Interior Car Lighing

[FattyBattyBoy]

Does anybody know how to install and replace different coloured interior and dashboard lights?? Also where to get the LED's from to replace?

[Clarkey D]

Its really simple to replace the interior bulbs.

The following are all W5W/501/Wedge bulbs.

Centre map lights - Pull down on the whole unit in the centre of the roof and itl un-pop from the lining. bulbs are easily accesible from there.

Vanity lights (behind sun visors0 - Pull down from the edge closest to the door, simple to access once again.

Number plate light - Access them from inside the boot using the opening in the trim. Pop each light out individually pushing the whole light fitting out from the inside. Simply unclip the clear cover and replace the bulbs.

Centre roof light I went for a 36mm Festoon bulb. Was a tad longer than the orginal, but still fits and gives off good light. This one is tricker to access, you need to push in the four clips holding it in place by using something flat and itl just pop out, take your time though. Also, when the bulb has been replaced make sure that you put the unit back together correctly, or else the switch wont work!

The boot light was a 31mm festoon bulb and is accessed by just simply popping it out by pushing the catch behind the light cover, once again using a thin object!

Ive gone for white LED bulbs in mine, but havent taken any decent pics to put on here yet!

Finally, to replace the dash lighting the bulbs you need are 3020 surface mount LED's. Also known as PLCC-2 SMD's. Make sure you buy good quality, or else the bulb will be greatly underpowered and look rubbish, not giving off enough light! I've been looking at it, and getting ready to do this to mine, but am a bit reluctant as its had the dashboard replaced twice under warranty already and its only 3yrs old! :-S

Hope this helps!

[davethefish]

Riddle me this?

What sort of bulb is the one in the glove box and how does it come out?

I poked it for quite a while but maybe my screwdriver was too fat!

Any knowledge on this anyone?

Cheers and a very happy Christmas and New Year to all.

Dave.

[tavy]

It's a LED.

Take out the glove box (put it in the horizontal position) and you can see the small lamp that has a connector which is caught in 2 hooks.

Merry Christmas, too.

[davethefish]

It's a LED.

Take out the glove box...i

Thanks for that Tavy. I'll tackle it after Christmas. Fancy changing it to a brighter white light. I'll post the pics once complete.

Dave. : )

[davethefish]

I'll post the pics once complete.

And so I did. Appologies for image quality, it's also a bit lighter in the old bulb side of the pics, I couldn't wait for the dark to fit them!

When it was completey dark, the light in the car was noticably different, it looks cooler anyway.

I'll be doing my map lights and number plate in the coming days, as soon as the bulbs arrive, then I hope we'll see some difference.

[davethefish]

I'll be doing my map lights and number plate in the coming days, as soon as the bulbs arrive, then I hope we'll see some difference.

When I got home yesterday, the bulbs were there (minus the boot festoon bulb). Here is a little comparison. I'll post the rear number plate pics once I've cleaned the car.

The colour is obviously different. They aren't massivly brighter but stand out at night.

Standy for rear number plates, then glove box LED...

Dave.

[smudge-1991]

How does the number plate look now it's done

[wastedagen]

Its really simple to replace the interior bulbs.The following are all W5W/501/Wedge bulbs.Centre map lights - Pull down on the whole unit in the centre of the roof and itl un-pop from the lining. Bulbs are easily accesible from there.Vanity lights (behind sun visors0 - Pull down from the edge closest to the door, simple to access once again.Number plate light - Access them from inside the boot using the opening in the trim. Pop each light out individually pushing the whole light fitting out from the inside. Simply unclip the clear cover and replace the bulbs.Centre roof light I went for a 36mm Festoon bulb. Was a tad longer than the orginal, but still fits and gives off good light. This one is tricker to access, you need to push in the four clips holding it in place by using something flat and itl just pop out, take your time though. Also, when the bulb has been replaced make sure that you put the unit back together correctly, or else the switch wont work!The boot light was a 31mm festoon bulb and is accessed by just simply popping it out by pushing the catch behind the light cover, once again using a thin object!Ive gone for white LED bulbs in mine, but havent taken any decent pics to put on here yet!Finally, to replace the dash lighting the bulbs you need are 3020 surface mount LED's. Also known as PLCC-2 SMD's. Make sure you buy good quality, or else the bulb will be greatly underpowered and look rubbish, not giving off enough light! I've been looking at it, and getting ready to do this to mine, but am a bit reluctant as its had the dashboard replaced twice under warranty already and its only 3yrs old! :-SHope this helps!

