The CX-5 LED Lighting Thread

Hi All,

Been following this thread for a little while and have been trying to figure out what I could do for my '18 Touring as far as LED conversions go for the turn signals, interior lights, etc.

As many of you know, the Touring doesn't come with all the cool bells and whistles that the Grand Touring does. The turn signals are the ugly amber incandescent bulbs and the interior lights are incandescent fuse type bulbs. I'm able to report that I've been able to successfully convert almost all of the bulbs to LED now with the exception of the front side marker bulb (which is to follow). TL;DR below!


Interior Lights:
I picked up a set from iJDMtoy, they sent me a link which included a full conversion of the interior
http://store.ijdmtoy.com/Premium-SMD-LED-Car-Interior-Lights-Package-For-p/smd-mazda-cx5.htm
I also converted the vanity lights which wasn't really a great idea as the blindingly bright white LED does not flatter the look of your face in the mirror. Overall, the interior lights give off a nice luxurious whiteish tone that helps to make the car look like it's worth more than it is, but, probably doesn't offer more light than your standard interior bulb. Consider looking for a warmer light temperature per your preference. I don't really care though-- it looks fancy! Simple installation instructions can be found on youtube or with a quick google search. Just need a small enough flathead and some tape to keep from scratching the plastics. I also threw in the rear license plate LEDs for good measure.


Tail/Stop Lights:
I went ahead and went with the 7443 HP48 Red bulb from Diode Dynamics.
https://www.diodedynamics.com/tail-light-leds-for-2013-2018-mazda-cx-5-pair.html
Because this is not a turn signal, it requires no resistor-- simple plug and play installation. I tried for a brighter HP11 but the bulb is too tall and it didn't look too much brighter than the HP48 (I forced it in and didn't really see much of a difference).


Front Turn Signals:
The big one. The one people always have questions about. I went with Diode Dynamics dual color switchback (amber/white) 7443 HP24.
https://www.diodedynamics.com/7443-hp24-switchback-dual-color-led-pair.html
This did require a resistor kit (to prevent hyperflash) that I hooked up with the provided vampire wire taps. The job was a bit difficult, but, with small hands the job was manageable from under the hood. The wires that needed tapping were the red/white which serves as power to the flasher wire (checked for intermittent 12V on and off reading) and blue (will check and edit later if wrong) for the ground wire. One resistor per bulb. Mounted with double sided tape on a flat surface close to the plugs away from contact with other wires. The look is amazing-- it makes the headlight look like one entire piece (hard to really explain) since it's uniformly LED white all across. The switchback mechanism is great.

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Rear Turn Signals:
A lot of the research I did mentioned that there was no space for a resistor in the rear-- which is very true. Behind the tail light assembly there is absolutely no space. It is flush against the body. Further digging led me to the idea that there HAS to be space "inside." What does this mean? Pop open the trunk, lift the floor mat, and carefully take the trim off from the center and peel some of the trim off the sides to reveal the wiring that comes from inside and goes out to the tail light assembly. See this video that goes over trailer installation (https://youtu.be/2aLBMQMDI7M) and look through the CX-5 shop manual (https://www.dropbox.com/sh/jsfodu8z5090obv/AACCIk5AVaPA8-I_OWeUbZ_Za?dl=0 go to Workshop Manuals -> Body and Accessories -> Interior Trim -> Trunk End Trim and Trunk Side Trim Removal) for reference. That being said, I used another 7443 bulb, however, I opted for Red and also went up in brightness to the HP11 that I originally wanted to use for the Stop/Tail light.
https://www.diodedynamics.com/tail-light-leds-for-2013-2018-mazda-cx-5-pair.html
I wired the resistors (yep, more resistors) to the green/white and black wires-- the only wires attached to the turn signal fitting.

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All in all, I'm very happy with the conversion over to LED. I didn't want to go with iffy off brands you'd find on ebay for my exterior lights nor did i want to spend an arm and a leg on the fancy VLEDs that need no resistor. I'm sorry I didn't make a DIY guide or a step-by-step documented installation procedure for this.. with a little know-how and some determination, you can convert over to LEDs too! More power to you if you can solder wires for a better connection! I can't solder to save my life.


