Appearance & Detailing Interior & Exterior Appearance Modifications

LED 3157 Doesn't Fit - Help!

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Old Mar 30, 2010 | 11:10 AM
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Default LED 3157 Doesn't Fit - Help!

I just got my LEDs in that I was intending to use for my Daytime Running Lights on a 1998 Formula. I had ordered some a few weeks ago thinking that the Fog Lights and DRLs were the same. My fogs were good and wanted to change the crappy yellow DRL to HID, but I ordered the wrong bulb and just ended up using them for my Fogs. Anyway, I found out I needed the 3157 bulb for my DRLs and ordered them off ebay. Came in today, and they dont fit! It seems like the "male" part of the bulb that is supposed to "pop" into the "female" part of the housing is too fat to fit. HELPPPP!!!!!
Here are the bulbs: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWNX:IT
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Old Mar 30, 2010 | 06:47 PM
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Don't remember if the Formula uses the 3157 but I know that on a TA it is the right one.
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Old Mar 30, 2010 | 11:40 PM
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Crap! I hope mine fit. I ordered similar LED bulbs for my DRL's as well

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...K%3AMEWNX%3AIT

I hope they fit. If not thats $10 down the drain
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Old Mar 31, 2010 | 12:09 AM
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PLEASE let me know if they do or not! You have a Formula as well?
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Old Mar 31, 2010 | 12:21 AM
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I have a Firebird. Same car minus the engine I will definitely let you know!
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Old Mar 31, 2010 | 12:49 AM
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They should fit. Try putting them in both ways.
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Old Mar 31, 2010 | 09:08 PM
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Originally Posted by Detoxx03
They should fit. Try putting them in both ways.
believe me, i did. I even tried forcefully enough to wear I broke a piece of plastic off the surrounding housing...
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Old Apr 1, 2010 | 01:53 PM
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i bought some on line and they would go in properly and would light up just wouldnt blink for some odd reason.
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Old Apr 1, 2010 | 02:04 PM
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Look closely at the bulbs. On the left and right side of the base there are little nubs. Sand the little nubs off using a file, or as I like to do in Autozone parking lots, concrete sidewalks. The sockets are designed for 3157A bulbs (amber) which do not have the little nubs, whereas the normal 3157 bulbs do. That's all you have to do. I do it all the time (because I change them all the time ).

P.S. I found this thread quite humorous.
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Old Apr 1, 2010 | 05:41 PM
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Originally Posted by ZexGX
Look closely at the bulbs. On the left and right side of the base there are little nubs. Sand the little nubs off using a file, or as I like to do in Autozone parking lots, concrete sidewalks. The sockets are designed for 3157A bulbs (amber) which do not have the little nubs, whereas the normal 3157 bulbs do. That's all you have to do. I do it all the time (because I change them all the time ).

P.S. I found this thread quite humorous.
sounds simple/logical enough...I will give it a try when I get home. BUT if i sand the nubs and it still doesn't fit, are you going to reimburse me the $10 or w/e it cost?

P.S. Why is this such a "hilarious" thread?
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Old Apr 1, 2010 | 06:10 PM
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Originally Posted by kTrainHurricane
sounds simple/logical enough...I will give it a try when I get home. BUT if i sand the nubs and it still doesn't fit, are you going to reimburse me the $10 or w/e it cost?

P.S. Why is this such a "hilarious" thread?
When you sand the nubs down, it will fit. That is the only thing preventing a 3157 bulb from fitting in a 3157 NA socket. Did you pay me $10 in the first place??
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Old Apr 1, 2010 | 06:55 PM
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Originally Posted by ZexGX
When you sand the nubs down, it will fit. That is the only thing preventing a 3157 bulb from fitting in a 3157 NA socket. Did you pay me $10 in the first place??
No, but the company I did give $10 to will NOT return it if sent back sanded down...

Anyway, thanks for the tip. I think i'll go ahead and give it a try.
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Old Apr 1, 2010 | 09:57 PM
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Originally Posted by 98_ta
i bought some on line and they would go in properly and would light up just wouldnt blink for some odd reason.
You need an electronic flasher for LED turn signal bulbs to flash. I think it's a ER12 or something like that.
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Old Apr 2, 2010 | 12:23 AM
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Originally Posted by kTrainHurricane
No, but the company I did give $10 to will NOT return it if sent back sanded down...

Anyway, thanks for the tip. I think i'll go ahead and give it a try.
If you don't want to sand them down you can always try to file down the inside of the socket. I haven't tried that as it's a little tough to access, but it may be worth a shot.
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Old Apr 2, 2010 | 02:24 PM
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Just wanted to let you know that I got mine in and they fit fine! I love them! Now I need HID fogs/headlights to match.
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Old Apr 2, 2010 | 03:16 PM
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Originally Posted by tmc2k1
Just wanted to let you know that I got mine in and they fit fine! I love them! Now I need HID fogs/headlights to match.
Thanks for the heads-up! Did you get that flasher thing everyone has been talking about? If not, are the blinkers going faster now or staying the same? If not mistaken, I think if you dont use the flasher the LED DRLs will eventually stop working for whatever reason...burnt out, overload, etc? Please correct me if I'm wrong!
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Old Apr 2, 2010 | 04:32 PM
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tried sanding the nubs off just now, and the bulb still does fit. There goes my $10...
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Old Apr 2, 2010 | 04:32 PM
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Originally Posted by tmc2k1
Just wanted to let you know that I got mine in and they fit fine! I love them! Now I need HID fogs/headlights to match.
Did you have to sand the "nubs" off or did they pop right in how they came? Got any pics so I can see if all this hassle is even worth the end result? Thanks
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Old Apr 2, 2010 | 06:10 PM
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How about you take a picture of the bulbs and the sockets so we can see why they may not fit... I'll take a pic if I really have to though.
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Old Apr 2, 2010 | 08:25 PM
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Originally Posted by kTrainHurricane
Thanks for the heads-up! Did you get that flasher thing everyone has been talking about? If not, are the blinkers going faster now or staying the same? If not mistaken, I think if you dont use the flasher the LED DRLs will eventually stop working for whatever reason...burnt out, overload, etc? Please correct me if I'm wrong!
Yeah, you need the EL-12 flasher. I got one a while back.
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