DIY HVAC Light Bulb Swap

[LChineze]

i have a question concerning the light bulbs for the center console hvac controls. i'm trying to get an european like all red interior look. i switched the green oem dash bulbs to red ones and it looks awesome to go along with my red button jvc mp3 deck. the only things left are the clock and hvac controls. i took the center dash console out and cannot find a way to get inside the hvac unit to replace the bulbs. i tried unplugging the plugs behind it, but still cannot find a way in. same for the clock. i know some people have done switching different color bulbs, but i need some help for this matter.

[renmike]

Originally Posted by LChineze

i have a question concerning the light bulbs for the center console hvac controls. i'm trying to get an european like all red interior look. i switched the green oem dash bulbs to red ones and it looks awesome to go along with my red button jvc mp3 deck. the only things left are the clock and hvac controls. i took the center dash console out and cannot find a way to get inside the hvac unit to replace the bulbs. i tried unplugging the plugs behind it, but still cannot find a way in. same for the clock. i know some people have done switching different color bulbs, but i need some help for this matter.

The climate control face snaps off, but it takes a little bit of work.

[LChineze]

when you say the climate control face snaps off, from where does it start? when i first took out the unit, i looked at the sides and couldn't find a place to pry it open. i'll take a look again, but does it require special tools other than screwdrivers??

[dorifuto.boi]

this tells yuu how to get to the bulbs
DIY replace bulbs for leds, a/c console etc gen4

[LChineze]

the guide you linked to your post was extremely helpful in allowing me get inside the hvac and ignition unit. i'm not too sure of this, but it looks like the bulbs in the hvac unit is the same from the one in the ignition one. can anyone confirm or correct this? when i went to autozone to find a red replacement bulb (didn't matter if its led or not), they said they do not carry anything that small. autozone and kragen sell similar items, so chances are they won't have it either. so where did you find the color bulbs? if i went the easy route and bought some red color bulb covers, would that be just as good as changing out the bulbs?

[cruisn76]

Originally Posted by LChineze

when you say the climate control face snaps off, from where does it start? when i first took out the unit, i looked at the sides and couldn't find a place to pry it open. i'll take a look again, but does it require special tools other than screwdrivers??

I just realized that the OP didn't say GEN3 or GEN4. This DIY is for GEN3 HVAC!!!!!

1. Take the knobs off first

2. Then take off the four screws surrounding the HVAC unit.

3. Take off the two screws on top of HVAC unit, and one screw on the bottom of the HVAC

4. Use finger nail or a small flat head and pry the clips surrounding the entire unit.

5. Remove the clear reflector .

6. Once you remove the reflector there is a screw, remove that.

7. Now if you look right behind the screw you just removed, there is a big Y clip. Pry the left and right side of that clip. Once you have done this the rest of the plugs are more accessible.

8a. Now you can change the knob light which is located behind the reflector (on the HVAC) that you removed in step 5. That bulb is a #74

8b. If you have the entire HVAC unit remove, now you can do the inside. First take off all the buttons (the rear defrost button is NOT removable. At least it didn't come out for me. Also this button does not affect the removal of rear piece). A simple tug of the buttons will be suffice to get them off.

9. I suggest now you put on a anti-static strap or be grounded properly.

10. Now remove the three screws located in the rear of the HVAC unit.

11. Carefully slide the piece out (probably yellow) and pry the four clips surrounding the circuit board.

12. To make things easier remove the black sleeve untwist and fold the million of wires attached to the circuit board for easy of access. **Becareful when doing bending the wires. I had to re-enforce the soldering because I twisted too hard.

13. Now all you gotta do is replace the nasty green LED's with whatever colour you want (you need 3mm LEDS) by desoldering and resoldering the new LEDS on. When desoldering use a solder sucker. As for the bigger light bulb you need to improvise if you want a different colour. I bought extra #74 (step #8a) and soldered the positive and negative to the board. (I knew what I was doing).

14. Put everything back in reverse order!


#74 part number from SUPERBRIGHTLEDS.com (74-xHP3 Wedge Base LED bulb) I used this specific #74 because I wanted to match my speedo cluster (WLED-WHP6 LED Wedge Base Bulbs)

3mm LEDs BLUE (RL3-B2030) 2000 lumens with a 30 degree viewing angle

I will post a picture of my setup inside as soon as I can.


Any questions just PM me!

[dorifuto.boi]

its the same bulb as the bulb for the ignition ring.
they're called #74 bulbs.
yuu can get some from superbrightleds.com thats where i got mine.
red covers will work. it'll just be dimmer.

[LChineze]

instead of looking for a red bulb and going with led and fabricating extra led strips, since leds tend to shine straight forward, i ghetto rigged some red bulb covers made for the 194 dash cluster lights. i had to insert strips of extra red rubber material inside the red cover so it won't slide off the bulb. i swapped red 194 bulbs in my dash cluster and the color matches even though its not very bright. its a kind of a faded red but i am satisfied. the next items to change is the clock and ac/defroster lights. i opened up the area where the clock rests but could not a way to get inside the clock. i was thinking if i couldn't find the proper bulb for the clock, i could maybe cover it with the red cover or line the interior plastic with same red material.

from the DIY guide from a link above, i don't think it showed me how to get inside the ac and defroster area. if anyone knows how to open it up, that would be extremely helpful.

[dorifuto.boi]

yuu can get to one of the AC button lights from the top (its a screw type thing) and yuu can change both the bulbs for the defroster button. yuu just unplug the button housing and the bulb is screwed in tot he top of the housing.

nobody has changed the colour of the clock yet. they only have put filters to change the appearence of the colour. to get to the thread, search clock color or something