Window Switch LED Conversion - Submitted by ruahighlander Tools and Materials Needed: Small flathead screwdriver Philips head screwdriver Soldering iron (pencil type) Solder Seven (7) LED's of you’re choosing 1. You can start with any door you wish, I started with the back so that if I messed up on the first one it wouldn’t be too noticeable. The switch panel can sometimes be a little difficult to get off. The easiest way that I have found is to stick a flathead under one edge and running it all the way around until the panel releases (be careful with the flathead it is easy to scratch your door panel doing this). Another way to get the switch panel off is to take off the entire door panel and remove the switch panel from the back of the door panel (much safer way of getting the switch panel off, but takes a little longer to get the door panel off). 2. Once you have it out you can start to get to the meat of the project. There are four small tabs that hold the circuit board and plug into the actual switch, simply take you’re flathead stick in between the two tabs and gently work one side out, then move to the other side. 3. Once you have the LED out of the switch housing you will notice a small plastic tab that covers one side of the leads. You will need to cut this plastic from around the lead, don’t worry if you accidentally cut the lead, since its coming out anyway. Before (stock): 4. Now you are ready to put in the new LED. Before going any further take note of which side is positive(+), if you’re not sure which side is which take a look at this tutorial from LSDiodes. Then you can cut the old green LED out. Now take you’re new LED and trim the leads off so that the LED fits flush with the plastic piece under it. Solder the new LED in place after making sure that you have the correct placement for the positive(+) lead. After: 5. Steps two(2) through four(4) are how you would hook up all the passenger doors. 6. Follow step one for removing the drivers switch panel, or if you don’t want to risk scratching up the switch panel, take the entire door panel off and remove it from the back side. 7. 7. The drivers switch panel comes apart much like the passenger panels, just on a larger scale. 8. This is by far the hardest part of the DIY, mainly because you cannot simply cut the old LED's off, you have to unsolder the old and remove them without damaging there holders. The easiest way to accomplish this is with patients and a very hot iron. Be sure to mark the positive side(+). 9. Once all of the old LED's are out take your new LED's and begin to shape the leads to fit there respective holders, then solder them in, again making sure you have the positive(+) side in the right position. 10. Now put the panel back together, plug it back into the car and enjoy you’re new switch panels. See this thread to discuss this Do It Yourself Guide.

Click here to Return to the Forum · Click here to return to DIY Main Page