so how do i get the bulb out of this (pic) ? - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

AyzhenInvasion · 05-21-2006, 05:13 PM

so.. i couldn't find any threads that told you exactly how to take out the bulb..

i got the button pulled off (the thing that says a/c) but the bulb is all the way in there. is there a way i could get those little things pushed in on the sides and the bottom so i can get the thing in the middle pulled out ?

i take it that.. for the big bulb, u just twist the gray thing on top and pull it out. (the bulb that lights up the words a/c) and what about the small bulb (the bulb that lights up that little light strip on top of the word a/c right ?)

dna59 · 05-21-2006, 05:19 PM

Isn't that the bulb at the top there? If so I think you would just need a screwdriver to take it out.

ToyotaToday · 05-21-2006, 05:21 PM

Ok, I guess you are going to buy the bulb at a Toyota Dealer any way. Bring this piece with you and am sure they will show you were the bulb is or how to remove it. They have an exploded view of all the parts.

AyzhenInvasion · 05-21-2006, 05:23 PM

yeah i got that one out. but theres another one in there

^^^oh alright. thanks

drunken_panda · 05-21-2006, 05:29 PM

You might not be able to. I know that on the Previa, for the AC, there were 2 twist off things (like the grey thing). But with the defroster, there was no way to change the defroster on light.

JetspeedCamry · 05-21-2006, 06:20 PM

The illumination (of the word A/C) is the bulb you see at the top (grey)..just unscrew it, and it will pop out. The light that illuminates the green little strip above the A/C text is an LED. The only way to change that is to take apart the switch and desolder it from the circuit board. It did all of mine (from Green to Blue/Yellow/Red), takes a bit of fiddling but wasn't too hard.

AutoBox · 05-21-2006, 07:04 PM

^yes. and just to add , the thing that looks like a bulb above the word "A/C" is just a plastic diffuser for a small LED light inside the button. the A/C button cover should pull off after releasing both small tabs on the sides of the button. get under them at the same time using a thin trim removal tool or something similar without a lot of force.

3mm LEDs work well here for the indicator lights as replacements and its kinda tight in there to work with a soldering iron. you'll see what im trying to say after you pull the button.

DarkMastyr · 05-21-2006, 08:14 PM

Mine busted when I tried to fiddle with it. Now the letters just don't light up anymore

Too lazy to go to junk yard or dealership.

AyzhenInvasion · 05-21-2006, 09:41 PM

so i got the cover that says "a/c" off and the big light out (the grey twist-off)
the grey twist light seems kina easy to replace

but i dunno how to get to the lil one. =[

Jchan · 05-21-2006, 09:49 PM

I think you have to remove that cap that said a/c on it inorder to remove the led bulb. otherwise there is no way to remove it.

AyzhenInvasion · 05-21-2006, 10:03 PM

i removed that cap already but i can;t get to that lil light.

ok so for the big one, i measured it and its 20v. do they make 20v LEDs or would i have to use a resistor ?

so now the question is how to get to the small light cause i already got the cap off and i can see it but its so far in.

***AmanO*** · 05-22-2006, 12:59 AM

Surprised Snakeyes has not chimed in yet..........
He is the resident master at this..........

What I would like to know is.........if I am buying LEDs to replace these lights.....how many MCDs should they be? I want them to be bright but not brighter than the rest of the interior lights.

Also, is there a liquid solder that I could use? I am thinking that my soldering pen will not fit in these areas.

LE05 · 05-22-2006, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AyzhenInvasion

i removed that cap already but i can;t get to that lil light.

ok so for the big one, i measured it and its 20v. do they make 20v LEDs or would i have to use a resistor ?

so now the question is how to get to the small light cause i already got the cap off and i can see it but its so far in.

20 V?? uhh... thats a pretty large voltage for a small bulb. no they don't make 20 V LEDs, you will definitley have to use a resistor. Also, you should know that since the big light is aimed vertically, you may have trouble getting the LED to light up the letters. you may have to just bend the LED in the direction of the letters or just get a really high mcd LED. Or, worse case scenario, stick some reflective material inside to direct the light.

Try to get the circuit board out if you can, trying to solder the LED inside it will just melt the housing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmanO

What I would like to know is.........if I am buying LEDs to replace these lights.....how many MCDs should they be? I want them to be bright but not brighter than the rest of the interior lights.

from what i've done with my interior lights, 1000 - 1500 mcd is bright enough for 3mm LEDs.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AmanO

Also, is there a liquid solder that I could use? I am thinking that my soldering pen will not fit in these areas.

yes, there is liquid solder, but i'm under the impression that you need to use a soldering iron to heat it to a solid state anyway. i'm not sure, so don't take my word for it.

AutoBox · 05-22-2006, 06:54 AM

all interior lighting should be 12V DC. if you want get the pc board out you'll have to break the housing for it. if you get superbright leds i wouldn't worry about light output issues its a small area in a closed housing so light won't be dispersed much. yosh had changed his HVAC buttons, noticed how brighter the buttons are compared to the HVAC knobs.

found this pic in another related thread....

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t89399.html
.

AyzhenInvasion · 05-22-2006, 01:12 PM

yeah i was thinkin they'd be 12v but my voltmeter said 20 :

:

but oh well. i have all the lights out now except for the little one that illuminates the indicator right above the word a/c.. can't get that stupid case apart....