INT: LED Console Switch/button Backlight t3

[excalibur02]

Well as we all know the rear defrost and fog light switch have a back light and indicator light.

The back light is known as the t3 tec bulb. These bulbs are almost always burned out! I took 16 of the bulbs from a junk yard couple months back and not one of them worked.

cp[mike] did a DIY on LED conversion on these, however he used a 3mm LED and different value resistor. So I took it upon myself to update and try something different, since I love to have all my lights work.


I did both my defrost and front foglight button/switch

Defrost I put in an Orange LED for the backlight. The indicator is already orange from factory, so it will match

Front foglight I put a Green LED for the backlight. The indicator is green from factory, so this will match too.

Pictures for reference







TOOLS NEEDED

Small flat head screw driver
Soldering Iron
Solder (I used radio shack 60/40 rosin core .032" diameter)
Wire cutter/stripper
Multimeter
Helping Hands
Lighter (for heat shrink)



PARTS NEEDED

5mm LED <---- Your desired color (I bought mine from www.superbrightleds.com )

1000 ohm aka 1-kohm 1/4 watt resistor Color band is Brown Black Red Gold (part # from Radio Shack 2711321 its a 5 pack

very short piece of stranded wire I believe I used 16 gauge

very short piece of heat shrink tubing size 1/16"

Which ever switch/button you desire to add.

This DIY also can work with anything that requires the small t3 tec bulb. ie rear defrost, front foglight, rear foglight and bumper pole etc...




First thing is to remove the switches/buttons

Grab your short flat head screwdriver and go inside your car.






Grab the flat head and insert it in the bottom slot of the button and pop the button by grabbing it and pulling it out.



Then push in the release of the plug on the back of the switch





Here is my working table with the parts and tools listed above










With the same small flat head remove the indicator bulb on the bottom of the button. Turn counter clockwise and slowly pry out the bulb if it gets stuck.




Then turn the button and you will see the t3 tec bulb on the side. Remove the bulb.



Then I scratched out the positive + and the negative - on where the leads are for the new LED.




Now you have to remove the casing of the button/switch pry with possibly 2 small thin flat head drivers and pop out the button from the rear.

[excalibur02]

Now that the switch is apart in 2 pieces. This is what it looks like. Do not lose the spring that goes in between.




Now comes the fun part..

Here is the 1kohm resistor and the 5mm colored LED



Now looking at the LED the long lead/leg is the positive side.



We are going to cut the long leg very short since the resistor is going to be solder to that lead.




Now you dont need to buy the helping hands but I love this thing since it will help out a lot on any diy projects dealing with small objects.

Now cut the resistor short only one the gold side. Since the gold side is the positive side.



Match the positive sides together on both LED and the resistor.



Solder both side together as shown below



Here is a close up shot through the magnifying glass.




Now with a short 16 gauge stranded wire remove a small portion of the wire insulation and solder the end to the negative leg/lead of the LED.




Here is what it will resemble all soldered and cut.




NOW as you see with the picture the negative side of the LED/wire is exposed. We can not have this since it will cause a short if ever in contact with the positive side.

Take the 1/16" heat shrink tube and slide it over the negative wire. Heat it up using a lighter for a quick 2 seconds.




My digital camera started to get out of focus since I got so close to the parts. Macro mode was not doing very well so its a bit blurry

Now strip a small section on the end of the negative wire as shown below




Now insert the led positive side up to the tunnel where the old t3 bulb went




The resistor lead/leg should be on the positive/top side of the tunnel and the negative wire on the bottom.

[excalibur02]

Now you need to cut the positive lead on the resistor enough where you can solder it to the positive/top post where the contact was for the t3 bulb.




wrap the connections to the posts like so






Here are the connections solder to the post. Picture through the magnifying glass again.




Now put back the switch/button together dont forgot the spring in the middle. Remember to also put in the indicator light bulb back from the bottom of the switch/button. Turn clockwise and its tight.

Complete switch will look like this again




Go back to the car and plug the switch/button back in. Push the switch/button back to its slot.

Turn on the car then turn on the lights.

You should see it like so






Now push in the buttons for rear defrost and front fog you will see the stock indicator light up. Everything is fully functional and matching!







This DIY can be done in about 10 minutes or less with skill. Good Luck and any comments/opinions are welcome.


Thanks

Maury

[Alex13mod]

man good Idea, im going to do this after I install my fogs on my SI.

[Quashish]

Nice I wish I had a stand with those alligator clips. I did this but changed every switch amber. I also changed my heater control unit lighting, and gear selector.

[Bad_dude]

Nice I wish I had a stand with those alligator clips. I did this but changed every switch amber. I also changed my heater control unit lighting, and gear selector.

You could buy that stand at Harbor Freight Tools. It's call the helping hand. But I find the stand not steady and tip over easily.

[Alex13mod]

How do you do the Heater ones?

[excalibur02]

How do you do the Heater ones?

The rear defrost is the same, nothing different other then the image on the front of the button/switch.

[jsinger]

Dude. Nicely done! Looks great. I am going to do this when I get some extra time and money!

[Stoner51]

Nice DIY. I just fixed my non existant rear defroster. Now All I have left is the two bulbs in the back of the climate control.


steve

[excalibur02]

Dude. Nicely done! Looks great. I am going to do this when I get some extra time and money!

Thanks man, I tried to make it simple for others to do the mod.

Nice DIY. I just fixed my non existant rear defroster. Now All I have left is the two bulbs in the back of the climate control.


steve

Thanks man, I appreciate it. Yeah I love this mod. I did it to my sedan and wagon. Just need to get more leds for my coupe.

[new_beginnings]

As always,

Maury strikes again.