How to install VT/VX Centre Console light

[rch-13z]

Today I undertook the installation of the centre console light which I believe comes in the higher end models. I thought whilst I installed it I would take some pics and hopefully make it a little easier for the next person.

Any problems or mis-information please PM me I'll sort it out..




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

What you will need:


Centre console lighting kit, off ebay for about $35.
Phillips head screwdriver
Thing flat head screwdriver
Small socket set of thin-nose pliers if you don't have any tools like me.
About 2 hours to burn.

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

How to do it:




1. Remove rubber Matt in front of shifter, you will find 2 Phillips head screws.




2. Put the shifter into 1st or 2nd (make sure handbrake is on & working) and pull the lower panel toward you, slow but with a slight bit of force.




3. Its probably easier to also remove the ash tray so you have room to play around, in order to do this just take out the 2 Phillips head screws on either side.




4.Just in front of the auto shifter you will find 4 Phillips head screws (2 vertical & 2 horizontal). Take these off and proceed to step 5.


5. Roll the front seats all the way back & remove 1 Phillips head screw of the side of the console. You may need to then roll the seats all the way forward and remove another Phillips head screw off each side.




6.Open the centre console and remove the rubber Matt from the bottom of the console which will reveal 2 bolts, remove the nuts off the bolts.




7. At the back of the centre console where the hinge sits there should be 2 Phillips head screws holding the console cover down. Take these 2 screws off which will reveal a further 2 screws (pictured above). Once these screws are out you should be able to take out the air vents and the back of the centre console which will give room to get the wiring into place.


**Please note: At this stage you may have enough room to lever the centre console up enough to slide through the cables to hook the lighting up, I followed the next couple of steps to ensure I did not damage any components.




8. Open the glove box if you look in the back right hand corner you will notice a round-ish plug, remove it using a flat-head screwdriver (the thinner the better). Once that is out you can then lever the glove box to the left and pop it out.




9.You will see 3 Phillips head screws down the right side of the glove box, remove them and move onto step 10.





10. You should now been able to pop off the side panel which will reveal the un-used outlet which you will require to power the ‘console light’. It will be taped to the main harness, just remove the tape and its ready to be plugged up.


11. There will also be another screw under the panel you have just removed. Screw it off.


[

12. Now on the drivers side you will find 2 Phillips heads screws once you pop open the fuse cover. This will unveil another screw, also take it off.




13. You should be able to freely move the centre console, Lift it up from the back & remove the screw which holds the air-conditioning pipes into place, this will allow you enough room to slide on the plugs for the console light.






13. Now remove the blanks as shown above then feed the wiring up into to both the light and also the switch.


14. Pop the new light cover and switch into place & pop on the light fittings.


15. Now pull the wiring down across the passenger side and plug it in. The light should now work & the switch should also work when you press the button.


16. Now just reverse the process of re-installing the console and glove box.





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

And just to give you an idea, here are some images of the total screws which are placed around the dash...



Hope this helps!

[Archers]

wow man good thread didn't realize there is that much work to fit it thats unreal, top job though

[Haydz]

Good job rich. i understand what you mean by how hard it is.


all that hard work for a little light lol.

good job. feel like doing my car? its allready apart ready for you!

[rch-13z]

Good job rich. i understand what you mean by how hard it is.


all that hard work for a little light lol.

good job. feel like doing my car? its allready apart ready for you!

Does your model have the same option?

If so buy the parts and ill hook it up

[Haydz]

it doesn't have the provisions for it but i have a spare glove box switch and light. could that do it?

[rch-13z]

it doesn't have the provisions for it but i have a spare glove box switch and light. could that do it?

Thats pretty much all you need, o yeah and the button that turns the light off when the console is closed.... your vn would probably have it...

Just not 100% with anything other than vt vx

[Haydz]

i found out my car does have the option.

it came out on vr calais.

now just to get the parts. .

actually **** it.
ill just buy the same kit as you and modify it to work for my car lol.

[rch-13z]

lol, i'd help you install it but.... id just slow you down...

im only good for lifting heavy shiet

[Torquative]

and guys tis pretty much the same for VY/VZ.

But DONT GO EBAY (you bad boy rich), holden sell the parts for $10 retail. Wiring loom, switch, light socket and globe. Just need to cut the end off the wiring loom to fit because its designed for calais etc that already have them fitted and although lower spec cars have the cut outs the wiring isnt there to support it.

