UK Spec Tail Lights

[adamdouglasking]

Hi All,

 

I'm new to the board. My wife and I are looking to purchase a new vehicle before we leave for the UK in the fall. We've fallen in love with the Edge and MKX, but in doing research, have not been able to find tail lights that meet requirements for registration in the UK.

Specifically, tail lights must have turn signals that flash amber. Additionally, the turn signal must not adversely affect the tail/brake light (ie. turn signal cannot flash the brake light/tail light as on current model).

 

We're looking for an aftermarket set of lights to avoid the conversion fee (upwards of $1000) to meet the requirements of SVA (single vehicle approval). We've searched the internet with no luck yet. Does anyone know of lights that will meet this requirement? Thanks,

 

Adam

[tiaquessa]

try going to retrosolutions.com. They can change your tail lights to an amber colored LED.

[adamdouglasking]

Thanks. Actually found the website at retro-solutions.com (for others' benefit). I shot them an email, I'll keep the board posted on the status.

 

In the mean time, anyone else have a pre-fab solution?

 

-Adam

[edge22"]

how to modify stock taillights to meet uk requirements...

 

This could be a confusing but also helpful. SO I'LL DO MY BEST ...

1.) go to a place that installs trailer hitches ask them to figure out what each wire does that go into the back of the brake light bulb on the edge. since some cars require splicing of stock wires to tie into for aftermarket wire haness for a trailer hitch plug. this shoul be easy for them. if you figure that ouT, the rest is fairly simple.2.) you can disconect the ones that make the light blink and tie those into some new small blinker/running light wire harness plugs, that you can get at a local automotive store for pretty cheap. you can plug the matching amber light bulbs into these. they make little light harnesses that are just a rubber gromet. you would drill a small hole in the back of the reverse light/clear section of the tail light lense. Push the gromet in with the light plug wired to the correct wires you will have an amber blinker in the top (clear) section of you tail light and that should solve your problem. I would think with minimal labor charges and a help from a local trailer hitch shop you might be able to legally enjoy an edge in th uk. good luck!!! ill try to figure out wich wires are what for you since i just realized you dont have an edge yet. but ask around, maybe youll get lucky...

Edited May 13, 2008 by edge22"

[jpark]

If I had the time right now, I'd buy a pair of current Edge tail lamps, and a pair of 2007 Escape tail lamps, remove only the brake-lamp reflector portion of each Edge tail lamp, and replace it with the brake and turn reflectors and lenses from the Escape lamps. The Edge's tail lamps are already split into two "quadrants" in the brake lamp area. I'd also use high-side FETs and a logic circuit on each side to drive them, using only logic inputs from the high-mounted rear brake lamp, and from the front turn signals. The front turn signals would then require parallel resistors to stop the high flash rate (unless the SPDJB could be reprogrammed).

 

IMHO, all cars should have amber rear signals and fender repeaters, and the Edge's current tail lamps have a few problems that bother me:

 

1) the fact that the entire lens area isn't red makes the lights far less visible from behind in bright sunlight (it washes out the red inside the clear reflectors)

 

2) those tiny red cups aren't very red (they project more of a red-orange color)

 

3) the industry's new habit of using #921 bulbs (21CP) for reverse lamps, rather than the former #3156 bulbs (32CP) or #3456 (40CP) bulbs, renders the reverse lamps more-or-less useless for illumination---they're more like reverse indicators now, especially since they're on the TOP of the lamp assemblies instead of on the bottom

 

Just my .02, and I wish I could get the US and Canada to mandate amber rear signals (like the rest of the world).

[Feral]

Hi All,

 

I'm new to the board. My wife and I are looking to purchase a new vehicle before we leave for the UK in the fall. We've fallen in love with the Edge and MKX, but in doing research, have not been able to find tail lights that meet requirements for registration in the UK.

Specifically, tail lights must have turn signals that flash amber. Additionally, the turn signal must not adversely affect the tail/brake light (ie. turn signal cannot flash the brake light/tail light as on current model).

 

We're looking for an aftermarket set of lights to avoid the conversion fee (upwards of $1000) to meet the requirements of SVA (single vehicle approval). We've searched the internet with no luck yet. Does anyone know of lights that will meet this requirement? Thanks,

 

Adam

 

 

Adam you can simply convert reverse lights to fit legal requirements.

[frozennuts]

Adam you can simply convert reverse lights to fit legal requirements.

Hi,

 

I have brought my 2008 Edge Limited back to Europe after working in Canada and on my model, I did the following

 

1) Separate the front turn signal/parking lamp by add a white 5W bulb as the parking to the headlight and move the wire from the turn signal.

 

2) Add side turn signals which I did by adding LED strips to door mirrors

 

3) Add rear fog lamp

 

4) On 2008 model, there is only one wire for brake and turn function and inspection centre exempted the need for yellow turn signal for rear but its not impossible. With some relays and resistors you can take the brake control from the centre brake lamp and feed the turn signals from either the control unit or simple the front via a relay. Add yellow bulbs to reverse lamps and wire as new turn signals and then add a reverse lamp like the addition of the fog lamp.

 

5) Last thing was to stamp the VIN to the frame near the engine bay.

 

But if you are purchasing a new Edge 2011+, already has yellow rear turns so only need to make front parking lamps white, add side turn signals, rear fog lamp and stamp VIN number.

 

 

One last addition I made was to purchase a MAX Energy power programmer from Hypertech to improve the fuel economy from running european standard 95 E fuel which is equal to US 92/93.

[Feirstein]

"1) Separate the front turn signal/parking lamp by add a white 5W bulb as the parking to the headlight and move the wire from the turn signal. "

 

Could you provide more detail to how this is accomplished?

 

 

 

"One last addition I made was to purchase a MAX Energy power programmer from Hypertech to improve the fuel economy from running european standard 95 E fuel which is equal to US 92/93."

 

Who made you purchase this device and what is its purpose?

 

Richard

[akirby]

"One last addition I made was to purchase a MAX Energy power programmer from Hypertech to improve the fuel economy from running european standard 95 E fuel which is equal to US 92/93."

 

Who made you purchase this device and what is its purpose?

 

Sounds like a basic tuner that changes the ECM programming from 87 to 93 which usually involves advancing the timing. Without it you're not getting the benefit of the 93 octane European gas.

[frozennuts]

Sounds like a basic tuner that changes the ECM programming from 87 to 93 which usually involves advancing the timing. Without it you're not getting the benefit of the 93 octane European gas.

 

That's correct, no requirement just I wanted to get the advantage of the higher octane fuel here in Europe.