Left side of A/C controls don't light up.
05-10-2010, 03:42 PM
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 18
Left side of A/C controls don't light up.
Installed a new head unit and now at night when headlights/dashlights are on, the left side of the A/C controls (non-climate control, just the boring buttons). I ripped everything back out and everything is plugged in securely, etc. The only "modification" I made during the install was clipping and grounding the brown/white wire for the trip computer. Other than that everything was just plug and play like a standard install. The little green lights beneath each button still work, it's the back lighting for the buttons and the fan speed dial that is out.
Ideas? Did I accidentally pull a wire loose from a harness when removing everything? Did I break a bulb or something inside the control unit?
Ideas? Did I accidentally pull a wire loose from a harness when removing everything? Did I break a bulb or something inside the control unit?
05-11-2010, 01:36 PM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: London, ON, Canada
Posts: 595
Pull the bezel off, pull the stereo/HVAC chassis out, and remove the HVAC unit, its 4 screws.
Take the back cover off and see if u can re-insert the bulbs, maybe bend the little connectors, and see if that helps. if not, they are burnt. They do go out easily. I recently replaced all 3 in my HVAC unit.
They are available through the dealer, but are expensive. You can also simply buy replacement bulbs at electronics stores and just insert them into the sockets that the HVAC uses.
Hope this helps.
Take the back cover off and see if u can re-insert the bulbs, maybe bend the little connectors, and see if that helps. if not, they are burnt. They do go out easily. I recently replaced all 3 in my HVAC unit.
They are available through the dealer, but are expensive. You can also simply buy replacement bulbs at electronics stores and just insert them into the sockets that the HVAC uses.
Hope this helps.
05-12-2010, 04:12 AM
#4
Possibly the vibrations broke a bulb?
I did a writeup for my i30 a few months ago -- maybe this will help. There's also a good lead for less expensive OEM bulbs inside as well:
http://home.comcast.net/~kcmurphy72/i30/HVAC.pdf
I did a writeup for my i30 a few months ago -- maybe this will help. There's also a good lead for less expensive OEM bulbs inside as well:
http://home.comcast.net/~kcmurphy72/i30/HVAC.pdf
05-12-2010, 05:47 AM
#5
This is not due to burnt bulbs. This is a common problem when installing stereo's. Several org members have experienced the same issue and there still has not been a definite answer over all these years how to fix.
To validate my statement, hit the side of your console a few times. I know that sounds silly, but just do it. If your lights come back on, it's the typical known issue.
Mine have been this way ever since I installed my head unit 3 years ago. I've ripped apart the HVAC, checked all bulbs, everything. Nothing changes the issue.
To validate my statement, hit the side of your console a few times. I know that sounds silly, but just do it. If your lights come back on, it's the typical known issue.
Mine have been this way ever since I installed my head unit 3 years ago. I've ripped apart the HVAC, checked all bulbs, everything. Nothing changes the issue.
05-12-2010, 12:53 PM
#6
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: London, ON, Canada
Posts: 595
This is not due to burnt bulbs. This is a common problem when installing stereo's. Several org members have experienced the same issue and there still has not been a definite answer over all these years how to fix.
To validate my statement, hit the side of your console a few times. I know that sounds silly, but just do it. If your lights come back on, it's the typical known issue.
Mine have been this way ever since I installed my head unit 3 years ago. I've ripped apart the HVAC, checked all bulbs, everything. Nothing changes the issue.
To validate my statement, hit the side of your console a few times. I know that sounds silly, but just do it. If your lights come back on, it's the typical known issue.
Mine have been this way ever since I installed my head unit 3 years ago. I've ripped apart the HVAC, checked all bulbs, everything. Nothing changes the issue.
05-12-2010, 01:21 PM
#7
05-12-2010, 01:56 PM
#8
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 18
That is weird, I'll probably go ahead and replace the bulb(s) anyway. Thanks for the input guys. I'll let you know if I figure out anything for sure.
05-13-2010, 07:28 AM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,798
Possibly the vibrations broke a bulb?
