Rep Power: 0

I gathered from searching that 04-05 (coupe) OEM tail lights don't plug and play in 01-03 civic. I know there are some DIYs about how to make a cheap adapter so you can install them, as well as a more expensive OE harness that you can get from Honda that apparently makes the 04-05 tail lights plug and play on 01-03 civics.

The question I have though, is whether the same techniques can be used to install aftermarket tail lights for 04-05 civics in my 02 civic.

The tail light in question is a Spyder LED that is only made for 04-05 EM2s and that looks like this:



http://www.spyderauto.com/product.ph...HC04-2D-LED-SM

And if it does require the same fix as the OE 04-05 tail lights, does anyone know the OE harness part number? I don't mind doing electrical stuff (I've installed 16 speakers, 3 HUs, and 1 amp in my family's 3 cars) but I like clean solutions more than saving a little money.

 
Rep Power: 257

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/

 
Rep Power: 156

Found this: http://www.carid.com/images/spyder/t...structions.pdf

step6: "For the rest, the LEDs have male plugs that should be absolutely identical to your stock bulbs' ends."

looks like you might need the light harness from the 04-05 car. You can try and see if your light socket fits in the holes. Then you might have to get a diff color bulb or rewire it to make it work. So for example lets say the brake light socket for the 02 fits into the turn signal hole for the 04-05. You would just need to chop the harness switch the sockets.

You could try emailing Spyder and see if they can send you more details.

 
Rep Power: 0

Thanks for the suggestions! It looks definitely doable. I actually ended up getting a 01-03 LED tail lights and the LEDs do have male connectors that are the same size as the bulbs and plug into the stock sockets. One of them didn't reach far enough (for the backup light, which uses a regular bulb too) and so I extended the cables using some wire and butt connectors. For installing the Spyder 04-05 lights in the 01-03, I guess I would need the correct sockets. And like you mentioned, I might be able to use the 01-03 sockets if some are interchangeable.

I will have to look into it, as the Spyder lights look better for the EM2 because if you notice carefully, the LEDs are "tilted" a little towards the middle of the car (facing rear), which I realize now is critical because the EM2 tail lights are shaped so that the curve a little towards the side and so if the LEDs are tilted a little towards midline, the lights will not be oriented directly backwards and are therefore not as visible, which is of course not safe.

edit: I guess the easiest way to install 04-05 aftermarket tail lights in a 01-03 EM2 is to simply do the same modification as with the stock 04-05 tail lights with the factory T20 socket, the connectors that attach to that, and the pigtails to crimp onto the stock wires.

https://www.civicforums.com/forums/1...ory-parts.html

 
Rep Power: 512

I, uh, might have a few of those turn signal pigtail terminals laying around..

edit: I think these are them

 
Rep Power: 0

PM sent.

 
Rep Power: 0

The Spyder tail lights I ordered from Amazon (it must be legit brand if Amazon directly sells their aftermarket lights) are coming today and I do want to install them even though I haven't received the 04-05 tail light conversion parts (the T20 sockets, the connectors that attach to the sockets, and the pigtail wires that attach to the connectors).

It seems the T20 sockets are used to power the turn signals so should that mean if those are the only sockets I don't connect for now that only the turn signals will not be working? I assume the running/brake lights and backup lights will work since those are compatible with the 01-03 sockets.