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How-to: Change Climate Control/Center Console to LEDs *pics*

295K views 220 replies 116 participants last post by  01 SolarYellow 
#1 · (Edited)
This is part two of the series :)

Part one on how to change your cluster leds and ignition ring can be found here:
http://my.is/forums/f90/how-change-your-main-gauge-cluster-ignition-ring-lights-leds-pics-359216/


Here are some notes to keep in mind:
1) I didn't do the heated seats buttons or Trac light or the indicator lights inside the circular dials.

2) I used neo-wedge type a leds for the clock, but when I was researching this project, some members said that the snake light leds (from autolumination) worked better. I don't have the soldering skills or the tools to solder on snake leds, so I just used neo-wedge type A LEDs. The main concern about the neo-wedge type a is that it is very bright and will leave 2 hot spots on the clock. I tried correcting the hot spots by filing/scuffing the entire led to make it less bright. (See image below).

3) I also did the cigarette lighter and the shifter light while I was at it. Scroll all the way to the bottom for LEDs needed and for the walkthrough.

4) Since I have a after-market deck, I didn't do the Stock CD Changer and I don't have access to one to test.

5) Everything is plug and play. But if you are electronically inclined, you can buy brighter LEDs and solder them into the climate control.

=======================================================

Tools Needed:
Screwdriver, Flat Head Screwdriver, 10mm socket, pliers, scissors, electric tape, Filer.

LEDs Needed for the main Climate Control/Center Console:
You need three Superstar LED Instrument Panel Bulbs in type B (for the 3 dials - these are 30% brighter than the original neo-wedge leds)
Autolumination Instrument Panel Light Bulbs & Lamps)

You need two Neo - Wedge LED Instrument Panel Bulbs in Type A (for the clock)
Autolumination Instrument Panel Light Bulbs & Lamps)

(Buying 1-2 spares are highly recommended!)

Here is a picture of what some of the bulbs look like:


=======================================================

PART 1: Removing the Climate Control / Center Console.


Before you begin tape up the sides of your Console with Electrical tape or masking tape. Trust me, taking out the radio/climate control will damage the soft black plastic.

Remove the felt liner with a flathead head screwdriver...



You can then pull out the AC Vent. (My AC Vent didn't have any screws, yours might have them.)



Pull it up and towards you.



Remove the 2 10mm screws.



Remove your Bottom panel by just pulling it towards you. Disconnect the wires that lead to your TRAC button / Heated seats (if applicable). Then remove the 2 other 10mm screws.



You can now pull out the radio/climate control. To remove the Climate Control, pull out these two wires.



Remove the screws holding in the climate control (2 on each side):


You can now remove the climate control.

=======================================================

PART 2: Opening the Climate Control / Center Console and adding the LEDs.

Remove the 4 screws on the sides:



Pull up to separate the tabs from the climate control, there are 2 tabs on top, two on the bottom:



Twist off the Type B bulbs (the ones marked with a orange circle). Remove the bulbs and put in your new LED bulbs.

Twist off the Type A bulbs (the ones marked with a red circle). Remove the bulbs and put in your new LED bulbs.



Optional:
The bulb on the right has been filed down a little, I basically scuffed the entire surface of the bulb to make it less bright . Otherwise your will have two hotspots, which will look like eyes staring back at you.



================================================== ==============

PART 3: Testing the LEDs.

Now it's time to check if the polarity of the bulbs are correct, if the polarity isn't correct the bulbs will not light up.

Snap the black plastic piece back on, but don't screw the screws back on yet.

Go back to your car and connect the 2 white connectors again.


Make sure all your LEDs are working, and if you filed down the LEDs, make any necessary adjustments (file it down some more) if there are some spots brighter than others.

If a bulb doesn't light up and reverse the polarity, (take out bulb and twist them in the opposite way). Or there might be a slight chance it is dead, use a spare led to test.

