:sigh: Another LED bites the dust... and Ford's answer blows | Page 2 | Ford Explorer Forums - Serious Explorations

  • Register Today It's free!

:sigh: Another LED bites the dust... and Ford's answer blows

Yes, you may just install new lights. There is a decommissioning kit for vehicles equipped with the headlight lighting options which a Ford dealer may be able to order for you. It's a small pigtail that plugs-in to the strobe/turn wiring harness and has a regular bulb socket to replace the Whelen strobe/turn bulb & controller assembly. I removed the Whelens in my PIU, saving them in case I want to use the strobe functionality in the future, and used those to install cheap aftermarket LED turn/DRL bulbs.

The part numbers are 2U5A-13411-GB for the socket, and 33471-0301-11125 is the part number for the Molex MX150 connector on the harness end of the pigtail, there's no actual Ford part number.
34nmpsn.jpg


Another option, if you like the LED signals (they are rather nice) is to get the assembly from an Interceptor Sedan. They run around $100 or so each on eBay. It's unclear why the sedan parts are so much cheaper. They are slightly different physically, and would need one of the twist-lock tabs to be filed-down slightly, but electronically, they're identical.

I personally tried installing the sedan version from a car I was going to use for parts. They worked perfectly when I tested the signals, but I just couldn't quite get them into the headlight housings. When I compared them to my originals that I took out, I noticed one of the tabs is ever so slightly off, just a few degrees. It's like Ford did that just so they could charge a bit more for the PIU version. Rather than filing the tabs to confirm this absolutely works, I decided to start driving the somewhat wrecked sedan, because it's a really quick Ecoboost (fastest police car from 2013, as tested by the Michigan State Police), so I reinstalled them back in the car. It just seems almost certain that they will work with that modification.
I found the pigtail but can't locate the socket with the same #.
 



Join the Elite Explorers for $20 each year.
Elite Explorer members see no advertisements, no banner ads, no double underlined links,.
Add an avatar, upload photo attachments, and more!
.











The Molex connector is easy to find (it's a common part outside of Ford's ecosystem), the challenge is the rest of the assembly. The slightly more difficult approach is just to get the connector so as not to butcher the factory wiring harness, and make an adapter to a generic socket.
 






Is the one I referenced above the same connector? It looks a little different but is for a 2015 Explorer. Not sure if a PIU is different.

Peter
 






Did you edit your post? A moment ago, it took me to a different parts site for the Molex connector. That does look like the correct bulb socket. Pricier than the more common ones, though.
 






Did you edit your post? A moment ago, it took me to a different parts site for the Molex connector. That does look like the correct bulb socket. Pricier than the more common ones, though.
No, did not edit.
 






not sure if this is the right part but i just stumbled across this while looking for a new head light assembly. if i am not mistaken this will allow you to have a plug and play to a standard socket and bulb without having to cobble something together.
DB5Z-13A006-A
a9dbce5a543d15d5d7ea0eec9ded2ff3.jpg


  • SKU: DB5Z-13A006-A
  • Positions:Left, Right
  • Other Names:Wire Assembly
  • Description:
    W/HALOGEN HEADLAMPS, W/POLICE INTERCEPTOR

  • Notes: PARTS: Part included with headlamp assembly.

    you will also need: 2U5Z-13411-GB
    its the actual bulb socket. looking at about 45 or so dollars per side as opposed to 300+ for each LED replacement. hope this helps.
 






^^ Welcome to the Forum.:wave:

Peter
 






Another option, if you like the LED signals (they are rather nice) is to get the assembly from an Interceptor Sedan. They run around $100 or so each on eBay. It's unclear why the sedan parts are so much cheaper. They are slightly different physically, and would need one of the twist-lock tabs to be filed-down slightly, but electronically, they're identical.

I personally tried installing the sedan version from a car I was going to use for parts. They worked perfectly when I tested the signals, but I just couldn't quite get them into the headlight housings. When I compared them to my originals that I took out, I noticed one of the tabs is ever so slightly off, just a few degrees. It's like Ford did that just so they could charge a bit more for the PIU version. Rather than filing the tabs to confirm this absolutely works, I decided to start driving the somewhat wrecked sedan, because it's a really quick Ecoboost (fastest police car from 2013, as tested by the Michigan State Police), so I reinstalled them back in the car. It just seems almost certain that they will work with that modification.

Hey, sorry for bringing it up again. What keyword / parts number did you use to find in on ebay?

Thanks,.
 






Any new replacement options come up in the last 3 years? Just noticed the right front turn signal is out, but the wigwag strobe functions normally. Does anyone rebuild them? FWIW, the red/blue strobe in the headlight that Ford wanted $300, I found for $75 by Whelen plus a $10 mounting adapter.
 






Never mind. Turns out I left one of the connectors unplugged after having the headlight out to replace the red/blue strobe.
 






Back
Top