hollaatchaboi

iTrader: (1)

When changing the existing LED's (as in the window switches, manual climate control, hazard and rear defroster buttons) is it neccesary to put a resistor along with the new LED? What size LED is reccomended?

I checked the HOW to section already and i ask this question because i am confused. The how to shows that some of the led's (for instance the hazard button and rear defroster) will need a resistor.....but there was a led already there, why would you need a resistor?

i thank in advance anyone who can answer these questions.

Also....since i did the always illuminated clock mod, the LED in my hazard button and rear defroster button hasn't worked. Is it possible it will work when i change the LED?

aznprid972

iTrader: (26)

i doubt you would need to put resistors in where there are already leds. you would only need them if you were to wire them from a 12v source. i was wondering about that too in the how-to for the defrost button. since it is just replacing the leds.. im pretty sure you dont need to add a resistor but i havent done this mod myself.

as for the clock mod and the hazard/defrost buttons.. i have no idea

DAVE Sz

iTrader: (2)

I didn't add resistors when I did the door controls or the climate controls and it all worked fine.

Igobuk

iTrader: (1)

OK, I did pretty much all the LED's I could in my car this weekend (thanks to wariow for his write up and the LED group deal and to .org how-to for the radio dis-assembly), so here's what I've learned. For the window switches and for the security light, it's a straight LED swap, just remember which way the positive and negative terminals on the LED go and that's it. Piece of cake. If you encounter tiny, tiny, tiny little square LED's in the rear window switches, you can still convert those to normal LED's. The resistor is a tiny black square next to the square LED. It's more annoying to solder due to the smaller size but it all still works.

As for the cruise control switch, low fuel light, hazard switch, defroster switch, Bose radio and the coin holder light, you NEED a resistor because you are removing light bulbs, NOT LED's. Yes, they are tiny light bulbs that are the size of 3 mm LED's but they are not LED's. So here's the hard part. Each tiny bulb has two contacts. Connect a test light to ground and with your parking lights on (to make the light bulb light up) test which bulb contact is positive and which is negative. After you figure this out for ALL the light bulbs, solder on a resistor to the positive terminal of the LED. Now solder the negative terminal of the LED to the negative contact of where the bulb used to be and the other end of the resistor to the positive contact. The hardest part is finding a place for the resistor to fit comfortably in the switches, under the radio face and under other circuit boards.

If you are going to do the Bose radio, you will find refractor lenses just like you'll find inside of the A/C controls. Before and after you change each bulb to an LED, test fit the lenses to make sure everything still fits. Also, if you do the radio and you'll be taking the face apart anyway, now would be a good time to put in some red cellophane to make the display white.

When doing the A/C controls, the 3 bulbs with the rubber "condoms" are light bulbs that will need resistors. All the other lights, if you are going to change those too, are LED's and are a straight swap. I only changed the 3 bulbs that provide ambient lighting cause changing the other LED's would be too bright at night when using the A/C buttons. Same thing with the cruise control and defroster switch, I only changed one of the two bulbs in there for the same reason.

If changing the coin holder light, turn the socket to remove it and then you'll see the bulb, it is soldered in. Desolder it and use a solder "sucker" to suck up the solder in order to free it so it can be pulled straight out. Then solder in a resistor and LED and aim the LED 90 degrees to the right so that it lights up into the coin holder, real easy and looks great. You can use the old bulb's tiny terminal holes to poke through your resistor and LED leads to the power source contacts.

If you do the low fuel light, it may change color. The original is orange, I put in a hyper white LED and now it's very bright lime green. I don't care, at least it's visible in the daytime. The original was too dim for my taste.

Now for sizes.

