larryo108

iTrader: (1)

So I recently installed a new to me painted bumper with flush mount LED reverse lights and I am having an issue. For the time being I only wired them to come on with my reverse lights. No cab switch. So I got the reverse signal from the tow harness, grounded the lights to the rear bumper, and zip-tied the wiring to the existing reverse sensor wiring. All of my wiring is in split loom and then taped. All tucked nicely out of the way and follows the stock truck wiring. the lights work great, are strong and provide plenty of extra light.

Here is my issue, now whenever I reverse I will intermittently get phantom signals from the reverse sensors. Like it sees an obstacle, but there is nothing there. It always shows up as being in the red and it's not consistent which sensor is going off. Has anyone else had this issue. Could the fact that my wiring is attached to the stock reverse sensor wiring be causing the problem?

CP3

It's definitely possible. Relatively high DC current could be throwing some noise into the sensor lines. Separate them and see if it fixes your issue.

larryo108

iTrader: (1)

Yeah. I'll try that if no one else has any other ideas.

Feathermerchant

If those lights are rated for a wide voltage range, then they have a power supply in them. If they are also inexpensive the power supply may be causing RF interference or just due to proximity to the sensor wiring.

floater212

mine do the same thing plus reverse sensors quit too. they say run a wire from battery to power the lights and a relay to reverse light in harness, this way the only draw is the relay which doesn't take hardly any draw to engage. do not tie into sensors at all, use the tail light harness for relay on then ground from known ground and finally power from battery with a fuse inline.

Feathermerchant

" grounded the lights to the rear bumper, "
Try grounding them to the frame.

RES4CUE

Just read that the rear trailer harness is also the same circuit as the sensors so it seeing a voltage drop causing the false positive.

Try wiring straight to reverse wires behind tail light or do a relay as others mentioned.

I just wired mine the same way but don't have sensors and it works great.

larryo108

iTrader: (1)

I was afraid of something like that. I will try to separate the wiring. If that doesn't work, then I'll rewrite it all to the taillights. I hate to leave the t-tap on the trailer wiring, but I guess that's what t-taps are for.

Chad Walker

I am pretty sure I have the same lights and I have them wired to the 7 pin reverse feed and each light is grounded at a bumper bolt. No issues on my end. They are 18w each with 1.13 amp draw each. It might be an interference issue.

Feathermerchant

I'm pretty sure mine are tied into the trailer harness. They work fine. As for the parking aid, it does not use a ground for the sensors. They are wired directly to the Parking Aid Module (PAM).