How to: 2000+ radio light fix tutorial (45pics)

[harofreak00]

Yes, but they aren't as bright.

[locowbl]

I just replaced the bulbs per your tutorial. I wish that I had found this information years ago. Everything was exactly as you showed. One note for anyone else who might want to try this is to make sure that the ends of the T1 bulbs are not sticking out of the back side of the circuit board too far. They can ground out on the metal case of the radio.

[Ken_W]

What about the 20-or-so little red bulbs that go behind various radio buttons (such as 1-2-3-4-5-6)? I've got a few of those that are out. The tutorial shows how to open the radio to access them, but where can you get the actual bulbs and how do you change them out?

(Am posting to the main radio light fix thread because somebody, someday, is bound to have the same question.)

Ken_W

[harofreak00]

LED's don't typically burn out. I have a couple radios here that have some of the LED's not working. I took them out and was going to replace them but when I removed them, I tested them and they worked fine. It seemed like it was a problem with the circuit board, not the LED. Going to be hard to fix that one.

[crash93ssei]

Excellent writeup.

Just replaced six burnt out bulbs in the radio for the 03. I used all radio shack bulbs 272-1092 as pictured on page one, replaced the three behind the LCD and the three along the bottom.

All said and done it took me about 45 minutes from start to finish, definitely not bad. I am very happy with the end result, though the LCD is slightly dimmer then stock, but honestly not bad and definitely not enough to make me want to spend $20 for the right bulbs.

This cost me about $6.50 for the six bulbs.

[edonop]

Excellant!
Just replaced all 7 bulbs as per the tutorial. No issues whatsoever. Thanks for that very informative writeup.

[FIND]

Do any of you know the polarity of each of the lights or which pins are +12v and ground for the illumination on the circuit board? I'm going to see if I can come up with an LED solution, but LEDs, being diodes, only work in one direction. Therefore, I figured that if any of you knew, that would save me a little time. Polarity for any of the other switches, knobs or appliances using incandescent bulbs would be handy too, but aren't necessary, since the radio is the only component other than the instrument cluster that are complicated enough to cost me more than a few seconds to figure out.

Thanks in advance if anyone knows.

[Bryan_leonard]

This helped out so much. Thanks. Replaced every bulb and uber satisfied...

[jackdoherty5@comcast.net]

Excellent post! Your attention to detail is fantastic. Thanks for the great pics.

[bradkerbick]

Wow, its amazing what the right information can do for us.... Just did this fix yesterday and having no clock or radio station readout for about 3 years!!! Thanks

[tyler.avis]

Just finished this little project. Thanks for the writeup.

[heather.christian83]

Ok. All of my lights are out on radio except display. I'll get Hubby to try try this. What about the dash lights behind the gauges? Mine appears to have a blown bulb...only part of it is lit.

[spoiledred94]

I didn't scour the whole thread, but the display on my 01 SSEi is NOT "LCD" it apparently a multisegment LED. That's just my guess. The display you're calling LCD is the red display that scrolls some info along the bottom and channel, vol etc.? Mine lights fully on the left and gradually fades into nothing toward the right. Is this the right fix for me?

Kris

[harofreak00]

This is an LCD (liquid crystal display), not an LED (light emitting diode).

This is your fix.

[gold_xero]

would it be possible to solder in a led strip behind the lcd and buttons? http://www.alpena.ca/category.aspx?catid=31

[harofreak00]

Everyone always asks that, but nobody has ever tried it. It is discussed in the beginning of this thread. Try it and post back.

[gold_xero]

I'm surprised no one has done it. I'll probably give it a shot after the Taurus is done at the body shop (walmart parking lot ). the good thing about the strips is they have resistors already in them.

[gold_xero]

are the 2000-2005 slightly different with the wiring to the radio or the same?

[harofreak00]

The pinouts are the same, but the type of wiring changed from a printed circuit to standard wiring in 02.

[Roadrunner]

I found another bulb that works behind the display - a 2162.

I bench tested good OEM bulbs from Bose & Monsoon HU's and measurements were:
.093 to .097 Amp @ 12.2V
.102 to .106 Amp @ 14.1V
OEM bulb is 0.162" dia X 0.42" long

On web, I found "2162 miniature bulb, wire terminal base" rated 0.1 Amp @ 14V and size 0.52" max OAL X 5.6 mm dia
I ordered bulbs from here: http://www.bulbtown.com/2162_MINIATURE_ ... p/2162.htm (there are other sources and rated life varies.)

Current measurements for the 2162 bulbs I got were:
.096 to .107 Amp @ 12.2V
.105 to .116 Amp @ 14.1V
In regard to size, they are .025" larger in diameter and length is pretty much identical to OEM.


The slightly larger diameter made the opaque condoms fit very tightly compared to original and since they were stretched they didn't cover as much length.
Otherwise, these bulbs work well and seem to be as bright as OEM.