Bose radio - 9 LED's - 3mm
Hazard switch - 1 LED - 3mm
Cruise control - 1 LED - 3mm (2 LED's - 3mm if doing both bulbs)
Security light - 1 LED - 5mm
Low fuel light - 1 LED - 5mm
Coin holder light - 1 LED - 3mm
A/C controls - 3 LED's - 5mm (for ambient lighting) and 7 LED's - 3mm for the buttons
Defroster switch - 1 LED - 3mm (2 LED's - 3mm if doing both bulbs)
Window switches - Front Passenger door and both rear doors - 1 LED - 3mm each
Driver door - 6 LEDs - 3mm

My LEDs came with resistors, 470 ohms and they works for both the 3mm and 5mm LEDs.

You can get a solder sucker at Radio Shack. I got a small red rubber bulb that looks a lot like the booger sucker they use on babies. It cost about $3.00. There are all different kinds and it will help when doing these LED installations.

It's a lot of work but it looks AWESOME, especially the radio with the white numbers matching the white clock mod.

I also did the illuminated clock mod along with the red cellophane mod for it. I don't know why those two button lights stopped working but you may have blown the tiny bulbs out if you cut the wire while the car was on. The LED's may still fix the problem as long as the switches are still getting power.

Take your time, good luck. Hope this helps.

Ladzio

iTrader: (8)

Defrost buttom has to 12v tiny bulbs, so yes, there you will need to add resistor.

hollaatchaboi

iTrader: (1)

WoWW...thanx Igobuk

JSutter

iTrader: (46)

I have all 3mm LEDs, and i did just about every bulb in the car. Size doesnt matter as much as output. I recommend the 3mm over the 5mm because they fit anywhere. I bought them odd Ebay from CwithK. Also some places you will need to sand the tip of the LED to avoid hotspots, I did it to my auto climate control.

To add to the list:

Auto Climate control lighting - 4 LEDs - 3mm , defrost and recirculate - 2 - leds - 3mm
Key Ring - 1 led - 3mm
BOSE DISC light - 1 led - 3mm
Heated seat switches - 1 led each - 3mm
Ashtray - 1 led - 3mm
All idiot lights - either size will fit (a Blue led will not shine through the green filter)
98-99 odometer - either size will fit (white will shine blue)
Auto gear selector is 194 so either size but maybe more than one LED could be used

Dome light and map light can be custom done with any number of LEDs.

Max Mutes

iTrader: (1)

Heated Seat Switches, mine do not Light up. Is it a direct replacement or would I need a resistor?

Ashtray, this also doesn't light up. Can I just use a bulb or only Sold LEDs can be used for this lighting?

Idiot Lights, so if I used White LEDs does that mean's they'll come out green? How would I get some to be white and the arrors to be amber?

Auto Gear selector, can I use a LED Wedge Bulb or must these also be soldered on?

I'd appreciate it if you could help me out with these. Thanks alot.

JSutter

iTrader: (46)

Resitors are needed, there is a amber filter in there...which can be removed so any color LED will work.

Its a regular bulb in there, really small.... LED would need a resistor

The cruise and turn signals will be green if you put a white LED behind them. Blue and red will not show through. IF you want to change the color of them you need to sand the green out, and mask off a new arrow.

Red LED's will show through the amber (fuel/washer levels/CEL).

A 194 is a direct replacement. you can custom mount 3/5mm in there with resitors if u wanted.

Igobuk

iTrader: (1)

You're very welcome. Have fun and enjoy the results.

aznprid972

iTrader: (26)

wow.. thank you soo much. this page is now bookmarked for me

lokobreed

Ok I looked over this post and have a few questions to clear up...

1) For the switches in the door panel (window switches, lock switches, etc) all I need is one LED bulb for each panel correct?
2) If I want the lights to shine bright white... I will have to buy a bright white LED bulb correct?
3) How do I take the panel off to access the light bulb?
4) Do I need a resistor?

G4nismo

iTrader: (9)

how do u do the keyring light? i tried it already and kept blowing my led, even w/ the resistor.

for the map light, i have the 98 map light version and the bulb is only the 1 contact style. so where does the pos and neg go?