TL;DR:
- Yes, you need one resistor for each turn signal you replace.
- No, there is no Flasher Relay to avoid using resistors-- the turn signals do not use a relay, instead, have a weird body control module thingy. I tried my best to locate the clicking sound from the turn signals.
- 7443 size LEDs were used all around for the front switchback turn signals, rear tail/stop lights, and rear turn signals.
- Yes, they are adequately bright

Somewhere in this forum, a month or two ago, I posted a DIY for LED turn signals. For the life of me, I can't find it now.

The bottom line is this; only one (1) resistor is necessary per side, not per bulb. I posted some pictures also, showing that there is plenty of room to install that resistor in the back tail light housing. I screwed them down against the sheet metal to help dissipate heat build up.

Had I waited until I was ready to install my trailer wiring, I would have screwed the Resistor down on the trunk floor since I had the panels off to expose the wires. I just added a hitch and the wiring last week. But the location I used in the taillight housing worked out fine.

I noticed that someone used double sided tape to affix the resistor to the body. The tape acts as an insulator between the body and the resistor, preventing the dissipation of heat and eventually the double sided tape will fail due to extreme heat should the flashers ever need to be used for extended periods of time.

Every light in my 18, CX-5 GT is an LED. I did the same with my 16 MX-5 a couple of years ago.

Sorry I cannot find my original post on this forum.

If you can find my posting about the LEDs, it will be self explanatory.
 
The bottom line is this; only one (1) resistor is necessary per side, not per bulb.

Thanks for you input! It was my understanding, and through testing, that a resistor was needed for each bulb/affected circuit. If by side we're talking like drivers front and drivers rear turn signals needing only one resistor, I did not get to try this.

What I did do was install the fronts first:
1. Drivers side LED with no resistor to confirm that a resistor was needed (+ hyperblinking)
2. Install the resistor for the drivers side LED (even messed up with crunching down the wire taps which still yielded hyperblinking) to remedy the previous finding
3. Install the passenger side LED without the resistor because I was lazy, lol. I still ended up with hyperblinking.. So then
4. I went ahead and installed the resistor the same way I did with the drivers side.

It could be because I've got the Touring trim that's pretty featureless as far as not having the Signature Lights etc so then there is no compensation for reduced load already built in? I'm guessing it's a YMMV situation/case to case thing.. I just went with the directions from Customer Service to install a resistor per replaced light. Maybe I got duped! Either way, another $10 for a pair of resistors didn't hurt.

Aaaand the double sided tape thing. Yeah, I know :( I couldn't really find the confidence to drill in to any of the structural components or find holes where I could thread some screw/nuts in to. I also mentioned that my soldering skills aren't worth crap so.. I'll report back if everything goes in to a flaming mess (cryhard)
 
