OEM bumper lights and JDM reverse lights

[tomcat1446]

lighted bumper reflector housing and bright LED reverse bulbs

for those interested in bumper brake lights, this seller is selling them for $90 per pair :

LINK: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-Pair-OEM-Rear-Tail-bumper-Fog-Lights-Lamp-Kit-for-Mazda-CX-5-with-Wire-harnes-/222346378822?fits=Model%3ACX-5&hash=item33c4e07e46:g:jVYAAOSwA3dYT9oz&vxp=mtr

I got them and installed them, very easy to install, you will need to re-use the C-clip on the bottom side fastener since he didn't supply the housing with those, but that's no biggie, they slide right out of the old housing:

also no need to remove bumper at all, just need to remove the plastic panel underneath the reflector and a couple of panel fasteners by the rear wheel wells, then remove the rear tail light and thread the black+red wire thru the hole in the quarter panel and splice to the brake light harness (*Note: the seller supply pretty thick gage 14 red/black wires, I didn't need that thick gage since I replaced his halogens with red LED bulbs below, also safer to go with the LEDs than the halogen as the LEDs run much cooler and less current.


I didn't bother with the parking lights, mine only light up with the brakes, I feel that's more attention getting to unattentive rear drivers then to have them on all the time. here's a quick video of how they look on the CX-5

if you look closely at the seller's listing, they are OEM Mazda parts, one has a internal chrome reflector and the other one doesn't, probably the UK version where only the reflector side is lit, note sure ?

he retrofitted the non-reflector with 7440 sockets, so I got these red LED with no back facing light, so it won't matter that one doesn't have a reflector, they both shine identical since these LED's don't shine into the reflector

http://www.ebay.com/itm/172386403642?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

Other sellers also sell LED versions but they run $240 shipped, they are definitely nice but I didn't want to spend that much:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/252005970147?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
http://www.ebay.com/itm/262399924284?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT





Also, I got these for 921 LED reverse lights, these are extremely bright and much brighter than the OEM 921 halogens

https://www.amazon.com (commissions earned)

see video below on how to remove the rear tail light 1:00 to 2:00 minute mark, again you don't need to remove the rear bumper to install the lighted bumper light housings,
there's plenty of room back there:

 

[blackcx5]

tomcat, what OEM color wires of the quarter panel brake lights did you splice the red/black wires to?
I checked mine and there's three OEM wires going to the dual filament brake bulb,
I'm interested in doing this bumper light mode, look cool, thanks in advance.

 

[tomcat1446]

tomcat, what OEM color wires of the quarter panel brake lights did you splice the red/black wires to?
I checked mine and there's three OEM wires going to the dual filament brake bulb,
I'm interested in doing this bumper light mode, look cool, thanks in advance.

hey blackcx5, it's pretty easy the dual filament quarter panel rear light/brake has three wires (pink, red, and black)

connect the bumper lights to the red and black OEM wires, the pink is the parking light wire (leave that alone) hopes that helps.

 

[TheMAN]

you DON'T want to connect the rear fog light to the parking light wires... having it on all the time defeats its purpose, which is meant to be a bright warning beacon is poor visibility conditions
the proper way is to connect it to a switch so that you can turn it on on demand, like the front fog lights

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

you DON'T want to connect the rear fog light to the parking light wires... having it on all the time defeats its purpose, which is meant to be a bright warning beacon is poor visibility conditions
the proper way is to connect it to a switch so that you can turn it on on demand, like the front fog lights

How does it defeat the purpose if it's on during foggy conditions as well? (uhm) the difference between the oem and the aftermarket btw is that the oem has one light, one side, while the aftermarket has two arrays per lens (can be wired differently) and is lighted on the left and right. Also they come in different colors. You can wire it to a switch, wire it to a brake, park light blinker etc.. you can have 1 led bank a brake light and the other bank ( same lens, top/bottom)on a switch

 

[yrwei52]

for those interested in bumper brake lights, this seller is selling them for $90 per pair

Excellent write-up as always and I really enjoy all the write-ups you've done for this community as they're very thorough and easy to read. I hope Chris_Top_Her can move it to "How To" section!

Of course I wish Mazda can equip factory rear fog light into US CX-5 so that these two bumper locations are not just having two red reflectors!

 

[tomcat1446]

Excellent write-up as always and I really enjoy all the write-ups you've done for this community as they're very thorough and easy to read. I hope Chris_Top_Her can move it to "How To" section!

Of course I wish Mazda can equip factory rear fog light into US CX-5 so that these two bumper locations are not just having two red reflectors!

thanks for the compliment yrmwei52, appreciate it. just trying to help out my fellow CX-5 owners anyway I can who are interested in lighted rear bumper housings.

Agreed, wish Mazda have them as standard like euro specs (although, I think only one side is lighted and they don't light up brighter with brakes, they're meant for fog I believe), I've been rear ended before and any little thing that I can do to get the attention of distracted rear drivers gives me a peace of mind.

Already had a couple of co-workers noticed and asked how I got them installed. I only know a few OEM lighted bumpers, ie Lexus RX350, Infiniti EX, and Audi A5 but those are dimly lighted with parking lights, they don't light brighter when their drivers hit the brakes....

