DIY: Replace dash light bulbs (AP1)
11-15-2014, 12:13 PM
#91
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Sorry to revive this thread...
I have the steering column removed and the top cover but don't see the plastic caps or screws. Anyone have a pic or something to help? This is on a 06.
I have the steering column removed and the top cover but don't see the plastic caps or screws. Anyone have a pic or something to help? This is on a 06.
05-18-2015, 07:12 AM
#92
Can we have the pictures back please?
So, I had a few bulbs burn out in my A/C and Radio Control units on the dash. I went to the Honda dealer and we attempted to order all the bulbs we would need. Unfortunately, the exploded views weren’t very clear. Now I know (and I’ll be ordering the “missing” replacement bulbs).
So, first off – if you’re going to do this and you have a few that have burned out, it’s probably not a bad idea to just replace them all at once. The cost is relatively small compared to the headache of having to open everything up again.
Here are all the part numbers and quantities:
Radio Unit Side Required Bulbs
- (4) 35855-S2A-003 (Short Black)
- (1) 35851-S2A-003 (Short Black) for Start Button
- (1) 35855-S2A-A11 (Short White)
A/C Unit Side Required Bulbs
- (2) 79628-S2A-003 (Orange)
- (2) 79670-SL0-A01 (Long White)
WARNING
Before you get started, you should disconnect the battery and wait five minutes. This will help to prevent to airbag going off as you mess with the steering column. VERY IMPORTANT, this is.
Also, if you decide to do this, you take all the responsibility for yourself. This how-to is simply me relating how *I* did my own car, not a definitive flawless how-to. Basically, follow this at your own peril
Also, have your radio code handy (for stock radio) and write down your saved radio stations if you like.
WARNING
Before you get started, you should disconnect the battery and wait five minutes. This will help to prevent to airbag going off as you mess with the steering column. VERY IMPORTANT, this is.
Also, if you decide to do this, you take all the responsibility for yourself. This how-to is simply me relating how *I* did my own car, not a definitive flawless how-to. Basically, follow this at your own peril biggrin.gif
Also, have your radio code handy (for stock radio) and write down your saved radio stations if you like.
1. Lower the Steering Column
Yes, this is required. Thankfully, it’s not terribly difficult. Your back may not like you though.
1. Remove the three gold screws on the underside of the plastic steering column surround.
2. Gently separate the bottom half of the plastic surround from the top half. There are 4 plastic clips on the bottom half. Be careful not to break them. Two are up front, two are towards the back, on the left and right sides.
3. Pop the black plastic vent retainer clip away from the metal bracket and move the vent out of the way
4. Loosen the two 12mm nuts on either side of the steering column that were hiding behind the vent. Loosen them until they’re nearly all the way out, then screw them back in a few turns. These will hold the column in place once it’s lowered
5. Remove the two 12mm flanged nuts further up the steering column (as seen below)
6. The column will lower as you unscrew these nuts. Watch your head.
2. Remove the Dash Surround
Again, pretty easy. There are two screws and a large number of clips.
Now that the steering column is lowered and out of the way, you can easily remove the surround. There’s pretty much NO WAY you can do this without lowering the column, as you’ll soon see.
1. There are two little hidden screw covers on the underside of the gauge cluster recess. Carefully pop these out with something not sharp. Unfortunately you sort of have to pry, so be very careful if you want it to look nice when you’re done.
2. With those out of the way, there is a phillips head screw in each of the two locations. Remove screws.
3. Gently pull the assembly away from the rest of the dash, starting at the A/C and Radio control units. It will pop loose.
4. Pull the unit forward and disconnect the connectors (four in total):
* Start button connector
* Radio controls connector
* Cruise control connector
* A/C controls connector (large green vertical connector)
You now have the dash surround in hand and things should look like this:
This is a good time to clean all the hidden surfaces, inside the vents, the edges of the gauge cluster, etc.
3. Replace the Radio Control and Start Button bulbs
The bulbs are weird little things, sort of like Christmas light bulbs. They drop in and twist into place. They twist out of place, as well. You’ll need a flat head screwdriver or other tool that fits the recess in the soft plastic base of the lights very well or you’ll end up chewing up the base.
