[22LR]

I'm interested in converting my Cadenza's rear turn signal bulbs to LED.
Anyone install these yet from the K5 Optima Store?
K5 Optima Store - Error/Resistor Free Rear (1156) LED Turn Signal Bulbs
What do you think of the upgrade?

 

[Yooshaw]

I'm interested in converting my Cadenza's rear turn signal bulbs to LED.
Anyone install these yet from the K5 Optima Store?
K5 Optima Store - Error/Resistor Free Rear (1156) LED Turn Signal Bulbs
What do you think of the upgrade?

I just installed these this weekend. Works great. Color is a darker yellow than the stock bulbs, and I'd say brightness is a little lower, but I thought the stock bulbs were too bright anyway. Still clearly visible in bright sunlight. A simple plug and play exchange too.

 

[22LR]

Good to hear! Thanks. I'll order from them soon.

 

[bohen]

do you carry the LED turn signal lights for upfront resistor free error free

 

[K5 Optima Store]

do you carry the LED turn signal lights for upfront resistor free error free

I doubt it, but what size is it up front on the bulbs?

 

[Yooshaw]

They are 1157s - I have yet to find an error free 1157s anywhere - have to wire in load resistors.

Interesting that they chose an 1157 on the Cadenza, as the "dual" element of the 1157 is not utilized (there is no DRL used by the Cadenza). The wiring is a sealed unit - meaning there are no wires coming from the back of the bulb - the contacts are made inside the housing. The harness connector has what I think should be the connection - but there is no wire running to it, or a "male" portion on the opposite harness.

I assume the K7 must use it, since they use the bulb and the harness conections are there (just no wires in the US spec).

 

[K5 Optima Store]

They are 1157s - I have yet to find an error free 1157s anywhere - have to wire in load resistors.

Interesting that they chose an 1157 on the Cadenza, as the "dual" element of the 1157 is not utilized (there is no DRL used by the Cadenza). The wiring is a sealed unit - meaning there are no wires coming from the back of the bulb - the contacts are made inside the housing. The harness connector has what I think should be the connection - but there is no wire running to it, or a "male" portion on the opposite harness.

I assume the K7 must use it, since they use the bulb and the harness conections are there (just no wires in the US spec).

If the Cadenza uses 1157 bulbs, then I would imagine you guys have the same thing as the Optima then. What you are describing with no wires coming out is just the way KIA chose to design these setups. They use surface mount electric contacts which make contact with the electrical when you plug in the plastic clips and twist them.

There is no such thing as an error free/resistor free switchback bulb, not yet anyways. Many companies have tried in the past but they all end up overheating very fast.

The dual element of the 1157 bulb on the Optima is so you can have parking lights on and when you use the turn signal, it functions then as a blinker signal.

Does the Cadenza not have the parking lights come on in the same section where the turn signal goes? They would be yellow obviously and not white as in the pic.

See below:

 

[Yooshaw]

If the Cadenza uses 1157 bulbs, then I would imagine you guys have the same thing as the Optima then. What you are describing with no wires coming out is just the way KIA chose to design these setups. They use surface mount electric contacts which make contact with the electrical when you plug in the plastic clips and twist them.

There is no such thing as an error free/resistor free switchback bulb, not yet anyways. Many companies have tried in the past but they all end up overheating very fast.

The dual element of the 1157 bulb on the Optima is so you can have parking lights on and when you use the turn signal, it functions then as a blinker signal.

Does the Cadenza not have the parking lights come on in the same section where the turn signal goes? They would be yellow obviously and not white as in the pic.

See below:

They use surface mount electric contacts which make contact with the electrical when you plug in the plastic clips and twist them.

This is exactly how ours is set up. Twist a plastic handle with no wires, and the bulb comes completely out, attached to the plastic handle.

Does the Cadenza not have the parking lights come on in the same section where the turn signal goes?

No parking lights at all there- which I believe to be a function of the missing wire and male connector in the harness. The only light that comes on when you turn on the parking lights are the positioning led lights.

 

[K5 Optima Store]

This is exactly how ours is set up. Twist a plastic handle with no wires, and the bulb comes completely out, attached to the plastic handle.


No parking lights at all there- which I believe to be a function of the missing wire and male connector in the harness. The only light that comes on when you turn on the parking lights are the positioning led lights.