 

[TheMAN]

How does it defeat the purpose if it's on during foggy conditions as well? (uhm) the difference between the oem and the aftermarket btw is that the oem has one light, one side, while the aftermarket has two arrays per lens (can be wired differently) and is lighted on the left and right. Also they come in different colors. You can wire it to a switch, wire it to a brake, park light blinker etc.. you can have 1 led bank a brake light and the other bank ( same lens, top/bottom)on a switch

there's a left and right side OEM, depending on country

you defeat the purpose by making it on all the time, super bright like a brake light... not independently controlled or distinctive from the rest of your lights... you'll look like the ones who drive a Jaguar or Mercedes and mash all of the fog light buttons on the dashboard because it'll the lights "brighter", so you could "see better"... and since you have both sides wired up, your car will look like the brake lights are stuck on... this is a ticketable defect in some states

there's specific reasons why brake lights are brighter and regular tail lights are dimmer, likewise with rear fog lights and its requirement by UN regulations to keep them separated from the brake lights

 

[TheMAN]

thanks for the compliment yrmwei52, appreciate it. just trying to help out my fellow CX-5 owners anyway I can who are interested in lighted rear bumper housings.

Agreed, wish Mazda have them as standard like euro specs (although, I think only one side is lighted and they don't light up brighter with brakes, they're meant for fog I believe), I've been rear ended before and any little thing that I can do to get the attention of distracted rear drivers gives me a peace of mind.

Already had a couple of co-workers noticed and asked how I got them installed. I only know a few OEM lighted bumpers, ie Lexus RX350, Infiniti EX, and Audi A5 but those are dimly lighted with parking lights, they don't light brighter when their drivers hit the brakes....

They're required in Europe, China, and other countries, not here
If a manufacturer could/want cut the cost, they will

All cars that have rear fog lights, especially ones in the bumpers are controlled by a switch, they are NOT part of the brake lights nor they're supposed to

 

[tibimakai]

They shouldn't be bright, bothers the drivers behind. I would turn on the high beams, if somebody would do that to me.
It's great idea to use these, but not as fogs. Regular tail light brightness, or as brake lights, yes.
Some, drive with high beams on as well, to see better.

 

[tomcat1446]

They shouldn't be bright, bothers the drivers behind. I would turn on the high beams, if somebody would do that to me.
It's great idea to use these, but not as fogs. Regular tail light brightness, or as brake lights, yes.
Some, drive with high beams on as well, to see better.

absolutely agree with you, I swapped out the halogens with this dim LED red light

it's no brighter than the parking light brightness

 

[Chris_Top_Her]

The led I have (and Tomcat) is no brighter than the red running light. A lot of talk about whats required elsewhere, which is beans because we are in the USA. So for us, this mod is simply auxiliary lighting.
The camera does a bad job with led lens flare. :20

 

[yrwei52]

Any lights been put in these two bumper locations is better than original red reflectors for DOT regulation. I would think in the US using these for brake lights is the best but there're too low for the location. I was wondering if the red reflecting function on the lens is still there from these aftermarket rear fog light kits?

 

[tomcat1446]

.....I was wondering if the red reflecting function on the lens is still there from these aftermarket rear fog light kits?

good point yrwei52, I was curious myself, so I asked my wife to drive in front of me tonight as I followed her and yes, the ones I bought do still reflect light at night when my headlights shined on them even without the lit bulb inside.

Actually the ones I got and ebay link in my first post are actual OEM Mazda parts (not aftermarket parts per se), one of them already has a socket hole/bulb for a 7440 bulb the other one doesn't so the seller drilled a hole and added a 7440 socket into it,

below is a picture of euro/overseas spec reflector without the retrofit, but you can see one side has a socket for a bulb, the other side has no bulb

EURO/CHINA/TAIWAN CX-5'S Right:KD77-51-650-A Left:KD53-51-660-A

and here is USA spec reflectors, no cavity at all, it's completely flat

USA REFLECTORS, just a flat black plastic panel reflector NO CAVITY FOR LIGHT BULBS: KD31515L0

 

[tibimakai]

What is that gray plug in the 1st picture? Can't we add an LED in there?

 

[blackcx5]

What is that gray plug in the 1st picture? Can't we add an LED in there?

that's a "gore vent" like a one way valve for moisture, it lets moisture escape but not enter into the lens cavity, otherwise you get water droplets inside the red lens. That grey cap can come off but you won't see a hole instead you'll see a molded stump with some sort of filter stuffed in there.

I'm sure you can retrofit the USA version but it'll take a lot of work, you'll need to get a LED panel and dremel out the back..... and make it look like Chris_Top_Her's version. it may also be possible to try to bake the lens housing and soften the seal and pry it apart, again it can be done but it'll take time and patience.

one LED light at the gore vent won't work, as tomcat1446 noted, there's no cavity to allow the light to spread out before hitting the red lens,

 

[yrwei52]

These're the best pictures and descriptions I've seen for retrofitting rear fog/bumper lights on CX-5! Thanks to tomcat1446 and blackcx5.

 

[TheMAN]

They shouldn't be bright, bothers the drivers behind. I would turn on the high beams, if somebody would do that to me.
It's great idea to use these, but not as fogs. Regular tail light brightness, or as brake lights, yes.
Some, drive with high beams on as well, to see better.

but they *are* supposed to be bright, that's what a rear fog light is/does! Same wattage as brake light bulbs, and with reflector trickery, appears somewhat brighter than brake lights!
This is exactly why you never want to have these on under normal conditions!

 

[TheMAN]

EURO/CHINA/TAIWAN CX-5'S Right:KD77-51-650-A Left:KD53-51-660-A

If you want both sides having the light, then you'll want KD81-51-650A rather than KD77-51-650A

 

[frenchbiker]

Interesting thread.
One question: If I buy these on eBay or the OEM EU rear fog light kit, what do I need to do to have the rear fog lights connected to the front fog lights and not to the tail lights?
To me, fog lights (front and rear) should only be on via a switch, I don't want the rear on with the tail lights. Others may think differently.