[>Esc<]

This is what I found with the voltmeter, kind of interesting. If I am not wrong, for the dual-intensity bulb, the outer metal base surface is the ground and each leg of the bulb is the positive for each of the filament.

For the original bulb, the voltmeter reads:
0V for 1 leg/base
0V for the other leg/base
0V across the legs

For LED bulb #1
0.024V for 1 leg/base
0.026V for the other leg/base
0V across the legs

For LED bulb #2
0.005V for 1 leg/base
0.011V for the other leg/base
0.01V across the legs

Could it be that the resistor(s) inside the LED bulb is off?

[EBMCS03]

Humm you measured this when the car is off and bulb in the socket? How many volts is comming out of the car (bulb socket) itself? I'm wondering if theres just different tolerances of voltage leak for the cars to be acceptable and yours is higher and its powerful enough to power up the LEDs but not enough to power up the incandescent bulbs. Whats the resistance on the LEDs and on the incandescent bulbs?

[>Esc<]

No, actually, those measurements were with the bulb by itself. I will try to measure the socket tonight if I can get a hold with the voltmeter (it was borrowed). The way I look at this is that if it is the circuit or if it has a residual current, then the regular bulbs should lite up too, though maybe even dimmer than the LEDs. Do you think you can take out the LED bulbs and see what kind of resistors are in there. My LED bulb shows 2 resisters in there (as the casing is clear). I remember 1 of it has the color bands of brown, brown, brown, and gold. Have to go home tonight to check on the other 1.

[EBMCS03]

Humm why would there still be voltage left over? Oh wells... umm 110 ohms eh I'll check if mine are the same tonight.

[>Esc<]

No voltmeter tonight....anyway, the other resistor is yellow, orange, black, and gold.

[EBMCS03]

ya those are the same resistors that are in my LED bulbs i took them out earlier today and checked. so its not that theres a bad batch of LEDs with the wrong resistors in them...

[MickyD]

could the brake light coming on a little bit be related to:

Tech Service Action 610403:
SERVICE ACTION: DIODE RETROFIT HARNESS FOR ELECTRIC POWER
STEERING PUMP FAN. COOPER and COOPER S. 12-01-02 to 05-19-03
LOW VOLTAGE PARASITIC CURRENT. MAY CAUSE IMPLAUSIBLE BRAKE
LIGHT DIAGNOSIS & ERRONEOUS FAULTS.
RETROFIT DIODE ADAPTER HARNESS & CLEAR FAULT MEMORIES.

just a thought...

[EBMCS03]

Humm maybe... you know what I think i got that diode replaced and fixed during my last service at the dealer.

[>Esc<]

Hmm.....but my Cooper S is a June 2004 built, thought they must have that fixed by then, right? Maybe I should call the dealer and ask them about this.

[EBMCS03]

Hummm ya... it SHOULD have been fixed then. ya give the dealer a call... see what they say... it is strange!!!

[EBMCS03]

ESC: so hows everything going? did you ever figure out the LED problem?

[>Esc<]

I have been quite busy lately and the LED issue was put onto the backburner. Well, it was very interesting to tell you that 1 night I saw this Mustang in front of me at night. This car's tailnight looks funny, as 2 of its 3 bulbs on each side seem like they are on but not working with the other 2 brake lights(as if they are single intensity instead of double). I thought it must have been short circuited. But when I got closer and looked more carefully, it is the LED type for 4 of the 6 bulbs. It is double intensity but the difference is not big enough for me to see when I was like 2 car lengths behind it. Then I thought, should I go through all this and spend the extra $ if the result is like that.... I think I will return the bulbs to roadster.net. If I will ever try again, I think I will try the ones with a few more LEDs around the side for better reflection. So until then, I will keep checking to see if there are others that found a way to fix it and make it work as well as those OEM LEDs

[EBMCS03]

Hey ESC sorry to hear they didnt work out for you but you got me... its so weird that they're not working right.