**** i also ordered from CWITHk and wired them up everywhere. i ended gettin a drain i think, car barely starts and dies. so i might rip some of them out if there is no other way of keepin em.

lokobreed

g4nismo do you know how or anywhere that can show me how to insert LEDS into the dorr panel (window switches etc)

Also if I want them to be bright white, do I buy white or some other color is needed?

lokobreed

Also does anyone know where there is a good tutorial on how to change the clock and everything to white instead of green?

lokobreed

Since Im a newbie if I take out the Bose and AC sytems and just put cellophane tape over the lighitng to make it white, will that look strange from my white LED dome light and window switches?

Also can the dome light just have LEDS put directly into them or do you need to purchase a resistor and such?

kbmaxima

iTrader: (11)

you could've put those 3 posts into one.

(1) yes, you buy white LED bulbs.

(2) making displays white : http://www.vqpower.com/v2/modules.ph...howpage&pid=59

(3) everything will match white on white. LED's and resistors in the dome light, it depends how many LED's you plan on using. Just read up a little bit about basic LED knowledge and practice soldering.

(4) if you need to take apart anything you can find everything in the How To's.

Crockpot

g4- leds draw less than regular lights so it wouldn't be causing the prob..

G4nismo

iTrader: (9)

i think i might of figured it out, correct me if i'm wrong. car starts great now, thank GOD. i guess what happened was, as i was working inside my car, i had the doors opened, the lights on and off frequently and kept playing around w/ stuff. i havn't touched anything since and car works great.

just gotta finish up on the grueling manual temp control. my driver, and 2 rear LEDs don't work now causing of screwin up the led board and i'm thinking about goin to the junky to get some. they have a 1996 maxi but is the driver switch same? there askin for $70 which is insane but i'm gonna try to talk them into just givin me the LED board.

i heard the rear 96 switches don't match the 97-99 correct me if i'm wrong.

lokobreed

Thanks for the help and sorry for the many posts...

Anyone know a tutorial for chaning the AC display color and how to remove the clock and Ac without harming anything?

chillin014

iTrader: (67)

wait so you do or DONT need resistors for the climate control. the automatic climate control one that are in GLE'S

lokobreed

uppin - need answers - please help

Black Maxima

lokobreed - I hate to say this, but read the stickies. There is a write-up on how to change the AC lights.

I got a question for they guys who did their Rear Defroster button. Which prong is the positive and which is the negative? Top or Bottom? I was being stupid and burnt out the led, I think I had it in the wrong way.

MAXRB8

iTrader: (19)

The rear switches for 95/96 are different to 97-99, fronts plug in fine, I found this out the hard way. I got a complete set of window switches from a 97 just in case I screwed up the ciricuit boards installing my blue Led's, went to plug them in.... different! The drivers door switch doesn't seem to operate properly also I don't know if thats a year specific issue or ??. To make a long story short now I have 2 complete sets of blue LED window switches.

dawalkster

iTrader: (1)

subscribing to this

lokobreed

I know but I do not know how to remove the bose system and the AC - that part is not in the stickies...

Also how do I remove the window swtiches and all to insert a white LED? (What is currently in there) -- I have a 95 MAx

G4nismo

iTrader: (9)

coo, i actually found another way to wire up the LEds on the rears instead of using the 2 of the 4 squarish boxes. i'll explain if anybody needs it.

as for the other rear switch, the led comes on when the lights are turned off and the window can only go down. i'm gonna try to save this one but its gonna be a pain

Crockpot

No, not true. I have blue led's behind my turn signals and they show thru fine. Blue led's will show thru the green filters, but no other colors.

chillin014

iTrader: (67)

theres a website somewhere about how to disassemmble all the dash and crap... ill get it

http://carstereohelp.com/stereoremovalNisMax2.htm

thats waht i used to get the bose HU out...im pretty sure thats waht your lookin for