simrek1

I just bought a bunch of 1157 LED bulbs to replace the incandescent 1157 bulbs in my '66 Toronado and none of them work. The two staggered pins and the two contacts line up and the socket length is exactly like the original bulbs. The 1156's work, but not the 1157's. I'm totally baffled at this point. I've replaced a lot of 1157s on various cars, but they don't work on this one. Has anyone got any suggestions?
Thanks,
Paul

Fred Kiehl

You may have to install an electronic flasher. The LEDs do not create enough current to operate a standard flasher.


Another possibility is the polarity of the circuit. The LEDs will not operate if the voltage is reversed.

Tedd Thompson

Try swapping the the wires around before you do anything. LED's only work one way.... Tedd.

joe_padavano

You can't swap an 1157. The side pins are staggered and only fit one way in the socket (unless you are a gorilla). More to the point, the solder tabs on the bottom are both positive (one for parking/tail and one for brake/turn). The outer shell is always negative, as is the socket.

oldcutlass

I have seen some bulbs where the manufacturing process is less than stellar which allows the bulbs to be put in either way. The wrong way, the contacts don't line up. Another issue is that the spring loaded contacts are not reaching the bulb contacts.

csouth

This ^^^^ will probably need a flasher that has its own ground.

joe_padavano

^^^This has been my experience also.

To the OP. Get a set of jumper wires and test the LED bulbs directly on the battery. Connect the outer shell to ground. Touch the hot wire to first one then the other of the solder terminals on the bottom. This way you know positively if the bulbs are good or not before chasing a problem that may or may not exist.

simrek1

I did check the bulbs in another car and they worked fine. I ordered some Wagner 1157 bulbs @ $5.00 ea. instead of $1.00 (probably Japanese manufactured) to see if the metric conversion or product quality is causing the problem. I'll post the results when I get them.

joe_padavano

So the bulbs aren't the problem. Figure out what is.

Do the park/tail functions work? That is independent of the flasher.

simrek1

Everything works fine with the incandescent bulbs but I'm adding sequential turn signals and they work better with LED bulbs. I think that the older sockets were less forgiving than the ones made in this century. That's why I'm trying the US manufactured SAE dimensional and possibly higher quality Wagner bulb. I'll post the results after I try them.

BZZBRand

Probably need a load resister to make your LED 1157's work. Check at a good auto parts store that has experienced counter personnel to show you the options, etc.

simrek1

I'm thinking that it's a connection issue.

oldcutlass

Just a thought, even though the brake/turn signal function will probably require a different signal stat, if your directional selector stalk is not in the center position then the lamp won't work.

csouth

If you are planning on adding sequential LED's go ahead and get the LED flashers because you will need them. I have them and needed 2.

simrek1

"If you are planning on adding sequential LED's go ahead and get the LED flashers because you will need them. I have them and needed 2."
CSOUTH:Thanks for the input about the LED flasher unit. Why did you need 2 of them?

As far as the bulbs go, I should have added that I can't even get the running / parking light filament to light up. I even tried pushing the wires further into the sockets to make the connection. I hope that the better bulbs do the trick, I've never run into this before and I've changed over a bunch of other vehicles to LED.

csouth

Digi-Tails recommends 2, but say that you only NEED 2 if you have LED's for taillights and front lights. I found that my hazards or blinkers would work depending on which socket had the LED flasher installed. I installed a second LED flasher and it solved my problem. Keep in mind my car has totally new electrical rewire with American Auto Wire harness.

simrek1

Sure enough, the Sylvania 1157 bulbs (not Wagner as I said earlier) worked just fine in both the front and rear. It has to be a dimensional / fitment issue, not electrical and it probably has something to do with the older design of these 1966 sockets. Everything is also working just fine with the standard flasher.