Here are what the LARGE ones look like:
The small ones are considerably… smaller. Some have a little rubber “hat” over the bulb to give it a different color (green, orange, red).
The Radio Unit side has a total of six bulbs:
As you can see, replacing five of them is very easy and straightforward. You insert your screwdriver into the shallow recess, twist counter-clockwise (or anti-clockwise for any Brits!) and gently remove the bulb (you may have to shake it out). Replacing the bulb requires a bit more force to snap into place. Make sure you’ve tightened them all the way.
Replacing the Start Button bulb requires a bit more work:
1. Start by GENTLY prying up on the clips on the chrome part of the button to allow the white plastic piece to slide off. There are two clips, one on the top and one on the bottom. Work the white plastic and spring piece away.
2. Next you will gently push the clip on the side of the button assembly out of the way to allow the circuit board to slide out the back of the button.
3. Now you can remove and replace the bulb, which is integrated into the circuit board.
4. Replace in reverse order, carefully guiding the contact leads through the white plastic and snapping everything back together.
5. Ensure that the button works properly (depresses and springs back)
4. Replace the A/C Control bulbs
This is much the same as the other side, except that we have to remove a cover.
1. Remove the three gold screws holding the white plastic cover in place and gently lift the cover out of the way. There are connections between the two boards, so exercise caution.
2. Replace four bulbs.
3. Put it back together.
5. Button it all up
Basically, do what you just did, but in reverse order.
Reattach the dash surround
1. Make sure all the clips on the dash surround are in place and intact.
2. Put dash surround up in place and connect all four connectors:
* Start button connector
* Radio controls connector
* Cruise control connector
* A/C controls connector (large green vertical connector)
3. Make sure everything fits into the dash and start to push it all back together
4. Don’t force anything. If it doesn’t want to snap back into place, pull it apart a bit and try to align things again. Look for bent clips or jammed plastic.
5. Once all your clips are snapped into place replace the two screws on the underside of the gauge cluster area.
6. Note the lettering on the two plugs for left and right (L and R) and push these back into place over the screws you just replaced.
7. The dash assembly is back in.
Reattach the steering column
1. Start by lining up the column’s bolt holes with the mid-column bolts and run down the nuts so that the column is held back up in place (these are the 12mm flanged nuts).
2. Hand-tighten the forward-most 12mm nuts.
3. Torque all nuts properly (16lbf for the forward-most nuts, 12lbf for the mid-column nuts). See Photos for Reference
4. Replace plastic column surround by clipping it to the top piece and replacing the three gold screws on the underside of the column.
5. Pop air vent mounting plug back into metal bracket and reattach wiring harness to vent
Finally…
1. Reconnect the battery.
2. Test the lights.
3. Enjoy your properly-lit dash controls.
Now is the time to re-enter your radio code if you have a stock radio and reset any other settings on your radio.
Enjoy!
[/quote]
So, I had a few bulbs burn out in my A/C and Radio Control units on the dash. I went to the Honda dealer and we attempted to order all the bulbs we would need. Unfortunately, the exploded views weren’t very clear. Now I know (and I’ll be ordering the “missing” replacement bulbs).
So, first off – if you’re going to do this and you have a few that have burned out, it’s probably not a bad idea to just replace them all at once. The cost is relatively small compared to the headache of having to open everything up again.
Here are all the part numbers and quantities:
Radio Unit Side Required Bulbs
- (4) 35855-S2A-003 (Short Black)
- (1) 35851-S2A-003 (Short Black) for Start Button
- (1) 35855-S2A-A11 (Short White)
A/C Unit Side Required Bulbs
- (2) 79628-S2A-003 (Orange)
- (2) 79670-SL0-A01 (Long White)
WARNING
Before you get started, you should disconnect the battery and wait five minutes. This will help to prevent to airbag going off as you mess with the steering column. VERY IMPORTANT, this is.
Also, if you decide to do this, you take all the responsibility for yourself. This how-to is simply me relating how *I* did my own car, not a definitive flawless how-to. Basically, follow this at your own peril
Also, have your radio code handy (for stock radio) and write down your saved radio stations if you like.
