Mazda CX-5 Forums

Technical Section => Vehicle Lighting => Exterior Lighting => Topic started by: wrongslot on December 17, 2017, 07:12:05 pm

Title: Brighter reversing lights
Post by: wrongslot on December 17, 2017, 07:12:05 pm
Hi all,

Is it possible to fit brighter bulbs to reversing lights in my 2015 2.2 SportNav? I know I have a reversing camera, but using the mirrors to get into my driveway as I alwayd do would be easier with brighter reversing lights.

Thanks, Bob
Title: Re: Brighter reversing lights
Post by: Willpower on December 17, 2017, 07:50:42 pm
Of course it is perfectly feasible to fit a higher wattage lamp into the socket. However please be aware that should you choose to do this, then the increased heat production from such a bulb will endanger the plastic lens of your lamp.   i.e  It might melt.     Just saying :)
Title: Re: Brighter reversing lights
Post by: Ant on December 17, 2017, 11:01:15 pm
I fitted LED reversing light bulbs to my 2016 Sport Nav and they are considerably brighter than the standard bulbs. I’m pretty sure I got them from Autobulbs Direct but I can’t remember to model numbers now. I'll try to dig out the details and post them here.

LEDs are generally lower wattage and operating temperature than standard bulbs but the canbus versions can get very hot. Since the CX5 doesn’t have a bulb fail monitoring system, I don’t think it’s so important to have canbus LED bulbs?
Title: Re: Brighter reversing lights
Post by: wrongslot on December 21, 2017, 04:21:22 pm
That's helpful thanks.  If you have the details of the bulbs you bought that would be V useful.

Bob
Title: Re: Brighter reversing lights
Post by: Ant on December 28, 2017, 03:36:09 pm
Hi. Sorry for the delay in responding. I found the auto bulbs order email from last year and these are what I bought and fitted:

https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/955-twenty20-cree-led-12v-w16w-canbus-wedge-bulbs.html

Not sure if the design may have changed a little but the model number (955CRCANW-2) is the same. They’re not cheap but I've been very pleased with them.

I've  also fitted LED bulbs to the number plate lamps and all the interior lights.

Title: Re: Brighter reversing lights
Post by: andyb_ie on June 24, 2018, 10:41:53 pm
Hi,
By any chance do you have the bulb types for the interior.?
Title: Re: Brighter reversing lights
Post by: Ant on June 25, 2018, 11:36:06 pm
The overhead light front and rear bulbs are the same and from memory I believe they are the 31mm festoon type. Like this as far as I recall:

https://www.auto-lighting.co.uk/product-eng-5046-Car-LED-Bulb-6x-SMD-5630-C3W-C5W-C10W-Can-Bus-WHITE.html (https://www.auto-lighting.co.uk/product-eng-5046-Car-LED-Bulb-6x-SMD-5630-C3W-C5W-C10W-Can-Bus-WHITE.html)

You can also replace the the vanity mirror bulbs easily and these are a ‘fuse’ type bulb like these:

https://www.auto-lighting.co.uk/product-eng-6265-C3W-Car-LED-Bulb-3x-SMD-5050-Flat-Slim-31mm-WHITE.html (https://www.auto-lighting.co.uk/product-eng-6265-C3W-Car-LED-Bulb-3x-SMD-5050-Flat-Slim-31mm-WHITE.html)

The glove box bulb is a 501 type but I believe it stays on all the time the lights are on (there no switch that activates it when you actually open the glovebox) so you wouldn’t want one that gets too hot! It can be a real pain to get out though! Something like this maybe:

https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/501-abd-prime-4-led-12v-w5w-interior-wedge-bulb-pair.html (https://www.autobulbsdirect.co.uk/501-abd-prime-4-led-12v-w5w-interior-wedge-bulb-pair.html)

(Please note that although I’m pretty confident these are the right bulb types, I’m working from memory here so double checking is recommended! Also, I read that some cheaper LED bulbs described as CANBUS simply include a resistor to fool the bulb fail monitors which mean they can run very hot. I always avoided these as I’m not aware that Mazda have bulb fail monitors. I never had any problems with non-CANBUS bulbs)