Replacing bulbs behind side-view mirror control ('03)

[GreenHornet]

I'm trying to replace these bulbs located behind the side-view mirror control box. They're small and directly connected to the circuit (so they don't really "pull-out"). I'm just wondering if anybody knows what kind of bulbs they are. Thanks.

(They used to have little blue sleeves on them, but I pulled them off to see the bulb number, which was not present.)

[rowdyprouty]

I had to do this and the bulbs are soldered on. I forget the size but i ended up using some purple LEDs instead. Of course going that route be sure they have the resistors.


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[rowdyprouty]

I don't have any of that one but heres how the fog switch turned out





Kind of a crappy led but I had it laying around and thought i would try it. Works great actually


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[GreenHornet]

One of the two bulbs is actually not working right now and I may have broekn the filament on the other one while I was disassembling the whole thing. And...that's actually what I'm aiming to do-- I'm replacing the standard bulbs with LEDs (preferably), but I'm not sure if I can find any that small. I guess I can just measure the bulb and make sure the LED is not larger than it?

I'm not sure exactly what you mean by the LEDs having resistors, I just assumed they all did -_- haha. Thanks for the pics too. I actually gave up on the fog light switch! It's funny, I didn't realize there was a bulb in there! It has never worked since I bought the car a couple years ago...and it's always a little difficult to find at night.
I'm also about to order a bunch of LEDs from Autolumination.com, but it doesn't look like they have any tiny ones...

[GreenHornet]

Actually I'm glad I didn't buy them there...they're pretty expensive at that site. Superbrightleds.com is much more reasonable. I still don't see an LED small enough though...

Edit: Looks like this one will work!

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-b...sp=%2Fleds.htm << This is the page with all the little LEDs with connectors on them-- of course they aren't listed on the "vehicle" part of the site, but I guess these tiny bulbs are unusual.

[rowdyprouty]

The reason I say with a resistor is most LEDs run on 2-6v. If you buy LEDs for 12v they will have them already and you should have no worried. Most any small led like a 3mm or small smd like mine should work.


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[rowdyprouty]

Basically I used my solder iron to heat up wear the bulb leads go thru the circuit board and are soldered. Then when the solder turned liquid pulled the lead out and repeated the same to put the LED leads in the same place. Be sure to use a meter and check + and - of the board and on the LEDs other wise they won't work. Pretty easy but I deal with electronics everyday. Let me know if you need more pictures or even video of how to do this. I will get it to you if you need.

Good luck.


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[GreenHornet]

Be sure to use a meter and check + and - of the board and on the LEDs other wise they won't work. Pretty easy but I deal with electronics everyday. Let me know if you need more pictures or even video of how to do this. I will get it to you if you need.

Good luck.

Thanks! You've been a great help. The LEDs are on their way and I believe I have a meter around here somewhere... I know the longer wire coming off the LED is + and the shorter is -. I'm surprised you are so knowledgable. I was expecting nobody to have a clue, but you proved me wrong.

[GreenHornet]

Ah so it turns out those LEDs I found actually did not have resistors in them. Any other wedge-based LED you buy has the resistor built-in. These just burned out right away. All of my other bulbs have been changed fine...but these, they're not so easy. I'll probably just end up replacing them with more tiny light bulbs (the brightness isn't really an issue anyway for these switches, I'll just be happy if they work).

On a side note, it seems as though the bulbs behind the AC cluster are actually not 74s, although I've seen people saying they are. 74s are too large and do not fit into the twist-holder. They are actually #24s (286 2721), or at least the measurements say so. If I can successfully replace them, then I'll know for sure (and I'll finally be able to put my AC cluster back in for good).

Right now I'm actually trying to figure out what type of bulb/bulbs backlight the radio LCD and knobs. I guess I'll have to figure it out myself by looking inside.