I did a writeup for my i30 a few months ago -- maybe this will help. There's also a good lead for less expensive OEM bulbs inside as well:
http://home.comcast.net/~kcmurphy72/i30/HVAC.pdf
I did a writeup for my i30 a few months ago -- maybe this will help. There's also a good lead for less expensive OEM bulbs inside as well:
http://home.comcast.net/~kcmurphy72/i30/HVAC.pdf
Funny, I did the same thing with my cassette wire reroute too.
05-14-2010, 05:28 PM
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: London, ON, Canada
Posts: 595
Sure, why not for a few years... Anything's possible... those bulbs are very small. I have no problems with them going on and off randomly, 2 out of 3 were just burnt out, and now they're all working, all the time, with the new bulbs.
05-14-2010, 06:42 PM
#11
In his case it could be a bulb socket contact, crack in PCB or in soldering - it could do this forever... Glad you got yours fixed and thanks for the great writeup.
05-15-2010, 10:16 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Leesburg, VA
Posts: 189
Also, I'll check to see if it's the bulbs because they used to flicker. I don't think it's a fuse though, because after searching, some common signs were tail lights not functioning properly, but mine work just fine so....it's weird.
01-04-2011, 12:03 AM
#14
Where did you get your bulbs from? i have the same problem
01-04-2011, 12:23 AM
#15
Member
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Northern California
Posts: 158
Expensive?
Pull the bezel off, pull the stereo/HVAC chassis out, and remove the HVAC unit, its 4 screws.
They are available through the dealer, but are expensive. You can also simply buy replacement bulbs at electronics stores and just insert them into the sockets that the HVAC uses.
Hope this helps.
They are available through the dealer, but are expensive. You can also simply buy replacement bulbs at electronics stores and just insert them into the sockets that the HVAC uses.
Hope this helps.
FWIW: The newer bulbs take a bit more torque to get them to lock into the PCB, the old ones practically fell out when being removed. I'm guessing Nissan noticed that the bulbs were getting loose with age and made an engineering change. If you can whack the side of the center stack and get the bulbs to work then it's probably a case of loose bulbs.
Last edited by slo-ryde; 01-04-2011 at 12:43 AM.
01-18-2012, 08:26 AM
#16
Sorry to bump an old thread but I figured I would do this rather than starting my own. I am having the same problem, my left side HVAC light went out after I took my head unit out, but I can tap/smack them and they will come back on. Did anyone ever figure out if new bulbs are the answer? Thanks for any help.
01-18-2012, 10:29 AM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,798
Sorry to bump an old thread but I figured I would do this rather than starting my own. I am having the same problem, my left side HVAC light went out after I took my head unit out, but I can tap/smack them and they will come back on. Did anyone ever figure out if new bulbs are the answer? Thanks for any help.
01-19-2012, 07:07 AM
#18
Sorry to bump an old thread but I figured I would do this rather than starting my own. I am having the same problem, my left side HVAC light went out after I took my head unit out, but I can tap/smack them and they will come back on. Did anyone ever figure out if new bulbs are the answer? Thanks for any help.
Here's the writeup to take care of it, I don't feel like scrolling up to see if I've posted it in this thread already or not.
http://www.youtube.com/user/kcmurphy72
01-19-2012, 07:44 AM
#19
right side of mine is gone and I have the stock system. I just remember where the buttons are.....will replace the bulb when it warms up. Too dam cold to be out there messin with that thing.
06-23-2013, 05:52 PM
#25
06-26-2013, 10:40 AM
#30
Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 176
Is the gold bolt that holds the top of the radio to the car a special size bolt? The original genius who installed my ipod adapter never put it back so it annoys me. Since i am removing the radio for the hvac bulb I would like to have it on hand.
06-26-2013, 12:35 PM
#31
The OEM bulbs are Nissan part #27545‐1W600 (Bulb, Base, and blue cover)
Available through your local dealer. At the time this article was written they were $3.06 each.
06-26-2013, 01:29 PM
#35
Sent from my iPhone using MaximaOrg