Some daytime pictures of the lights I installed
<a href="https://ibb.co/in05zf"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/cFDfX0/1-C61-D002-D090-4-B95-AE8-E-7-F00-C774-AF2-B.png" alt="1-C61-D002-D090-4-B95-AE8-E-7-F00-C774-AF2-B" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://ibb.co/dy0fh0"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/fm19aL/A01-FFD81-757-F-4-AF9-B649-D56-F93162115.png" alt="A01-FFD81-757-F-4-AF9-B649-D56-F93162115" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://ibb.co/iF3paL"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/mhe6N0/A9765-F5-A-53-C7-4-B76-B7-D4-5781-C79-C0261.png" alt="A9765-F5-A-53-C7-4-B76-B7-D4-5781-C79-C0261" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://ibb.co/fZdcUf"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/i0EvFL/4-C481979-37-CD-4-F18-9-C8-C-0558624517-FF.png" alt="4-C481979-37-CD-4-F18-9-C8-C-0558624517-FF" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://ibb.co/ezUUaL"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/jOZvFL/64-BAEF88-1590-42-AC-BF78-9584-E93-CA82-B.jpg" alt="64-BAEF88-1590-42-AC-BF78-9584-E93-CA82-B" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://ibb.co/hEnt20"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/db0D20/915-F63-CC-F4-C1-427-F-980-B-CBB5-A3852-E4-B.jpg" alt="915-F63-CC-F4-C1-427-F-980-B-CBB5-A3852-E4-B" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://ibb.co/kd4HUf"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/b16mN0/B4-F7-DF76-D1-CC-4-F79-B3-A7-90-B215-F6685-D.jpg" alt="B4-F7-DF76-D1-CC-4-F79-B3-A7-90-B215-F6685-D" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://ibb.co/hk9HUf"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/h1aD20/10-E1547-D-0-D37-4228-AE13-1-B982-B2-E1094.jpg" alt="10-E1547-D-0-D37-4228-AE13-1-B982-B2-E1094" border="0"></a>
<a href="https://ibb.co/kYVNef"><img src="https://preview.ibb.co/gBAcC0/308-C14-A5-54-BC-4-BB9-9-D84-0216613-E4272.jpg" alt="308-C14-A5-54-BC-4-BB9-9-D84-0216613-E4272" border="0"></a>
 
Akai_Hoshi, thanks for the informative posts. I will definitely be tapping into this when I change over my lighting to LEDs.

Im also in search of some high quality LED DRL's to put in the foglight area of my 18' Touring since my model just has trim in that spot
 
Is there a simple plug and play solution to upgrade headlights to the signature ones in the higher spec model?
 
I'm hoping to change out the bulbs on our 2014 Touring sometime soon. I just replaced all the exterior lights on my 94 Integra, using an electronic flasher relay, and it looks AWESOME now! I spent about $100 on Superbrightleds.com for 2 white 1156 reverse lights, 2 amber 1156 rear signals, 2 red 1157 tail/brake lights, and 2 amber 1157 front parking/signal lights, plus 2 194 wedge sidemarker flasher bulbs. I love how modern the car looks now. I tried doing LED's in the Integra over 10 years ago but the technology just wasn't there yet. Now it totally is.

Sort of bummed that resistors have to be used on the CX5. You'd think on a modern vehicle like this that the turn signal flasher circuit wouldn't use incandescent (NOT halogen btw) bulb resistance to determine flasher blink speed. Like cars have been doing for 40+ years.
 
I can't seem to open my 2019 CX5 license plate lights. Can someone explain how I could open them? It looks like it doesn't have any slot on either side of the clear plastic housing as 2017 CX5 as someone mentioned on this thread.
 
I can't seem to open my 2019 CX5 license plate lights. Can someone explain how I could open them? It looks like it doesn't have any slot on either side of the clear plastic housing as 2017 CX5 as someone mentioned on this thread.

Owners book for 2019 says they're LED makes be believe they're not made for opening up.
 
I searched this thread (and the rest of the board) but couldn't find the information i was looking for so I am hoping someone might be able to help:

I have a 2016 CX-5 GT with Technology Package (i.e. stock LEDs) but unfortunately both fog lights have seized functioning. I'd like to replace them, but I am having issues identifying the correct part number.
For halogen fog lights, it's easy to find a replacement (https://www.realmazdaparts.com/oem-parts/mazda-fog-lights-halogen-kit-ka0hv4600/?c=YT1tYXpkYQ==) but I cannot find the LED equivalent.

Can anybody shed some light on what bulb type I need to replace the stock LED fog lights, or alternatively, a Mazda part number for the LED fog lights?

Thanks.
 
For halogen fog lights, it's easy to find a replacement (https://www.realmazdaparts.com/oem-parts/mazda-fog-lights-halogen-kit-ka0hv4600/?c=YT1tYXpkYQ==) but I cannot find the LED equivalent.

Can anybody shed some light on what bulb type I need to replace the stock LED fog lights, or alternatively, a Mazda part number for the LED fog lights?

Thanks.