WARNING
Before you get started, you should disconnect the battery and wait five minutes. This will help to prevent to airbag going off as you mess with the steering column. VERY IMPORTANT, this is.
Also, if you decide to do this, you take all the responsibility for yourself. This how-to is simply me relating how *I* did my own car, not a definitive flawless how-to. Basically, follow this at your own peril biggrin.gif
Also, have your radio code handy (for stock radio) and write down your saved radio stations if you like.
1. Lower the Steering Column
Yes, this is required. Thankfully, it’s not terribly difficult. Your back may not like you though.
1. Remove the three gold screws on the underside of the plastic steering column surround.
2. Gently separate the bottom half of the plastic surround from the top half. There are 4 plastic clips on the bottom half. Be careful not to break them. Two are up front, two are towards the back, on the left and right sides.
3. Pop the black plastic vent retainer clip away from the metal bracket and move the vent out of the way
4. Loosen the two 12mm nuts on either side of the steering column that were hiding behind the vent. Loosen them until they’re nearly all the way out, then screw them back in a few turns. These will hold the column in place once it’s lowered
5. Remove the two 12mm flanged nuts further up the steering column (as seen below)
6. The column will lower as you unscrew these nuts. Watch your head.
2. Remove the Dash Surround
Again, pretty easy. There are two screws and a large number of clips.
Now that the steering column is lowered and out of the way, you can easily remove the surround. There’s pretty much NO WAY you can do this without lowering the column, as you’ll soon see.
1. There are two little hidden screw covers on the underside of the gauge cluster recess. Carefully pop these out with something not sharp. Unfortunately you sort of have to pry, so be very careful if you want it to look nice when you’re done.
2. With those out of the way, there is a phillips head screw in each of the two locations. Remove screws.
3. Gently pull the assembly away from the rest of the dash, starting at the A/C and Radio control units. It will pop loose.
4. Pull the unit forward and disconnect the connectors (four in total):
* Start button connector
* Radio controls connector
* Cruise control connector
* A/C controls connector (large green vertical connector)
You now have the dash surround in hand and things should look like this:
This is a good time to clean all the hidden surfaces, inside the vents, the edges of the gauge cluster, etc.
3. Replace the Radio Control and Start Button bulbs
The bulbs are weird little things, sort of like Christmas light bulbs. They drop in and twist into place. They twist out of place, as well. You’ll need a flat head screwdriver or other tool that fits the recess in the soft plastic base of the lights very well or you’ll end up chewing up the base.
Here are what the LARGE ones look like:
The small ones are considerably… smaller. Some have a little rubber “hat” over the bulb to give it a different color (green, orange, red).
The Radio Unit side has a total of six bulbs:
As you can see, replacing five of them is very easy and straightforward. You insert your screwdriver into the shallow recess, twist counter-clockwise (or anti-clockwise for any Brits!) and gently remove the bulb (you may have to shake it out). Replacing the bulb requires a bit more force to snap into place. Make sure you’ve tightened them all the way.
Replacing the Start Button bulb requires a bit more work:
1. Start by GENTLY prying up on the clips on the chrome part of the button to allow the white plastic piece to slide off. There are two clips, one on the top and one on the bottom. Work the white plastic and spring piece away.
2. Next you will gently push the clip on the side of the button assembly out of the way to allow the circuit board to slide out the back of the button.
3. Now you can remove and replace the bulb, which is integrated into the circuit board.
4. Replace in reverse order, carefully guiding the contact leads through the white plastic and snapping everything back together.
5. Ensure that the button works properly (depresses and springs back)
4. Replace the A/C Control bulbs
This is much the same as the other side, except that we have to remove a cover.
1. Remove the three gold screws holding the white plastic cover in place and gently lift the cover out of the way. There are connections between the two boards, so exercise caution.
2. Replace four bulbs.
3. Put it back together.
5. Button it all up
Basically, do what you just did, but in reverse order.
