicker on cold diagnostic testing. I would love to do conversion for fog lights, DRL, etc. but if that means that all of my lights will flicker constantly when not in use I do not want to do it.

cuatrokoop

Well, mine still work, haven't touched them since install three years ago...

Built4Sin

I haven't gotten around to it yet, nor ordered the parts. I have a few LED reverse lights from DeAutoKey, I bought a few years ago for my Touaregs' reverse lights.. They were the wrong ones, but I kept them figuring I would probably use them later. Enter today, I temp installed one last week before a trip to Orlando, hoping they would function even if that involves a 'Bulb Out warning' popping up. Well the light barely lit up, and I didn't want to waste time installing the other side to find the exact same result. So here I am, sitting at work, reviewing the options forward. Reading more about the resistor I posted up, I'm going to elect to use something else. I usually pick up bulbs from Retrofit source, so I've skimmed their site and found a set of resistors they offer, that have a better housing and supposedly lower thermal output. So that's where I'm at, going to order these and wait and see!

https://www.theretrofitsource.com/mo...reselect=50336