DIY...rear map lights removal (w/ moon roof)

[JACK_FROST]

i haven't got my LEDs yet (2 more days)...but i know some people already have some and are waiting to put them in. this is for cars with moon roofs.

so here i go, (my first diy) if i need to fix let me know.


tool need : 1 screwdriver

1) first you want to remove base from roof liner.

there are 2 clips in the rear...2 in front...and 2 on sides (6 total). put screwdriver between base and roof liner and pry down and out while pulling on base. start with sides then work around.






2) remove cover from base.

there are 10 clips holding cover to base. put screwdriver between base clip and cover and pry out to unhook (make sure they are staying out) then work your way around 1 by 1. there are 2 clips in the middle...1 you can unhook like others. other middle clip you cant see but you will need to wait until you get all other clips unhooked then just pull apart the last clip will just unhook itself.




3) remove bulb from bottom and replace with bulb of choice.

you can now access bulb and replace it. after replacing bulb just clip cover back to base and base back to roof. done





i know the repair manual said different...i tried it and failed. so i did it my way. enjoy!

[LXS-mode]

nice DIY jack! i'll treat you with a frosty! cant wait to led swap all my lights inside! i haven`t done anything yet ive been lazy! take pics when you get your leds!

[darksparkz]

Oh, it was that simple? Fits 194 bulbs right?

[bandit]

Originally Posted by darksparkz

Oh, it was that simple? Fits 194 bulbs right?

I KNEW IT! Nice Jack! I actually tried doing that method as someone on this forum said to dismantle it. However, I ended up breaking one of the middle clips and didnt want to risk breaking the other clips on the side. I thought maybe someone knew and easier way.

Those doing it though..be warned. Plastic feels really cheap and can break.

I also though of bending or removing the metal shield above the bulb.

Dark: yes, it uses 194 bulbs.

[SourDieseL]

AWESOME YOU ROCK! Finally someone with a DIY for this, all my interiors are LED except for the rear map lights, finally I can swap them out lol

One question though, do i have to push the clips in with a screw driver or just tuck my fingers in towards the middle of the housing and pull down, similar to the moonroof console up in the front of the car? These clips look difference and seem much harder to get down then the larger moonroof console.

I guess I'll give it a go this weekend and start with the sides then work the middle out. Thanks very much for this, I appreciate it!

-SD

[JACK_FROST]

Originally Posted by janfrancis

nice DIY jack! i'll treat you with a frosty! cant wait to led swap all my lights inside! i haven`t done anything yet ive been lazy! take pics when you get your leds!

thanks...just make that frosty into a rootbeer float instead. there are too many threads for LEDs already lol...i dont think one more is going to help it

Originally Posted by darksparkz

Oh, it was that simple? Fits 194 bulbs right?

yea it was simple. hardest part was removing the base from the roof. like dcemureviews said yea it uses 194.

Originally Posted by dcemureviews

I KNEW IT! Nice Jack! I actually tried doing that method as someone on this forum said to dismantle it. However, I ended up breaking one of the middle clips and didnt want to risk breaking the other clips on the side. I thought maybe someone knew and easier way.

Those doing it though..be warned. Plastic feels really cheap and can break.

I also though of bending or removing the metal shield above the bulb.

Dark: yes, it uses 194 bulbs.

yea there was a few different ways to remove bulbs...i thought about bending metal piece too but didnt want it to brake anything. this was the easiest way i could do. i know you been wanting to replace your leds for a while now. lol so i thought i'd give it a try.

[JACK_FROST]

Originally Posted by SourDieseL

AWESOME YOU ROCK! Finally someone with a DIY for this, all my interiors are LED except for the rear map lights, finally I can swap them out lol

One question though, do i have to push the clips in with a screw driver or just tuck my fingers in towards the middle of the housing and pull down, similar to the moonroof console up in the front of the car? These clips look difference and seem much harder to get down then the larger moonroof console.

I guess I'll give it a go this weekend and start with the sides then work the middle out. Thanks very much for this, I appreciate it!

-SD

thanks. you could try to push clips of base in with screwdriver (they do move in and out) or you could pull realy hard on one or both sides (front and rear) and it will come out.

[bandit]

Originally Posted by JACK_FROST

yea there was a few different ways to remove bulbs...i thought about bending metal piece too but didnt want it too brake anything. this was the easiest way i could do. i know you been wanting to replace you leds for a while now. lol so i thought i'd give it a try.

