[Kaylee]

Finally got my vehicle back from some warranty work and had cooperative weather for installing my LED upgrades for both the reverse and license plate lighting.

The install wasn't technical nor overly difficult, though the license plate light holders were a bit difficult to remove as the wiring harness was super short.
The bulbs are from Diode Dynamics and I used the following parts;

XP50 (410 lumens) for the reverse lights
HP3 (56 lumens) 6000K for the license plate lights.

Both lit up without issue and the reverse lights really help illuminate the area for backing up. Not the best picture.

 

[bigblueshock]

Finally got my vehicle back from some warranty work and had cooperative weather for installing my LED upgrades for both the reverse and license plate lighting.

The install wasn't technical nor overly difficult, though the license plate light holders were a bit difficult to remove as the wiring harness was super short.
The bulbs are from Diode Dynamics and I used the following parts;

XP50 (410 lumens) for the reverse lights
HP3 (56 lumens) 6000K for the license plate lights.

Both lit up without issue and the reverse lights really help illuminate the area for backing up. Not the best picture.

They look awesome!!

Diode Dynamics is a fantastic company as well. Glad to see they're doing lighting for the Fusion. I got a full set of lights for my current car with them. One of my MAP LED's went bad a little over a year and a half, they sent a new one the same day without hesitation.

 

[Kaylee]

I will have a better idea of what they look like when I try them out away from cultural lighting. They project a lot of light rearward, so there isn't much increase in the puddling affect close by the car. I think they will provide most useful for seeing about 20ft behind the car.
Living on the prairies there are a lot of dark secondary roads where performing a multi point turn will be helped by the improved illumination. As to whether they are worth the significant price premium over the next step down bulbs, that's hard to say. I figured that these will hopefully last many years, such that the over all cost per mile is fairly minimal.

 

[gjhazlett]

Which white did you use for the plate lights?

 

[ArthurUSCG]

For reference the manual lists w5w which is 168 bulb for the license plate light and the trunk light (5 watt 38 lum3ns). The reverse light is a 921 (18 watt 280 lumens). Both bulbs use the same wedge base. and the main difference is the size of the bulb glass and the wattage, when replacing them with LEDs make sure the lumens is brighter or equal to stock.

The license plate and trunk lights both need illumination from the sides, so the small end cap lights will not work. The back up light points straight back but the illumination from the end of the bulb is blocked, so a 360 degree design is needed.

I have used M4 Led plates in my camper for a few years now and they have worked great. I might be ordering leds from them. Wedge Base RV Replacement LED Lights

I am doing these for the license plate, they would work for the trunk light to, but I think i am going to use 2 plate lights (see below).
Small wedge based LED light for accent lighting

These for the backup bulbs
Elite Series Retrofit Bulb


I am going to try using 2 of the stick on plate leds, they are 1,600 lumens and are directional, so all of the light will shine downwards into the trunk.
Exclusive M4 LED double aluminum plate light

Or I might do 4 of the smaller ones
Exclusive M4 LED double aluminum plate light

 

[Kaylee]

I used the 194 socketed HP5 in cool white (92 lumen) for the plate lights and the XP50 in cool white (410 lumen) for the reverse lights.
Both worked well and are running strong almost a year later.

All were from Diode Dynamics. The cool white matches well with the headlight and daytime running lights from factory.

 

[gjhazlett]

I went with the diode as well for the plate lights.

 

[gjhazlett]

Received and installed the Diode 194 HP3 lights, much better at night with the backup camera.

 

[ColoradoGuy]

I used the 194 socketed HP5 in cool white (92 lumen) for the plate lights and the XP50 in cool white (410 lumen) for the reverse lights.
Both worked well and are running strong almost a year later.

All were from Diode Dynamics. The cool white matches well with the headlight and daytime running lights from factory.

Quick question Kaylee. In your original post early this year you said HP3 for the license plate lights. Recently Post you say HP5. Do you know for sure which one it was? Diode Dynamics website says HP5 is 92 lumens, and that you should go with the “little brother” HP3 if you don’t want so much light. Since you are happy and had in place a long time now, i’d Like to get the exact same thing you got. So, was it HP3 or HP5?

 

[Kaylee]

I did originally use the HP3s, which were fine light wise, but I started to have them intermittently blink which drove me nuts. I thought that maybe they were getting a bad contact in the socket but moving them around didn't improve the outcome. Since I am in Canada it wasn't worth shipping back to warranty then out, so I elected to just pay for the brighter lights, not because I wanted brighter lights, but because they are built better and have copper cooling strips built into them, much like the reverse lights I have installed.

I have been running the HP5Ws since June with zero issues.

 

[ColoradoGuy]

I did originally use the HP3s, which were fine light wise, but I started to have them intermittently blink which drove me nuts. I thought that maybe they were getting a bad contact in the socket but moving them around didn't improve the outcome. Since I am in Canada it wasn't worth shipping back to warranty then out, so I elected to just pay for the brighter lights, not because I wanted brighter lights, but because they are built better and have copper cooling strips built into them, much like the reverse lights I have installed.

I have been running the HP5Ws since June with zero issues.

Thanks for the additional info. Ordered a pair of the Diode Dynamics HP5’s in cool white. Hoping to get a bit more light for backup camera. Already did the backup lights with LED’s that helped a bit.