How to decide if a decoder harness is needed or not

Q: When will you a need decoder harness?
A: When you install LED headlights into your car and have any of the following problems, you may need a decoder harness:

(1) Bulb flashing when turned on
(2) Headlight out error displayed on the drivers dashboard
(3) Bulbs stay illuminated after they are turned off
(4) Abnormally dim light output

No more errors or flickering. The newly designed decoder harness does it all! Designed to handle both CANbus and PWM systems used in the newest vehicles it provides a plug and play solution to any LED headlight and fog light conversion. It has been tested for compatibility in most Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep, VW, BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and many other CANbus systems currently in use.

1. Power Monitoring

Some CANbus systems monitor the current input of the light bulb it’s controlling and when it sees a larger or smaller amount of current than the original bulb specification, it causes a problem. The decoder harness may be the best option to add on due to the power demands of the new LED bulb and helps the system adjust to the aftermarket product.

2. Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)

Pulse width modulation (PWM) is a technology used to reduce the heat value of halogen bulbs, help the bulbs last longer and save more power while operating. But LED headlights need constant supplied current not pulsed power supplied from this kind of intermittent power supply system. Installing LED headlights into a vehicle with PWM configurations will result in flashing bulbs or bulbs that turn off after a few minutes. The decoder harness has large capacitors which will basically store up power to eliminate the pulse and supply to the LED headlights with a constant flow of current.