interior lights dropping like flies

m38a1 · April 9, 2005

Hello everyone

I am having a problem with my 2001 sierra. the lights for the heater/AC control buttons are out, now the radio button lights are starting to go.

It seems like all the button light in the truck are starting to burn out.

also lights around the headlight switch are starting to go out.

At the rate they are going I will be in the dark in 3-4 months

Now the question, can I replace these bulbs ? and if so how?

I just don't like Wife and daughter driving it like this in the night time

Thanks

Tom

RyanZ71 · April 10, 2005

If your good with a sodering (wrong spelling I know) iron then yes you can replace them, otherwise, no. The bulbs in the climate control center and radio are not changeable, another STUPID "duh! I think we can save on production costs if we don't offer replaceable bulbs!" move by one of the Big 3 in Detroit. I've lost most of the lights in my climate control center and I am expecting the ones in my radio to go out soon.

boomer 33 · April 10, 2005

If your good with a sodering (wrong spelling I know) iron then yes you can replace them, otherwise, no. The bulbs in the climate control center and radio are not changeable, another STUPID "duh! I think we can save on production costs if we don't offer replaceable bulbs!" move by one of the Big 3 in Detroit. I've lost most of the lights in my climate control center and I am expecting the ones in my radio to go out soon.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They fixed the problem on the newer ones, they put in less lights!

snoman · April 10, 2005

If your good with a sodering (wrong spelling I know) iron then yes you can replace them, otherwise, no. The bulbs in the climate control center and radio are not changeable, another STUPID "duh! I think we can save on production costs if we don't offer replaceable bulbs!" move by one of the Big 3 in Detroit. I've lost most of the lights in my climate control center and I am expecting the ones in my radio to go out soon.

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I think it is to get back some of the rebate money thru planned extra repair/replacement costs.

71GMC_3/4T · April 10, 2005

My "Seek" button in the steering wheel, or is it "scan"?, anyway, the bulb burned out. The dealer had to put a whole new switch part in instead of a bulb, under warranty. Now, it was nice under warranty, but how much will that stupid part cost when it's out of warranty? And what if it's something I can't hack apart and replace the bulb myself? Man, that really ticks me off! And it's probably something that could be fixed with a voltage regulator or something cheap, instead of running the lights on full voltage. I do keep the roller adjusting dimmer at about 1/3, hoping they'll last longer, but I don't know if that will help much...

asilverblazer · April 11, 2005

I can replace all my radio and climate control buttons. What year truck?

boomer 33 · April 11, 2005

If your good with a sodering (wrong spelling I know) iron then yes you can replace them, otherwise, no. The bulbs in the climate control center and radio are not changeable, another STUPID "duh! I think we can save on production costs if we don't offer replaceable bulbs!" move by one of the Big 3 in Detroit. I've lost most of the lights in my climate control center and I am expecting the ones in my radio to go out soon.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think it is to get back some of the rebate money thru planned extra repair/replacement costs.

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Yes and to cheap out on everything>They take out content and sell for the same price. The least they could is allow you to order all the parts they have taken out as an option, but they we are so stupid we won't notice. Pricks

m38a1 · April 12, 2005

Mine is a 2001,

I haven't pulled it apart yet to see if I can do it or not (relamp them). But it really does tick a person off. I guess they think we are the village idiots!

It really pains me to see what my father-in-law means when he says "you should have looked at the Jap trucks" (this from a retired IBEW member who used to say "Buy American" and now drives either jap cars or jeeps)

From the issues I have had with this one I know it will not be GM for the next one, it ticks me off so bad my wife will never have a GM car also.

I quess I will be driving in the dark and keeping the dimmer down a bit.

Thanks for the info.