Reattach the dash surround
1. Make sure all the clips on the dash surround are in place and intact.
2. Put dash surround up in place and connect all four connectors:
* Start button connector
* Radio controls connector
* Cruise control connector
* A/C controls connector (large green vertical connector)
3. Make sure everything fits into the dash and start to push it all back together
4. Don’t force anything. If it doesn’t want to snap back into place, pull it apart a bit and try to align things again. Look for bent clips or jammed plastic.
5. Once all your clips are snapped into place replace the two screws on the underside of the gauge cluster area.
6. Note the lettering on the two plugs for left and right (L and R) and push these back into place over the screws you just replaced.
7. The dash assembly is back in.
Reattach the steering column
1. Start by lining up the column’s bolt holes with the mid-column bolts and run down the nuts so that the column is held back up in place (these are the 12mm flanged nuts).
2. Hand-tighten the forward-most 12mm nuts.
3. Torque all nuts properly (16lbf for the forward-most nuts, 12lbf for the mid-column nuts). See Photos for Reference
4. Replace plastic column surround by clipping it to the top piece and replacing the three gold screws on the underside of the column.
5. Pop air vent mounting plug back into metal bracket and reattach wiring harness to vent
Finally…
1. Reconnect the battery.
2. Test the lights.
3. Enjoy your properly-lit dash controls.
Now is the time to re-enter your radio code if you have a stock radio and reset any other settings on your radio.
Enjoy!
[/quote]
11-14-2015, 12:57 PM
#97
I'll post some shortly...also would have been nice to know the part number for the 4 bulbs in the defroster and cruise switches since you have to remove the cluster to get at those bulbs too. I'll try and find them and I'll leave the switches partially popped out to get at them without wheel lowering...
Either way, helpful DIY, so thank you!
Either way, helpful DIY, so thank you!
11-14-2015, 04:07 PM
#98
Okay, so I won't draw this out, since it's already been explained.
I will add to order the bulbs for the hazard, roof button, cruise and defroster buttons while you're at it...as it stands, I used some that weren't burnt out to replace the burned out cruise bulb, but I'll be ordering those too...I chose to not pop the buttons totally back in so I can swap those without messing with the dash.
here it is all out...
here are the bulbs and assembly out for the main bulbs
should have done this first, had to pop it back in and then I marked which bulbs were bad and which weren't...
on the AC side, you'll need to pop the rear cover off to get at 2 of the bulbs...it makes it a LOT easier to get at the exposed bulbs too.
Here are some of the bulbs...
here's the starter button assembly taken apart to swap the bulb...I almost thought I had an issue, then realized it only lights up with key in ignition and ready to start, NOT with the parking lights like the others.
Here you can see the 4 - 12MM bolts/nuts you'll have to mess with...remove the ones closest to you (nuts)...loosen the ones furthest from you (pictured next)...move the plastic foot vent out of the way by pulling on the black clip...
Follow OP's tip to lower those out as much as possible then thread them back in a bit so you get the most room you can.
Don't forget to put the upper steering assembly cover back in before bolting the column back up...I had to retrace that step.
And now you have all your lighting back...yay.
I will add to order the bulbs for the hazard, roof button, cruise and defroster buttons while you're at it...as it stands, I used some that weren't burnt out to replace the burned out cruise bulb, but I'll be ordering those too...I chose to not pop the buttons totally back in so I can swap those without messing with the dash.
here it is all out...
here are the bulbs and assembly out for the main bulbs
should have done this first, had to pop it back in and then I marked which bulbs were bad and which weren't...
on the AC side, you'll need to pop the rear cover off to get at 2 of the bulbs...it makes it a LOT easier to get at the exposed bulbs too.
Here are some of the bulbs...
here's the starter button assembly taken apart to swap the bulb...I almost thought I had an issue, then realized it only lights up with key in ignition and ready to start, NOT with the parking lights like the others.
Here you can see the 4 - 12MM bolts/nuts you'll have to mess with...remove the ones closest to you (nuts)...loosen the ones furthest from you (pictured next)...move the plastic foot vent out of the way by pulling on the black clip...
Follow OP's tip to lower those out as much as possible then thread them back in a bit so you get the most room you can.
Don't forget to put the upper steering assembly cover back in before bolting the column back up...I had to retrace that step.
And now you have all your lighting back...yay.
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