Window Switch Cluster LED Upgrade

[SniperC4007]

I wanted to brighten up the dim illumination of the original LEDs in the switch so I soldered in new LEDs.

NEW 4 of 3MM Amber LEDs with clear lens. 1.8-2.2V, 30mA

I also took the opportunity to clean the switches and add some grease to the rear window lock button. So the switches move nicely again.

Images of NEW LEDs:
IMG_20180618_124234.jpgIMG_20180618_125009.jpg

OLD LEDs:
IMG_20180618_124202.jpgIMG_20180618_130606.jpg

I guess the rear window switch on the door should get fixed next...

[moroza]

Cool! Are the bulbs the same size in the rear window switches? Of those, I've seen probably about 150, of which 3 actually illuminated. I didn't know they were even supposed to light up until seeing it in the wiring diagrams. Never seen burned-out bulbs in the center switch block.

[SniperC4007]

The rear window switches use a regular bulb ( which is usually burned out by now ) , i'll have to solder in a resister and LED set up for those.

[katit2]

The rear window switches use a regular bulb ( which is usually burned out by now ) , i'll have to solder in a resister and LED set up for those.

Why resistor? To lower voltage? I can't quickly find now, but I remember replacing all bulbs with LEDs in Audi UrS4 and those were 12V leds so it was pretty much direct replacement

[uscharalph]

Nice touch.

[SniperC4007]

Night time photo:

IMG_20180619_220527.jpg

[CarterH]

Looks great! A guide would be pretty cool if you could make one. How bright are they compared to the original lights?

As for the rear switches, I didn't know for a long time that they were ever meant to light up. Since finding out I'd love to replace the bulbs but I'm not sure how to even get the switches out. Or what bulbs it uses.

[Tre0Tre34]

Very cool.

Guess i always figured they were tiny incandescent bulbs like just about any around the rest of the car. Ill have to break out the bulk leds again soon!

Maybe one day even start the ambient lighting project.

[SniperC4007]

Did the rear window switches. They are a pain to do, so little space and most of it is used for the rocking motion of the switch.

I tilted the led to point a little more towards the DOWN arrow so it doesn't look as dim, due to the outline shape vs the solid arrow.

IMG_20180621_232938.jpgIMG_20180621_232223.jpg

[General984]

Were the LED's originally there or?

[SniperC4007]

From what I have seen, the front window switch cluster used LEDs from the factory. The older ones I have opened used orange lens LEDs, and some later ones used clear lens LED that illuminated orange.

The rear window switches used an incandescent bulb, which is usually burned out by now.
IMG_20180621_171429.jpg

[Smith Jason]

So I was reading through this and got me thinking about my own switches. I found light bulbs for this and then put one in. Can anyone explain to me why the bulbs for these stay lit up no matter what, can on or off. The only way they turned off was when I put the lock on the rear windows from the main switches. I need to check my wiring and see if this is always powered. Explains why they are always burnt out then. My guess is that it was designed so that they are only powered when someone is in back.

[shogun]

Light at the rear switches goes out when you set the button at the main switch in center console to child lock for rear windows. Then the rear windows are also not working.

[Smith Jason]

Light at the rear switches goes out when you set the button at the main switch in center console to child lock for rear windows. Then the rear windows are also not working.

This explains many things and adds up to what I was finding today while doing it. The lights at the back window switches would be powered no matter what and always taking a slight draw from the battery. Glad I found this out. Now to work on my soldering skills so I can replace the lights.

[shogun]

Replace the lights at the rear windows with normal bulbs = original, otherwise the child lock system for the rear windows might be confused when you use LEDs. Because the GM is checking that if lights are on/off.
When we made the one touch window up/down module, we first had some problems that the rear windows did not work with the one touch function. Then we found out that this was always when the bulbs in the switches were dead or when someone had installed LED instead of normal bulbs.