I hard wired mine into the constant power supply of the mobile phone plug so it switches on/off anytime the lid is open, but you can also wire it into the accessories supply on the plug so it switches off with ignition off (so when your interior light flicks off). Great for if you accidentally leave it open overnight ... and if you go through your car for CDs at 1am when your drunk you'll know what I mean

[rch-13z]

gotta love egay rip offs!

[Ozzie]

cheers for the writeup man. installed mine today. Got the glove box light and switch free from my local wreckers now i can see all the crap in there at night
next up to fit an led in there instead lol. good one

[rch-13z]

nice work... lol i should have bought my bits from the wreckers tooo

[Maci]

not meaning to drag up an old thread, but i can't see the photos? is this just my work computer or are they not there anymore?
i've fitted the wiring, now i have to pull my glovebox out to get it all working, i simply couldnt find the little s##t of a thing

ps: i used the search option



EDIT: turns out the work computer cant show the images, i can see them here at home, thanks!

[RedHot]

Thanx rch. Good description and pics too. Good work. Hopefully it will instal as easily as you show. Auto electricians look out!

[Orpheus]

My glove box light doesn't work so after doing some searching I found this great thread, Might as well do this while I'm at it.

I can't find the ebay kit you are talking about, can someone please list all the items I will need?


Torquative:

are there the only parts needed? "" Holden sell the parts for $10 retail. Wiring loom, switch, light socket and globe.""

what did you ask when you asked Holden for parts?

[Gazzr08]

If you say, "can I get the centre console wiring set from a CV8R Monaro" they should know what you are talking about. That is what I asked when I got mine.....think the lights also come in Calais possibly?

Also I just put mine in my VX SS and I couldn't find that female plug, I found a different one with 4 or more wires in it and it was a different shape....but in the same spot as yours. Is there some other double light set or sumtin?

[eetmesoon]

Great post - I did a lot of searching before finding this "how to" and it helped me heaps !!!!!
I needed to remove and replace the traction control switch, though to be honest the how to was not quite descriptive enough.
Looking at the photos, I can't help but wonder what it was that the previous owner spilt, but it went everywhere.....Coffee? Or maybe Molassess? Who knows?

I followed the instructions but could not get the console to come up high enough to remove the traction control switch. The 2 upper tabs mentioned in step #4 broke off while I was trying to remove the console. As well the area near the lower tabs (where the spring clip is shown in that photo) also fractured; in truth it almost broke completely. That'll give you an idea of the amount of leverage I was using to try to remove the console after all the other screws in steps #5 through to #7 were removed. I will also mention that the 2 screws referred to in step #7 are hidden. After the console lid hinge is removed, the screws shown (at the top of the housing) are not evident until you unclip and remove the "Upside down U" shaped piece of trim that hides the screws.

Now I don't know if my wagon had something not genuine fitted, but I finally realised (why didn't I realise this an hour before?) there was 1 more screw on either side of the console and they were what was causing the console to remain in its' general location, I now know those screws are what caused the plastic tabs to break.

To get access to these screws you have to prise out the lower front section on either side of the console, this will reveal the hidden screws that need to be removed to allow the console to be lifted up. Because those screws were still in situ, whilst I was trying to raise the rear of the console to manouever the console out, the screw that holds the rear facing air vents to the console itself, caused the palstic tab through which the screw passes before threading into the air vent, to break. I have shown this tab in another photo, and the repair job, too.

So although most of the retaining screw had broken off, I managed to repair them all using an electric soldering iron to heat & melt the plastic to effect repairs. I'll admit it doesn't look pretty, but the result is that repairs were made and the console, once replaced is secured properly and there is no visual evidence of the repairs.

Hopefully this addendum may help others looking to remove the console in their ride.

May I apologise for the fact that the uploaded pictures are not really placed ideally within this post; one day i might learn how to do that properly.

[uniacidz]

^^^^^ I just went through the same as you, but mine doesnt have dried coke everywhere?? lolol

Only thing i broke was the drivers kick panel. Not too bad.

Regarding the Traction and Power switches, mate they are hard shit to remove. Check out my build thread. in my signature (just finished doing it now)
Centre console removed, then unscrew the lil screw on the front of the gear selector shaft, then press and hold down the button with duct tape and remove the centre pin on the shaft, tap it as far on one side then pull out with pliers on other side and remove the gear selector shaft

Then you can remove the gear selector surround, then take it apart via the tabs and things will fall round everywhere but fit back together normally later on
then get a screw driver and remove the switches/change globes and put it back together again