btwilson123

Hello out there I recently picked up a 99 Bird and the button lights for the radio on the steering wheel are all out. I was wondering if anyone out there has a step by step on how to replace them. Also wondering if they still make the red bulbs? Any help would be great. Happy Thanksgiving!! Brian

WhiteBird00

iTrader: (4)

The first thing to do is check fuse #13 - STG WHL CNTL. It's a 1A fuse which protects the steering wheel switch illumination. The other fuse labeled STG WHL CNTL (#3) is what protects the actual function of the switches. There are four bulbs there so it's quite unlikely that they would all go out at once making it likely that the fuse is the problem. Never rely on a visual inspection of a fuse, especially one that is over 20 years old, as they can look fine but still be blown. Always use a fuse tester or multimeter to test the fuse or just replace it with a known good fuse.

btwilson123

Hey white Bird thanks so much I will give it a whirl this weekend. p.s. your car look's great--p.s. I bought Rocky Rotellas 99 Bird he took really nice care of. Brian

btwilson123

Does anyone know where to get the tiny light bulbs for the radio buttons on steering wheel?

sjsingle1

iTrader: (1)

if your clockspring is out....your radio buttons and its lights dont work.......ask me how i know

btwilson123

I got the old controls out with airbag removal. I found a pair of switches on Ebay and Bam I have lit up controls!

sjsingle1

iTrader: (1)

there is a write up on how to replace those lights with LEDs out floating around on the webz.....

VIP1

There are links in the Radio FAQ and Lighting FAQ but they appear to be broken.
http://www.stevendbrown.com/Steering...oControls.html
http://doghouse.2y.net/gtp/steeringcontrols/
http://www.xse.com/leres/ss/leds.html
http://www.evlls1.com/steeringwheel.html

So I searched this forum and found these that still has pics and info:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/wiring-st...onversion.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/appearanc...el-lights.html

Here are related threads on radio LEDs:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/stereo-el...hen-i-did.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/stereo-el...unit-leds.html
https://ls1tech.com/forums/stereo-el...t-working.html

If you want to use an LED instead of a bulb, just get a 3mm LED in the color you want and the correct resistor for that LED. One Resister Per LED (on the Positive Leg) since each LED is wired to its own Pos/Neg terminals. Since the LED already emits the desired color, you no longer need the colored sock that was on the stock incandescent bulbs. Just get LEDs in the color you want. However, many switches on the Firebird have built-in red film instead of a colored sock on the bulb.

Google "LED Calc" for online calculators to determine which resistor to use. Here is one example:
http://ledcalc.com/

Just enter the power requirements of the LED and the power output of the car (12V - 14V) and it will tell you the resistor you need. When the engine is running, the car's electrical system can reach 14.5V, so aim for that in calculations for safety. Looking at a 3V LED running at 20ma and 12V-14.5V voltages, that gives 470ohm - 680ohm range for resistors. This is just an example. Make sure you enter the correct voltage and milliamp rating of the LEDs to get the correct resistors. Different color LED have different Voltage requirements.