Got it, so that's weird then. On the 2013, 2014, & 2015 Optima SX-L model, they include 1156 bulbs since the other filament in a 1157 bulb would not be in use. This is why Optima SX-L owners can use the Error Free bulbs in both the front and rear.

 

[22LR]

Bummer that the Cadenza uses 1157s in the front. No LEDs available then to replace the factory front turn signal bulbs. Someday....

Anyway, back to the original post. I received K5 Optima Store's REAR LEDs for the Cadenza today (only 4 days after ordering!). First impressions are:
- Very easy to install - less than 5 minutes
- Perfect fit
- Lots of headspace remaining between the LED and the lens
- Good deep amber color
- Brighter but not obnoxious

TWO THUMBS UP for these LED upgrade bulbs.

 

[Yooshaw]

I ordered a dual color 1157 thinking I could get the DRLs to work, which is why I figured out how they work and that the dual colors will not work. I installed them, and the amber portion does work.

I wasn't satisfied with the brightness of the ones I got from superbrightleds.com, so I ordered this from Amazon Amazon.com: JDM ASTAR Super Bright Max 50W High Power 11157 2057 2357 7528 Cree LED Bulbs ,Amber Yellow: Automotive

Should get here later this week. The front is somewhere I want SUPER bright. I have already wired in load resistors, and it does need those to work. I'll let the board know how they look and compare to stock.

 

[brandontaz2k2]

I ordered a dual color 1157 thinking I could get the DRLs to work, which is why I figured out how they work and that the dual colors will not work. I installed them, and the amber portion does work.

I wasn't satisfied with the brightness of the ones I got from superbrightleds.com, so I ordered this from Amazon Amazon.com: JDM ASTAR Super Bright Max 50W High Power 11157 2057 2357 7528 Cree LED Bulbs ,Amber Yellow: Automotive

Should get here later this week. The front is somewhere I want SUPER bright. I have already wired in load resistors, and it does need those to work. I'll let the board know how they look and compare to stock.

Let us know, and take some pictures!

 

[22LR]

Brandontaz...
I thought the wiring for the front lighting clusters were internal to the molded housing. How did you install resistors to the front turn signal circuits? I'm interested in trying this out too!

 

[22LR]

Sorry, my question should have been to Yooshaw...

 

[Yooshaw]

I tapped in the resistor near the harness that plugs into the housing. Driver side wire color is brown, and passenger side color is white (I might have got those reversed). Then I grounded each to a nearby bolt on the body.

If you look at the harness, this is where you will see the missing wire for the other filament of the 1157 bulb that doesn't work (right next to turn signal wire). The wiring diagram on kiatechinfo lists this slot as blank, so my guess is it has to be for the 1157. I thought I could run my own wire there, but then saw the male pin on the opposite harness is missing, meaning there is nothing running in the headlight housing to the bulb. If I ever open up the headlight assembly (thinking of adding the missing DRLs available on the K7), I may be able to connect them.

 

[Yooshaw]

I got the 1157s in I linked to earlier, but they were the wrong size (metal pins were not offset), so it did not fit correctly. I powered them anyway and they didn't seem that much brighter than the switchbacks I already had.

At any rate, I got inspired and was able to get the switchbacks to work! Now they function like DRLs, and blink amber when activated. I'm starting a new thread with a write-up on how to do it.

 

[K5 Optima Store]

Bummer that the Cadenza uses 1157s in the front. No LEDs available then to replace the factory front turn signal bulbs. Someday....

Anyway, back to the original post. I received K5 Optima Store's REAR LEDs for the Cadenza today (only 4 days after ordering!). First impressions are:
- Very easy to install - less than 5 minutes
- Perfect fit
- Lots of headspace remaining between the LED and the lens
- Good deep amber color
- Brighter but not obnoxious

TWO THUMBS UP for these LED upgrade bulbs.

Very happy to hear that you received them only four days after ordering. We definitely try to have everything shipped out the same day if ordered before 5 PM.

Thank you so much for your feedback here, as it does let others know about the products we sell. If anyone has questions about lighting packages for their Cadenza, or any other vehicle, please don't hesitate to let us know. We are always available to help out.

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