VT Heater Control Bulb alternatives?

[aosco1]

Hi

Just picked myself up a VT wagon. The bulbs are gone in the heater controls (not climate control).

Pulled the car apart so I could grab one to take to the local dealer. I wasn't pleased to learn that the replacement pack of 7 globes is around $90!

Does anyone know where you can get non genuine bulbs? I know some people take the LED route but didn't really want to spend more time than I have to replacing them. Just wanted to put new ones in and offs she goes.....

Cheers

[buff169]

Hi there buddy,

what i did is smart or stupid in some ones eyes, all my globes went in one go, so i wanted to change em all...
so i got a pack of "T5" globes and soldered them to the circuit board... there is another way to do it can always get an
LED strip and solder it to where the globe is meant to touch... your choice
Lemme know how you go

[CAPRILICIOUS WL]

I just went through the same process on a new car I picked up, A WH Stato.

The entire climate control including the screen had no backlight at all which I found quite strange for all the globes to blow in the Same unit.

Anyway went down to the self serve wreckers and helped my self
Cost me bout $10.

If it's the electronic climate control like the ones in Statesmans and Berliner then it's gonna be pretty hard to find.

Try your local wreckers

[wrx884]

more than likely ur globe will fail again they r prone 2 bumps, knocks and vibrations so they r quite fragile 2 use which is y alot of guys go down the LED path so they will pretty much out live the life of the car lol.

But if u really must do wat buff said but re wire the T5 globes into the original globe holder rather than soldering as heat can b another killer if not done correctly r 2 much heat is applied. U can buy bezel globes from jay car or altronics and do the same thing 4 a fraction or the cost.

[SookyTurner]

Hi

Just a quick hit with this, i bought the little t5 globes in the holder from jaycar that fit perfectly into the old position, but when going to put the heater control back in the car, the backs of the globes were to big and i couldnt put te heater control back in, i ended up having to solder them in. Ican uploadnpics if you need. Might save you a bit of time and not make the mistakes i did lol

Cheers

[capitalgainz]

are you referring to the fact that you cannot reverse the polarity in the led globes and hope they work like normal globes? as to the reason of more work?
consider this, at worst you will have to disconnect the wire plug and reinstall them the right way around, or you could use normal globes and they blow again in a day, week, or even a year later meaning you have to disassemble the dash again.....
just go led globes besides you can get pirdy colors