LED light bulb swap issues
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,072
Likes: 76
From: Casselberry FL
LED light bulb swap issues I thought I'd hop on the LED bandwagon, so tonight I replaced all but one of my cluster lights (I based my count on other photos). Turned on the lights... oooh pretty. The clear bezel is off, simply snug up the 4 mounting bolts for now. Everything was bright except in the area where the incandescent bulb remained.
OK, next, I pull out the HVAC bulb harnesses, hmmm. one of them is burned out... a PITA to remove from the socket... I'll come back to these. Pull out the headlight switch module, bulb comes out pretty easily. Put in the replacement NEO3-NWHP bulb with a little effort, now the cluster lights aren't working correctly and the previously working HVAC bulb won't light up. I put the original bulb back in, still misbehaving. No matter what I do, I can't get the gauges to light up again, and a few other lights are now quirky also.
What's up with that bulb? Does it have to be installed in a certain orientation? Could I have damaged something R&R'ing the bulbs in that socket or blown a fuse?
OK, next, I pull out the HVAC bulb harnesses, hmmm. one of them is burned out... a PITA to remove from the socket... I'll come back to these. Pull out the headlight switch module, bulb comes out pretty easily. Put in the replacement NEO3-NWHP bulb with a little effort, now the cluster lights aren't working correctly and the previously working HVAC bulb won't light up. I put the original bulb back in, still misbehaving. No matter what I do, I can't get the gauges to light up again, and a few other lights are now quirky also.
What's up with that bulb? Does it have to be installed in a certain orientation? Could I have damaged something R&R'ing the bulbs in that socket or blown a fuse?
Last edited by JimMueller; Sep 29, 2019 at 02:39 PM.
First thing would be to check the fuse.
Second thing would be to check the interior light dimmer on the switch. Is the dimmer all the way down after your re-install? Is it hooked up correctly back in-line on the circuit after the changes?
Second thing would be to check the interior light dimmer on the switch. Is the dimmer all the way down after your re-install? Is it hooked up correctly back in-line on the circuit after the changes?
I sorta have an issue like yours. The left side of my gauges (rpms) stopped lighting up. The randomly they come on for that day. Next day off again. I haven't messed with HVAC or swith leds yet.
I have not tried re arranging the led bulbs to see if that is the issue
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I have not tried re arranging the led bulbs to see if that is the issue
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Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,072
Likes: 76
From: Casselberry FL
The 5A IP Dimmer fuse is blown and I don't have spares of that style fuse at the moment. I find it strange that neither side of the blown fuse illuminate the tester light, just like the 15A starter fuse although it is not blown. All other fuses tested good on both terminals. The key was in the run position, should there be power to one side of all fuses in that state?
I rotated the dimmer control all the way in both directions, no change. I only removed the two screws to remove the housing, I didn't initially removing either of the harnesses. I did temporarily remove the dimmer from the housing by releasing the two clips, but it stayed connected to the wires.
Edit: The new fuse fixed it. I guess I'll leave the headlight switch bulb as incandescent as it still works. I'm not sure what I did wrong to blow the fuse. I used a NEO3-NWHP, which I thought was supposed to be plug and play. However, the dimmer doesn't work for the cluster. I turn the dial down about 1/2-3/4 from full brightness and the lights simply go out. The odometer back light seems to no longer dim smoothly (I'm still using an incandescent on the back panel near the odometer) and the clock seems to flicker when dimming now also.
I rotated the dimmer control all the way in both directions, no change. I only removed the two screws to remove the housing, I didn't initially removing either of the harnesses. I did temporarily remove the dimmer from the housing by releasing the two clips, but it stayed connected to the wires.
Edit: The new fuse fixed it. I guess I'll leave the headlight switch bulb as incandescent as it still works. I'm not sure what I did wrong to blow the fuse. I used a NEO3-NWHP, which I thought was supposed to be plug and play. However, the dimmer doesn't work for the cluster. I turn the dial down about 1/2-3/4 from full brightness and the lights simply go out. The odometer back light seems to no longer dim smoothly (I'm still using an incandescent on the back panel near the odometer) and the clock seems to flicker when dimming now also.
Last edited by JimMueller; Sep 28, 2019 at 07:38 PM.
Glad you got it!
No. The fuses will be different. Some are on all the time, some are on by a relay when the key is in PWR, and some could be powered by other relays at different times. In some situations, the BCM relays can step in here and control power, independent of the key position/cylinder.
You'd need dimmable bulbs. The dimmer works by reducing voltage. As one does this, the power in the circuit drops below a level, which will drive the LED. In order to dim LEDs, one needs a different type of dimmer and bulbs that will pay in the system: https://www.ledhut.co.uk/blog/five-t...le-led-lights/
So... if you are going to keep the LED's, you'll loose most of your dimming features. (Most of us never use the dimmer, anyway...)
This would be expected and is probably all that you will be able to get.
This may be a problem with the dimmer switch. We don't use the thing for 20-30 years, and then we go to use it and there's a little bit of corrosion in there that makes it wonky. 
If your are going to stay with the LED's, this is probably not a big deal, because you'll need to keep the dimmer all the way on all the time. If you want to keep the dimmer, you may need to clean up the innards or get a new dimmer switch to restore the smoothness and contacts. (There's a possibility also that the LED's could be dirtying up the power in the circuit, so you could take them out so you are only testing the incandescents to confirm that.)
Edit: The new fuse fixed it. I guess I'll leave the headlight switch bulb as incandescent as it still works. I'm not sure what I did wrong to blow the fuse. I used a NEO3-NWHP, which I thought was supposed to be plug and play. However, the dimmer doesn't work for the cluster.
So... if you are going to keep the LED's, you'll loose most of your dimming features. (Most of us never use the dimmer, anyway...)
If your are going to stay with the LED's, this is probably not a big deal, because you'll need to keep the dimmer all the way on all the time. If you want to keep the dimmer, you may need to clean up the innards or get a new dimmer switch to restore the smoothness and contacts. (There's a possibility also that the LED's could be dirtying up the power in the circuit, so you could take them out so you are only testing the incandescents to confirm that.) Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 4,072
Likes: 76
From: Casselberry FL
I didn't realize how easily the mirror came off the windshield. Stuck a small flathead screwdriver in the notch inside the reflector and the bulbs popped out within a few seconds of wiggling. The LED map lights aren't bad, but I'm a little disappointed in it. Maybe in the dark it'll be more impressive. I used the following since I had them already, they are advertised as 200 lumen per bulb:
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/t1...b-led-2-0.html
The Super Bright's are 90 lumens each, so that isn't any better. Found this video on the T10's, I'm not sure there is a brighter map bulb option than what I've installed; maybe the Profile Peak 1.0? Light test is at the 3:00 mark.
Anyone know whether there are replacement lenses for the the late model rear view mirror PN 88892505? One lens won't stay attached (it hasn't since I first removed it after buying the new mirror), I'm improvising with double sided tape, but they leak a bit of light and I think it's a tacky solution.
Found this video no the T10's
https://www.theretrofitsource.com/t1...b-led-2-0.html
The Super Bright's are 90 lumens each, so that isn't any better. Found this video on the T10's, I'm not sure there is a brighter map bulb option than what I've installed; maybe the Profile Peak 1.0? Light test is at the 3:00 mark.
Anyone know whether there are replacement lenses for the the late model rear view mirror PN 88892505? One lens won't stay attached (it hasn't since I first removed it after buying the new mirror), I'm improvising with double sided tape, but they leak a bit of light and I think it's a tacky solution.
Found this video no the T10's
Last edited by JimMueller; Oct 6, 2019 at 05:56 PM.
