Quick question..
I just had some 'professional' from a car audio store install my deck (instead of best buy), and idk if its a very rare coincidence or it has to do with the install,

But Now the air section thats under the radio only has one side that's lighting up. The right side (rear window defrost) is completely black and it starts fading to blackness at the middle of the row with the air flow diagrams (with people).

His fault or did the bulb burn out?

 

A little bit of both. If you bang on the HVAC unit, there is a small chance they may come back on. You can search the boards and you will see others who had bulbs go out after pulling the center console out for any reason.

It's a common issue with our Maximas. After 10+ years, the mediocre bulb contacts weaken and they go out when the center console is jostled. Your best bet is to get new bulbs for the entire HVAC unit and replace them. The bulb are revised with stronger contacts so you will need to put a little muscle to twist them in (while the old ones will practically fall out in your hands). They are about $2-3 each at the dealership and I think you need 4 bulbs, but search to be sure. Basically, take the HVAC unit out and remove the rear cover. Then the bulbs twist out with a 1/4 turn.

 

Thank you and how hard of a process for an 'average joe' like my myself on small bulbs would it be be if I went with blue led lights to replace them

 

I had one hvac light go out on my auto climate. I banged the side of my fist on the left side of the console and it came back on and has stayed that way. Did that trick probably a year or so ago.

 

Tried it... Not that lucky. It's Weird cause the little rectangles below that light up when they are on work, it's the buttons themselves that dont

 

Replace the bulbs. I don't know LED's will give you hot spots in that area but there can't be much of an advantage with LED's since it is such low light anyhow.

It takes 30 minutes to remove console and replace. Be careful with the little lights for defrost because those are different and if you don't reinstall correctly (straight) you won't get the contact. I had that issue when I changed out my lights on the auto AC.

 

The bulbs are already tinted blue so if you want true blue lighting, you would need LEDs which are known to produce "spotting" instead of giving off even lighting of the HVAC unit.

For a person with no mechanical knowledge, it should take about 30 minutes to pull the console. 5-10 to pull the center console, 10 to remove the HVAC cover and swap the bulbs, and 5-10 to put everything back.

 

the blue tinting on those bulbs actually is used to create a more white/green light. Normally those bulbs would produce a gross -yellowy light output.

(blue tinting doesn't make the output blue, is what I'm saying)