I believe the OEM LED fog lamp modules for the 2016 are GHP951690A and GHP951680A. Looks like a common part across a bunch of the Mazda models (CX-9, CX-3 and Mazda 6)
 
It does appear that way based upon the associated schematics which don't show any further breakdown in parts...not uncommon for OEM LED parts to be complete modules, not just replaceable bulbs unfortunately. A bit unusual that they have failed so soon, however....maybe confirm that the wiring is fully connected, although it would be even stranger if both wiring connectors became loose. You may also consider going aftermarket since both assumedly require replacement...you could probably find something for less total money that requires minimal adjustment for installation, or even potentially plug & play replacement (perhaps with a bezel switch out, etc).

I also found a great deal on both OEM LED modules together:

http://www.autolightsbulbs.com/2016-Mazda-CX5-Fog-Light-Assembly/K1124738.aspx?id=10089547&gclid=CjwKCAjw-ZvlBRBbEiwANw9UWutOMdXQHloWPYU40WuOGzrmqczf42yfDWBQwLFQLsSlwEH9fXXMfhoCm7EQAvD_BwE
 
All leds front, side mirrors and rear indicators (load resistors required for some).

Link: https://youtu.be/sp83jCCA4zA

The right and left turn signals are the only ones that require a resistor. Only one per side. Necessary to prevent hyperflash. See my mod.
https://www.mazdas247.com/forum/showthread.php?123865805-LED-Turn-Signals-Conversion&highlight=

The rest of the incandescent bulbs are plug and play for LEDs without resistors. At least that's the way it is on the 17-18 and 19.
 
One per side? Do you mean one per corner?

Please read my post again. That was not a "Typo".

"One Per Side" means, "One Per Side".

Put the resistors in the tail lights because there is more room to work in the back.

Again..........One Per Side.
 
Been looking to upgrade the stock halogen bulbs on my '14 Touring.

Planning to go with the Morimoto HID kit for the headlights, but I'm not sure what to do with the DRL/high beam.

This seems like a decent option that should work in the dual application : https://www.theretrofitsource.com/9...-morimoto-2stroke-LED-2STROKE-9005?quantity=1
but I can't seem to find anyone on the forum who's tried them yet.

Does anyone have any experience with these, are they a decent choice or will they not work/result in crappy lighting?
 
Ok, mystery solved. For the 2nd gen CX-5, the trick is to use a wide enough flat blade screwdriver - I used one with a 9/32" wide tip. Insert it into the slot on either side of the clear plastic housing and adjust the vertical angle until it's seated fully into the socket. Gently pry toward the center so that the blade expands the base away and it should let go.

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Notice the base has 2 retaining posts with a significant wedge-shaped key. I guess Mazda wanted to make sure they wouldn't fall off on their own.

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I took a comparison shot with the stock W5W bulb against a VLEDS 194 6K bulb which I believe is this one.

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I had retrofitted my 2015 with RED VLEDS 194 bulbs on the rear side marker and the small rear light on the cargo door and I'm sure these LEDs were a bit brighter and more saturated ruby red than the stock Mazda LED tail lights on the 2017. It may be that my license plate bulbs might be a bit too bright and overwhelm the factory red LED combo tail/stop lights. If so, then I may look at getting the longer life (and a bit dimmer) 194 bulbs from VLEDS.

IMPORTANT! When installing LED bulbs, be sure to TEST it before reassembling everything. If the bulb does not light, reinsert it the other way and it should work.


EDIT: I am clueless why my attachments aren't showing inline or my public album-linked photos don't show up. I used to be able to display .jpg attachments as a picture within the post...


It was a hell of a lot easier when I used 2 flat head screw drivers for the License Plate Light Cover, and yes, I realize I'm replying to a 2 year old post and don't expect any reply.
 
Trying to wire in some leds to the rear socket in fuse box. Using a fuse sharer. Did not work. And idk why. The adapter seemed to big.
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I had the same issue, up until recently I didn't realize there are two different types of Mini Fuses, one with elongated prongs, one with flush prongs.
 
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