Once all the bulbs are working, put everything back together. This is what you should end up with:







Here are other interiors done by other members:
lexusngermany07



ALL INFORMATION POSTED HERE IS FOR EDUCATION ONLY. I ASSUME NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR WHOEVER MAY BURN DOWN THEIR CAR/HOUSE OR CAUSE IT TO NO LONGER WORK IN ANY OTHER WAY WHILE ATTEMPTING THIS MOD. I AM NOT LIABLE FOR ANY PERSONAL INJURIES THAT MAY OCCUR WHILE DOING THIS MOD ;)

================================================== ==============

Optional Cigarette Lighter and Shifter.
Parts:
2x Tri-Power 3 LED Bulb (these are the #24 leds)
Autolumination Instrument Panel Light Bulbs & Lamps)


Follow Dannknees walk though on how to access the shifter light.
http://my.is/forums/f90/how-make-your-waterbottle-light-up-cupholder-pix-330950/

Just replace the shifter light with a #24 LED bulb. The LED bulb will need to be filed down on the sides so that it can fit the housing. You can even do the water bottle mod, by adding another led called the snake light led. (see image at the end).

=========================================================================

The cigarette lighter light is a little more complicated. The bulb itself is permanently attached to a gray adapter (circled red below).



To change the cigarette lighter light, I removed the ashtray light (circled green above) and put a filed down #24 bulb in there. Then I twisted off and removed the GREY cigarette lighter bulb adapter and put the ash tray light into the cigarette lighter hole.

If you really wanted both (ashtray and cig light) to light up, get a snake light LED and splice into the ashtray light:

 
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18
#3 ·
The third bulb was my spare, and good thing I got it, I broke one of them by accident.

The two things you circled in red below are 10mm screws.

I've seen some members change the indicator lights inside the dials, but I didn't attempt to try. To change them you will need to take off the 7 (give or take) screws from the back of the climate control so you can access the front of the climate control. From there you can remove the dials and figure out which bulbs it uses.
 
#4 ·
Wow, not knowing how to do this has been keeping me from doing the dash LED's. Thank you! :approve:
 
#6 ·
Damn... that looks very nice. I've ordered the LEDs to swap out the main cluster gauge and then I'll attempt to change the climate controls to LEDs next. But I'm not too confident with neither of them... I'm not much of an electrician. NYCzzzjohn you don't have any plans on doing this for a fee would ya? I work in the city but live in North Jersey... :bigSmile:
 
#13 ·
Worked Perfect.. Thanks Again.. Plus Rep!!!
 
#14 ·
this was a neat trick


here is my setup


i had the climate control totally disasembled, the orange indicator lights for the AC on/off and similar are direct sodered amber bulbs, the heated seats and trac control are type a wedges but there is an orange screen that changes the white light so they will turn out green if you change them, FYI they are really easy to get to though. It doesnt seem like it in the pics but the center of my climate controll, like the defroster indicators and the "A/C" are actully much better looking than when i had the neo wedge B bulb in there, we heavily modified the unit and the led's to get a better spread of light and to change the acutal dial indicators blue, that part was actually very easy to take the orange tint off the dial indicator so that the blue light would pass through
 
#19 ·
Do you have a clearer picture of this? Did you paint the entire tip? What kind of paint did you use and how much paint did you apply? Last week, I took out the wedge type A bulb from my clock and sanded down the bulb to get rid of the "eye" effect, but I think I accidently sanded a little too much... I got dark spots now... :pissed:
 
#26 ·
did that whiteout work?

I installed all the LED's in my IS as well, and now my deck doesnt work properly... i have no CD player functionality in my pioneer aftermarket deck... the list of CD's now say ''unknown'' instead of the type of CD or dvd, and the button to eject or tilt the face to actually get to the CD/DVD doesnt work... almost like its not reading, or not getting power to the CD drive or devices...
 
#220 ·
Hey sorry for super late post but when you were disconnecting your climate control did you accidentally pull out that ribbon looking wire ? I had a problem with my aftermarket cd player from doing that when I disconnected there were 2 chords that looked like aux chords and I guess I had pulled them out. I just simply reopened the area and put the 2 chords back in to the back of the cd player( you'll see the area where you can do it like the red white and yellow things on tvs) plug it back in and see if that helps.
 
#30 ·
Is there anyone is SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA that has done this and would be willing to help me out? If so please PM me ASAP. Thanks in advance!
 
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