How2_Change_Console_LEDS

[neo]

Hi Guys – Wanring- There are many photos.

Here is a how-to for changing the Centre Console + Window switches lights from the ugly GREEN to a bright RED in my VY SS sedan. I did this because one of the green LEDS stopped working and was going to cost about $100 to replace the unit. NO way!

SO here goes…,

Firstly pull the centre console apart. Used another thread for this part!!

The first photo shows the clips that hold the window switches in. The second shows the screws underneath you need to remove. The third shows how I used paper to hold clips open when my wife was not around!! This actually worked really well. Photo 4 show the switches unclipped from their fascia and photo 5 shows the traction control (TC) button fascia removed.

Photo 6 is showing the unclipping of the next part of the window switches, needed to expose the circuit board.

Skipped a step or two. Photo 7 shows the resistor soldered into place in the TC loom.

Photo 8 shows the window switch circuit board. The arrow points to the rectangular green LEDS.

Photo 10 is the TC button with backing removed to expose the bulb (the blue thing). This unscrews from the button, the blue cap is like a condom for the light – giving it the green colour – pull it off. The bulb is held in place by the wires that twist through. See photos 11 and 12.

Photo 13 shows the NEW red LEDs sitting in place FIRST. Solder them in, cut off the excess legs/wire on the other side. Plug it in and this is what you get – photo 14- I had trouble holding these and the camera, so it actually looks much better in real life!!!

Photo 15 and 16 show the other LEDS that I decided to wire in later - the CD compartment and under the CD player...

I was fighting with the TC button LEDS. I had to shave and melt a bigger hole, glue the LED it in, bend the legs of the LED, wedge it in and solder like mad. W\Once this was completed after many trials – I was too eager to finish it off and put it all away, the I forgot to take more photos. Sorry.

I used a round 3mm 7000mcd LED for Window Switches (need to be 3mm small to fit)
I used a round 5mm 8000mcd LED for Window Child Lock Switch – I couldn’t get another 3mm, so as I was inpatient, I had to file it to fit it!!!

I added a 175ohm resistor to the TC button light circuit (brown/orange and white) – which gives a voltage drop of about 3v so then leaving about 2.5v for the LED. Much better.

For the CD compartment I used 2 x 8000mcd LEDS in series with a 77 ohm resistor, and wired this to the TC loom in parallel. I also used this loom for 2 x 500mcd LEDS under the Head Unit storage thing…to illuminate this a bit at night.

All working – put it together. Used the car for the first time at night the other day and guess what…when I have my headlights on, the Traction Control button light goes off, hence so does the CD compartment LEDS.

Is this normal???

Might change this to Cigarette lighter power source and change resistors to match next holidays!

Hope this helps someone - it was fun to do and looks soooo much better.
Neo

[Ozzie]

Nice writeup mate. Well done!

Rep point deserved here


edit: this should be moved to the "how to" section