Yea, its been over a month and my rear lights are still not changed. As I said, I broke one of the middle clips and didnt want to break any of the other clips that hold the housing to the base. Thats why I stopped. Also, when I tried to remove the side clips, I would get one out but when I went to get the others off, that first clip went back in. I might need to stick something in there to prevent it from clicking back in. When I first started changing the LEDs, I asked the dealership shop guys if they knew how to do it. They were clueless or something.

I'll probably give it another try later...the lights are sitting in my trunk. hahaha

[JACK_FROST]

Originally Posted by dcemureviews

Yea, its been over a month and my rear lights are still not changed. As I said, I broke one of the middle clips and didnt want to break any of the other clips that hold the housing to the base. Thats why I stopped. Also, when I tried to remove the side clips, I would get one out but when I went to get the others off, that first clip went back in. I might need to stick something in there to prevent it from clicking back in. When I first started changing the LEDs, I asked the dealership shop guys if they knew how to do it. They were clueless or something.

I'll probably give it another try later...the lights are sitting in my trunk. hahaha

while holding it up and i used my thumb to push and keep it from hooking back while i rotated base and unhooked each one.

[Yazovets]

Thank you very much for the write-up. I don't intend on swapping anything out, but my rear reading light cluster isn't secured properly, so now I can take it off and put it back on properly.

On another note, why is everyone so obsessed with shelling out $100 to swap interior lights for LED? There is no advantage in this and it's not like you're gonna get better fuel economy or anything...

Or is this another "fad" like 6000K Xenon lights which may "look cool" but actually put out the same or worse light than halogens?

[SourDieseL]

^I think I spent close to $30 to swap out all of my bulbs to leds and I honestly like that white over the halogen yellow tone that comes out on the regular bulb. I can read and see much better with the LEDs versus the halogen bulbs....how do I know? I have LED's upfront and halogen's in the back because I couldn't swap them for the life of me so it was easy for me to compare while riding in the back of my car.

[bandit]

Originally Posted by Yazovets

Thank you very much for the write-up. I don't intend on swapping anything out, but my rear reading light cluster isn't secured properly, so now I can take it off and put it back on properly.

On another note, why is everyone so obsessed with shelling out $100 to swap interior lights for LED? There is no advantage in this and it's not like you're gonna get better fuel economy or anything...

Or is this another "fad" like 6000K Xenon lights which may "look cool" but actually put out the same or worse light than halogens?

Originally Posted by SourDieseL

^I think I spent close to $30 to swap out all of my bulbs to leds and I honestly like that white over the halogen yellow tone that comes out on the regular bulb. I can read and see much better with the LEDs versus the halogen bulbs....how do I know? I have LED's upfront and halogen's in the back because I couldn't swap them for the life of me so it was easy for me to compare while riding in the back of my car.

^ Agreed 100%. I think I might have spent a little more than $30..depends on which LEDs you get. I probably spent $40-50

I also prefer the white over the halogen yellow. Not to mention, LEDs draw less power and last a lot longer. With the bulbs, if they blow out, you'll have to replace them. With the LEDs, you wont have to worry. Wish I had a comparison of the halogen verse LED. But I guess you can take a look at my cardomain page and see how bright the LEDs are.

Kind of goes for the same for the cathode in the trunk. You rarely going in there. But there will be a time when the bright light will come in handy. It did for me within a week of installing it.

After installing LEDs, I'm so tempted to swap out my gfs Accord as well as my Odyssey. Its night and day between the halogen and LEDs.

[DrewsCam]

Originally Posted by dcemureviews

Yea, its been over a month and my rear lights are still not changed. As I said, I broke one of the middle clips and didnt want to break any of the other clips that hold the housing to the base. Thats why I stopped. Also, when I tried to remove the side clips, I would get one out but when I went to get the others off, that first clip went back in. I might need to stick something in there to prevent it from clicking back in. When I first started changing the LEDs, I asked the dealership shop guys if they knew how to do it. They were clueless or something.

I'll probably give it another try later...the lights are sitting in my trunk. hahaha

u better have it done for the next meet lol

[bandit]

Originally Posted by DrewsCam

u better have it done for the next meet lol

HAHAHA. Only if you get the carbon fiber trunk fixed. LOL

[DrewsCam]

Originally Posted by dcemureviews

HAHAHA. Only if you get the carbon fiber trunk fixed. LOL

haha too much work, too lazy lol and it might be off by then
demoding starts soon before its too cold