There have probably been many incidents where having some type of light illuminate the ground would have been greatly needed to see what you’re stepping in at night. On certain cars, there are external lights placed underneath the side view mirrors and doors to serve this purpose, but unfortunately not every comes with this luxury. And on some occasions, even these lights are not enough! LED Puddle lights are a perfect solution to issues like this and similar. This article will go over the common questions that most people have about puddle lights.

1.) What exactly are puddle lights?

Puddle lights are what the name suggests: Lights to illuminate the ground to avoid stepping into puddles or any other undesirable surface. This type of light was made popular thanks to the aftermarket tuning company, Brabus, which specializes in Mercedes-Benz vehicles. On a large variety of the Brabus tuned Mercedes-Benz cars, an option was given for LED courtesy lights which are installed in series underneath the side skirt along the side of the car. Since the introduction of these LED, puddles have been retrofitted on other vehicles as well such as Lexus, BMW, and more.

2.) How do these install onto the car?

The LED puddle lights are installed onto the vehicle using screws and double-sided tape. Double-sided tape is to secure these LED light into position and the screws are what permanently secure it in place. Due to the environment that these lights are put through, double-sided tape would not be a secure bond for long term use.

3.) How do the lights wire to my car?

There are multiple ways to wire these LED puddle lights to your car; some examples include tapping them to the side door lights or your map/dome light. Other examples include tapping it to your vehicles radio or even an accessory wire to keep the lights on when the car is on. There are multiple ways to power up the LED, but the main idea to follow is to tap the lights to a power source you want them to be on with. For example, if you would like to the LED to be on when you open the door, simply tap the power to the lights to your vehicle’s interior lights.

4.) What are the things I need to look out for?

Since these LED puddle lights are installed underneath the car where there can be a lot of debris and other hazardous objects, some pre-cautionary measures should be taken. These measures include (but are not limited to):

1. Using vacuum hosing to insulate and wrap the exposed wires to and from the LED lamps. Vacuum hoses are quite durable compared to the wires it surrounds to lessen the probability of the wires being severed by an object.
2. Silicone adhesive should be used on any exposed electrical portions of the puddle light. This is to avoid any type of moisture from causing problems.
3. Secure the wiring as close as possible to the floor of the vehicle. Loose or hanging wires can get caught on something and tear off. Zip/cable ties are durable and efficient at securing miscellaneous things.

Puddle lights are not only pleasing to the eye to look at, but they are also add class and convenience to getting out the car at night; imagine pulling up to valet with a luxury car with LED puddle lights shining towards the ground.