HVAC panel lights

[imprttuner88]

Lights have never worked on this panel. I took the car for its first long trip wed. About an hour and a half into the trip the lights just started working. Next night they didn't come on as usual. Any tips on known problem areas to check? Also on how to get to that connecter to check.

TIA

[imprttuner88]

anybody?

[Supadave]

mine worked like 12 years ago... Ive been meening to get to it. I think it might be the bulbs...

[Gadea]

I've taken apart a few of them, but just recently paid attention to the lights in it. Please someone confirm this or correct me, but I believe those are not incandescent bulbs, but optic fiber. There is a connector (not a wire carrying electricity, apparently) in the lower part of the panel, between the fan switch and the lowest slider, that "feeds" the single fibers in each slider and the knobs and switches in the panel. I'm working on replacing all of those with 3mm and some 5mm LEDs. I got most of it figured out. The downside of LEDs is losing the ability to dim them. I can't (yet) lower the light output based on voltage. As you lower the voltage, at some point they just won't lit up, but without dimming.

[imprttuner88]

I haven't removed this panel ever before and definately don't want to break it. Is it like the fan switch with the nut hidden behind the knob to get this panel out?

[Gadea]

you need to remove both knobs and pop out the three slider square tops. The fan switch is held in by the brass nut you mentioned. If it's tight I loosen it with a pair of pliers partially open. Also, pop out your defrost switch, hazard blinker switch, and everything you may have there. Once you remove those 4 top switches and/or blanks, if you look inside you'll see two small phillips screws holding the top of the panel against the dash. Remove them. directly below them, there's another 2 that hold the panel from the bottom against the center console. All these are screwed "upwards" so when they're in you don't see them which gives a cleaner look. Then there's a host of wires (for the OBC and all your switches) and cables running from the ventilation sliders. You need to carefully unhook all those to free the HVAC panel completely. If you're planning on replacing all lighting there you'll need to further take it apart. It's somewhat complicated, so don't force or rush anything or you'll brake it. Everything comes apart but there's a lot of little pieces. What I do is keep around a bunch of small zip loc bags and tag them as you go. That way you won't lose the little parts and you'll know where they go.

[imprttuner88]

Thanks for the tip! I am going to tackle this this weekend. I appreciate it