Dash Lights

Bart2500HD · January 3, 2005

I have become pretty good at replacing the little light bulbs in the stereo and HVAC controls that light up the buttons. Now, the bulb that lights up my headlight switch is out. After taking the switch out of the dash, I noticed that this bulb unscrews from the back and slides out. Now, is this bulb replaceable, or do I have to buy a whole headlight switch? The headlights work fine, I just have to fumble around for the witch in the dark.

BLADE · January 3, 2005

You mentioned replacing bulbs in the dash. My rtadio has a couple of bulbs out and so doea the climat control. Have you ever replaced these and if so what kind of bulb is it?

WileE1 · January 3, 2005

My radio numbers 1 3 4 and 6 are out and I don't have a clue how to change them I thought it was suppose to be like that till my wife said something...in my defense the 2 and the 5 are the ones in the middle and so i just thought the two outer ones didn't light up because you know where they are looking at the 2 and 5..now writing it the logic is kinda dumb...HA

Anyway I'd love to know what number the bulb is and how to do it..Thanks

Bart2500HD · January 3, 2005

You can get the bulbs at Radio Shack. The part number is 272-1154 and they are $1.49 each. As for how to solder them in, you have to take apart the front of the radio and HVAC unit and get to the printed circuit board. These little buggers are soldered into it. If you have never soldered anything before, I wouldn't recommend doing it yourself. If you overheat the printed circuit board, you could damage the whole thing.

WileE1 · January 4, 2005

Perfect thanks, Sounds like a huge pain in the Azz! I have soldered but nothing great, maybe I will just let it go until they all quit and replace the unit?

Thanks for the info!

Bart2500HD · January 4, 2005

It really isn't too bad to do. The hardest part is getting the front of the radio off.

Something good to do if you are bored.

gcarnrick · January 4, 2005

It really isn't too bad to do. The hardest part is getting the front of the radio off.
Something good to do if you are bored.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

lol - this is to funny. On the way home I noticed for the first time that the "fresh air" backlight was burned out. Is it the same part number for that bulb too? How hard is it to fix it?

Where do you live? ;-)

Bart2500HD · January 5, 2005

lol - this is to funny. On the way home I noticed for the first time that the "fresh air" backlight was burned out. Is it the same part number for that bulb too? How hard is it to fix it?

Where do you live? ;-)

The little bulbs in the HVAC unit are pretty easy to get at. Once the unit is out of the dash, you just need a nutdriver (the size escapes me right now) to take it apart to access the printed circuit board. Yes, it is the same part number for the bulb. While you are in there you might as well do all 4 of them. I live in ND, so if you are up for the drive, bring a case of beer and we'll make an afternoon out of it!

8100 Power · January 5, 2005

I was just about to post a new topic on the same thing, on my A/C system, the rear defroger light(lights up the so you can see what it is) not the oragne LED, i need to replace it, What is the best way going about to do that?

Bart2500HD · January 6, 2005

Just read through the whole thread and you'll get the idea. Pretty simple if you are familiar with soldering.

gcarnrick · January 16, 2005

Just read through the whole thread and you'll get the idea. Pretty simple if you are familiar with soldering.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have it all apart...that was easy. I'm off to radio shack now. I assume I just heat up the back of the bulb (the prongs sticking through the circuit board) and I will just be able to pull the bulb out.

Any other tips?

-Greg

gcarnrick · January 16, 2005

Just read through the whole thread and you'll get the idea. Pretty simple if you are familiar with soldering.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have it all apart...that was easy. I'm off to radio shack now. I assume I just heat up the back of the bulb (the prongs sticking through the circuit board) and I will just be able to pull the bulb out.

Any other tips?

-Greg

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Radio shack is out of stock on those bulbs but they did some sort of continuity (sp?) check and they said the bulb was actually ok and the circuit board was no good. Two of the three bulbs were working so I came home and unsoldered two bulbs (one that worked and one that didn't) and switched them to see if its just a problem with that bulb circuit or it was the bulb. Even though it was pretty easy to do, now I have no freaking lights! I even put them back and now all three don't work.

lol - time to buy a new control I guess.

-Greg

Bart2500HD · January 17, 2005

Bummer. Hope you get it all fixed okay.

imwatchdog · June 21, 2007

Just read through the whole thread and you'll get the idea. Pretty simple if you are familiar with soldering.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I have it all apart...that was easy. I'm off to radio shack now. I assume I just heat up the back of the bulb (the prongs sticking through the circuit board) and I will just be able to pull the bulb out.

Any other tips?

-Greg

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Radio shack is out of stock on those bulbs but they did some sort of continuity (sp?) check and they said the bulb was actually ok and the circuit board was no good. Two of the three bulbs were working so I came home and unsoldered two bulbs (one that worked and one that didn't) and switched them to see if its just a problem with that bulb circuit or it was the bulb. Even though it was pretty easy to do, now I have no freaking lights! I even put them back and now all three don't work.

lol - time to buy a new control I guess.

-Greg

Just a little tip for after you remove your controls, switches, etc. Check your bulbs (in or out of the circuit board) with a 9-volt battery attached to 2 probes. Just touch a probe to each contact. If it lights up, you're a winner!

-Mike

chipjumper · January 7, 2008

Just for reference: (I believe this is an exact match for the soldered in bulbs. I just bought 15)

Product Information

Mouser Part #: 606-CM7373

Manufacturer Part #: 7373

Manufacturer: Chicago Miniature

Description: Lamps 14V .1A

[PDF] Page: 94, Data Sheet

Pricing: 1: $1.08 10: $0.94 100: $0.90

I'm paying like $4.80 for FedEx Ground. So $14.10 for 15 of them plus $4.80 shipping = $18.90 fix to replace all bulbs in the dash AND the climate control. I'm assuming that the climate control has 4-5 and the dash has <10 bulbs.

These are rated for 10,000hrs at 14VDC too.

(for forum searching - ignore: dash light bulb, dash lights, instrument lights, instrument lighting)