nice tut. if i wasnt too lazy to take out my head liner i would deff do this
This tutorial will show you how to effectively take apart and clean your overhead dome light in your 8G. Also this is great if you want to change over from your bulbs to LEDs. Disclaimer: Don't blame me if you fuck your shit up. =)
We start by removing the dome light from the car. In order to remove it we need to just pull it out of the headliner. It is not attached by screws. However, you do need to unplug it. Just push the tab in on the plug and you should be able to pull it out.
This is what you need in order to get this dome light taken apart.
Yes, just a philips head screwdriver. You need to flip the dome light over to show the bulbs, those need to be removed first.
In order to remove them you must apply pressure to outer tab so that the bulb can unhook from it.
Once it is unhooked from the one side, it should just slide off of the inner tab.
Once the bulb is out, this is what you should have.
Please repeat same exact steps for the opposite side. This is what you should end up with.
Once the bulbs are out you can stick your finer into where the bulb used to be to push down on the lenses so that they can pop off.
You should get something like this when you push your finger through.
Remove the plastic lens by pulling inwards towards the switch on the dome light because it does have a tab.
You should end up with this.
Repeat for opposite lens. You should end up with this.
Here we are removing the buttons that control each bulb. These are very easy to remove. Just grab them and slide outwards.
You should end up with this.
Do the same exact thing on the other side of the dome light. You should end up with this.
Once those are gone, we can worry about the big selector button. You want to start by removing the philips screw.
Be careful when you are removing the screw because there is a small metal ball and a spring that will come off with the button. This is what you should get after removing the screw. *Notice* the metal piece has a cut out for a tab so that you put it back on the right way!
Now before we flip the dome light over you want to sneak your thumb underneath it and hold that button in place so that you don't lose the ball or spring. They are greased so the spring might stick to the switch and the ball might stick to the dome light. Mine did.
Flip it over and pull the switch off. You can see the small spring still inside the button.
Here you can see the ball on the dome light.
This is what you should get when you have taken everything out.
The only pieces you would want to clean is the button, lenses, and the actual dome light. Nothing else will be seen. Jeez, look at how dirty this thing is.
Then would you would want to do is just run it under some soap and water and clean the lenses and button with your hands. Do the same for the dome light, but you might want to use a tooth brush to get into the letters on the light. You might get some gunk in there. Here is an after shot.
Comparison. NOTE* Before you tell me I'm a dirty fuck, this came from a parts car.
To put it back together just follow these instructions backwards. Make sure you dry the parts well, especially the pins where it gets plugged in BEFORE you plug it back into your car.
Thanks for looking, and yes I do have too much time on my hands.
Here's some LED information.
Best bet is to get a pair of these and solder them in. Might have to modify the dome light housing so that these will fit. Best to measure first then order. Most of these LED boards have measurements on the page. eBay is your best bet. Pic is just for reference.
Just cut it at the wires and solder em in. No need for that bulb adapter..
Its what I did..
This is my interior at night with the dome light on, no flash on the cam. *OLD PICTURE*
Last edited by Jeffylou87; 02-08-2010 at 08:39 PM
You don't have to take out your headliner, you just have to take the dome light out of the headliner.. Lol, it pops right out..
hey do they make an led bulb for the dome light neone know??
man that lense is nasty...mine are still perfect, but this is a good write up for people wanting to put LED dome bulbs in :)
Updated first post with LED information.
Last edited by Jeffylou87; 02-08-2010 at 08:38 PM
How did you secure the led boards inside the housing so they don't flop around?
how are you illuminating your rear ?
i have the same ones but dont understand how to put them in
Awesome tutorial! My dome lights wiring contacts is probably dirty, sometimes they work, sometimes the don't, LOL. Haven't had time to fix it, maybe one of these days I will.
Just pull it till it pops off
«Carlos»
stick a credit car inbetween it and the headliner and pry
You can just grab it and pull it. Won't break.
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