3200GT Rear tail/brake LED's broken

3200GT_lover

New Member
Messages
17
Hi all,

I am new to this forum aand I have a question. I am the lucky new owner of a 3200GT automatic Maserati. On my rear tail/brake light there are 2 LED's (the red ones) broken. Is it possible to buy just the LED's and replace them by soldering ? I've seen that a complete new led PCB is quite expensive.

Thank you for your advice and help,
 

Rex B

Member
Messages
657
I made a note of this from a thread a few years ago and it was RS part no 466-3419 , don't know if it is still available.If you get a replacement l would be interested in buying the lens if it's the RHS l have a spare unit with a cracked lens.

Rex B
Manual 3200
 

3200GT_lover

New Member
Messages
17
Rex, this is exactly what I was looking for :clap1: And even available in Belgium where I live from RS exports. You need to buy 10 though but the price is very low. Next is how to solder them nicely off and on :D Anyone have any expirience ? How to open the bommerang unit ?
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,749
Suspect the use of a dremmel style cutting disc. This has been the method used for the headlights l.
 

alfatwo

Member
Messages
5,517
I made a note of this from a thread a few years ago and it was RS part no 466-3419 , don't know if it is still available.If you get a replacement l would be interested in buying the lens if it's the RHS l have a spare unit with a cracked lens.

Rex B
Manual 3200

I cracked mine too Rex..pushing the car around the workshop!


Dave
 

FIFTY

Member
Messages
3,100
Can't you stick them in the oven and bake at a low temperature until the glue let's go? I guess it depends on how they are bonded
 

highlander

Member
Messages
5,214
The lens also sits on an L channel all the way round so I would be very, very careful trying to release with a dremmel. If firmly on, this could be quite difficult to do without snapping the lens. No idea how they are originally bonded since the problem I had was the lens coming loose so needed completely removed, cleaned and then superglued back on.
 

davy83

Member
Messages
2,809
I have repaired one of my lights, and I got new transistors and replacement LED's that were not identical but seriously close to the original from RS components (http://uk.rs-online.com/web/) i think you will get these from most of the big distributors like Farnell, Digikey, and mouser. Maplin I am not sure. Getting the light open is a real tricky job though, it is moulded or heat bonded so it does not come apart easily. I used a very, very small cutting disc and a model drill (like a dremel) and also prized it apart to some degree. However the outer lense is extremely brittle and it will crack if you sniff at it, so its pretty nerve wracking. It is possible and I managed to remove it and repair the PCB (it was transistors that had failed not the LED's) . If you can wait until next weekend i may be able to give you the parts I used to fix it, i am not at home just now so cant look it up. I also think i have a schematic that i worked out for the circuit some where.
 

3200GT_lover

New Member
Messages
17
Hi Davy,

Thank you for your technical help and yes, I would be very interested in the parts/tools you used to open the light (it's the rear left boomerang tail light). If you made any photo's that would be even very welcome (I'm kinda nerveous cracking the lens) :worried1:

Thanks
 

safrane

Member
Messages
16,749
Think of it this way.

If you want it fixed you either DIY for pennies or buy at mega £...so if it does end in a cracked lense you only have to pay what you will if you don't give it a go.
 

conaero

Forum Owner
Messages
34,594
...and replace all the LED's.

No point spending an age fixing it if you have to crack it open again in 6 months time.
 

davy83

Member
Messages
2,809
This is exactly what i was thinking when i fixed my rear light, i have really nothing to loose, if i break the lens then i need a new light, which is where i am if i don't touch it. i don't have pictures i am afraid, when i started i was expecting to break the light and it never occurred to me to record the whole thing, in hindsight i should have.
I cant give you advice on the parts until end of next week unfortunately as i am travelling at the moment and wont get back to my garage until then. i think the transistors are N-channel FET's and in a SOT 23 package so these are seriously small, if you are not familiar with soldering surface mount boards this might be a problem. I think the LEDS are also surface mount, again i cant be certain until i get back to the garage.
I had a look in my RS components account to see if the order for parts is still there but its too long ago and its not in the records, sorry.


QUOTE=safrane;584997]Think of it this way.

If you want it fixed you either DIY for pennies or buy at mega £...so if it does end in a cracked lense you only have to pay what you will if you don't give it a go.[/QUOTE]
 

davy83

Member
Messages
2,809
My repair was over 5 years ago now and no problems since!! it was only a couple of LEDS and 3 transistors so it was not badly broken. but point well made, it does take a bit of time.

...and replace all the LED's.

No point spending an age fixing it if you have to crack it open again in 6 months time.
 

3200GT_lover

New Member
Messages
17
Hmm, my rear tail has 3 broken LED diodes, could it be that it is a transistor that broke instead of the diode ? Does anyone have a electrical schematic diagram of the taillight ?