T

BTW

ASILVER BLAZER

How do you relamp the lights for your radio and climate controls

RyanZ71 · April 12, 2005

Don't switch over too quickly, the Japanese trucks have alot of issues as well.

snoman · April 12, 2005

My "Seek" button in the steering wheel, or is it "scan"?, anyway, the bulb burned out. The dealer had to put a whole new switch part in instead of a bulb, under warranty. Now, it was nice under warranty, but how much will that stupid part cost when it's out of warranty? And what if it's something I can't hack apart and replace the bulb myself? Man, that really ticks me off! And it's probably something that could be fixed with a voltage regulator or something cheap, instead of running the lights on full voltage. I do keep the roller adjusting dimmer at about 1/3, hoping they'll last longer, but I don't know if that will help much...

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Using the dimmer with even only a 20 or 30% reduction will greatly extend bulb life big time. We "played" with lighted panel lighted like that in the 80's in test aircraft and panel upgrades and the bulbs soldered in for replacement. They started using it because that though they had to use more smaller bulbs, it did give a more even light the was easier on eyes and when just a few bulbs failed the panel was still usable.

71GMC_3/4T · April 12, 2005

Too bad there's not a way to change the bus voltage so it runs at 12VDC instead of whatever the alternator puts out (~14.5VDC?).

I read and draw schematics every day, but I can't make heads or tails out of the wiring diagrams in the Helms manuals. There has to be a wire that can be cut somewhere and a limit resistor or dropping diode installed in line...

snoman · April 12, 2005

Too bad there's not a way to change the bus voltage so it runs at 12VDC instead of whatever the alternator puts out (~14.5VDC?).

I read and draw schematics every day, but I can't make heads or tails out of the wiring diagrams in the Helms manuals. There has to be a wire that can be cut somewhere and a limit resistor or dropping diode installed in line...

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Actually you would want a in line regulator. I have not reviewed the wiring on a NBS but I think they use a switching regulator to control panl and dome light now and you would need to limit max voltage output from it. If this is the case then you could simple limit voltage going into it. A resistor would work fine and it would only have to be 1 to 2 ohms but you would want a large power resistor of a 35 watt rating or more. Not because it needs to be that big but because on the size would heat so little in this task the mounting would not be a issue. You could use zener diodes too but you would want to mount them in free space as they can get a bit warm too in this task unless also oversized for task and they would work best placed in the input to dimmer control were voltage is constant.

dukbludvl · April 13, 2005

yeah, i just had to replace both front window/lock switch boxes because the lights burned out after 4.5 years and 78K miles. Can't replace the bulbs, had to order all new switches. Cost me over $100. Won't be doing that again.

Little crap like this just doesn't seem to happen on Japanese or German vehicles. I just can't stand the little interior crap that goes wrong on my Yukon -- love the engine and tranny and everything else. These little annoyances cost $50 or so a pop, take up my time, and add up to a lot of $ over time.

Hate the rattles, too... still love my truck though.

RyanZ71 · April 13, 2005

I will have to agree that interrior wise the foreign vehicles don't have the rattles and things breaking/falling apart like the domestic trucks do, I was refering more along the lines of the engines/exhaust/suspension/drivetrain of the foreign vehicles.

snoman · April 13, 2005

I will have to agree that interrior wise the foreign vehicles don't have the rattles and things breaking/falling apart like the domestic trucks do, I was refering more along the lines of the engines/exhaust/suspension/drivetrain of the foreign vehicles.

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I have had outstanding service out of the several foreign cars that I have owned over the years included ones that were built in the US under a import name. YOu tear down a Jap 4 cylinder and a US one the the defference is design and beefiness is very plain to see. The Detriot still has not learned how to make a good small engine and labors cost are so high that they have to cut a lot of corners. The import models do not suffer as much for labor costs and can take more time getting it right the first time. I put 220K on a Toyota Camary 4cyl in 10 years time and the only major repair was a new timing belt at 190k but the old one still worked. Still had original clutch too and used no oil to speak of after 220k. If the Imports ever really entered the fullsized market with zeal, Detroit would have its hads full.