Technical Guide2025-12-15
Modern vehicles use the Controller Area Network (CANBUS) system to monitor all electrical components, including lighting. When you replace halogen bulbs with LEDs, the CANBUS system may detect a problem because LEDs draw significantly less power than the original bulbs.
Why Error Codes Appear
The vehicle's onboard computer monitors current draw from each light circuit. When it detects lower-than-expected current (because LED bulbs use less power), it assumes the bulb has failed and triggers:
- Dashboard warning lights
- Error messages ("Bulb Out")
- Hyper-flash turn signals
- Automatic bulb-out detection failures
How CANBUS LED Bulbs Work
Our SUPER CANBUS series includes built-in electronics that simulate the electrical signature of original halogen bulbs. This includes:
- Load Resistor Circuit: Draws additional current to match halogen specifications
- Anti-Flicker Module: Stabilizes PWM signals from vehicle computers
- EMC Filtering: Prevents radio interference
- Smart Chip Technology: Adapts to different vehicle protocols
Which Vehicles Need CANBUS Bulbs?
CANBUS LED bulbs are essential for:
- Most European vehicles (BMW, Mercedes, Audi, VW, Volvo)
- Many American vehicles 2015+
- Modern Asian vehicles with advanced monitoring
- Any vehicle showing error codes with standard LEDs
Our SUPER CANBUS Advantage
SickLight's SUPER CANBUS technology has been tested and verified error-free on over 500 vehicle models. If you experience any CANBUS issues with our products, our technical team will work with you to find a solution.