On mine the centre door light is a 32mm festoon and the boot is a 36mm festoon.. Just replaced them today for LED's.... Gonna have a cracked at vanity mirror lights now..

[smudge-1991]

Put up some pics of the vanity lights as I want to do mine also

[wastedagen]

OK will do but it will have to be later today as I'm off to work now..

[smudge-1991]

Right on not a problem

[wastedagen]

Here are some pics of the interior lights. Let me know if there's any the no specific you wanna see and I'll get them when I can.

As you can tell the centre light is Cool White(6000k). Only one I had laying around. I have ordered a new brighter white(5000k) to replace it.

I uploaded these using my phone and the app, hope they are viewable.....

[smudge-1991]

How easy are the vanity lights and also what bulb did they take

[wastedagen]

Real easy. Just gotta make sure the led bulbs aren't too long.... Give me a few hours and I'll pop to car and get some install pics for ya.....

They take standard w5w wedge bulbs

[wastedagen]

OK. Had time to do it now.

Just carefully pry from the left of the light and pull down. Then pull out the wedge bulb. Easy

As a bonus measure for more light, I put foil behind all the light bulbs to reflect any lost light back into car. I have done this on all my interior lights. Every little helps.....

[smudge-1991]

Ideal so takes seconds ... Love the foil idea will get all over that

[Coolissimo]

On 9/14/2014 at 3:08 PM, wastedagen said:

OK. Had time to do it now.

Just carefully pry from the left of the light and pull down. Then pull out the wedge bulb. Easy

As a bonus measure for more light, I put foil behind all the light bulbs to reflect any lost light back into car. I have done this on all my interior lights. Every little helps.....

Hi mate, can I ask you if when you replaced the bulbs do you find that you have more light or the same or less? Obviously the colour is different .

[wastedagen]

Hi, yes I can definitely say these LED's produce more light. Especially the centre lights. 

I think I bought these bulbs from a website in the states. As I couldn't find anything in the UK that I liked. But this was a few years ago so I'm sure they can be found here.  I think the website was https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/led-vehicle-replacement-bulbs/. 

I have bought from here too.. http://www.horizonleds.co.uk/. 

I changed my headlights to LED buying from this website. 

Hope this helps... 

[eygo]

the glove box light is a little trickier to change i purchased a replacement light incase a messed it up (partners car)

i drilled out the amber led that is fitted as standard with a 5mm drill pressed the new white led into the housing

and soldered the led legs onto the light unit,i have tried to take pictures but as of yet i haven't been able to take

a decent image showing off the new light but the difference is vast well worth the time to complete.

you can now actually see whats in the glove box.

[wastedagen]

That's the one bulb I haven't  changed yet because, like you said, it's a bit tricky.. 

Have done the boot too.. But I am also thinking of buying a second lighting unit to go on the opposite side of boot for more light. Can't have too much light. Especially when trying to find something small.. 

[Coolissimo]

1 hour ago, wastedagen said:

That's the one bulb I haven't  changed yet because, like you said, it's a bit tricky.. 

Have done the boot too.. But I am also thinking of buying a second lighting unit to go on the opposite side of boot for more light. Can't have too much light. Especially when trying to find something small.. 

Thanks for the answer,could I ask you which interior bulbs you bought? as the ones I have  in the are are 12V 8W , would be nice to have an idea .

I replaced my low beam bulbs for a Philips White vision, thou I wanted a LED, but the conversion and the MOT is an issue, could I ask you which low beams you bought? And if you got any issue in the MOT ?

Kind Regards

[wastedagen]

27 minutes ago, Coolissimo said:

Thanks for the answer,could I ask you which interior bulbs you bought? as the ones I have  in the are are 12V 8W , would be nice to have an idea .

I replaced my low beam bulbs for a Philips White vision, thou I wanted a LED, but the conversion and the MOT is an issue, could I ask you which low beams you bought? And if you got any issue in the MOT ?

Kind Regards

Sorry I don't know exactly which ones I bought, but I'm sure they were about 20-25w.

As for the headlights I installed these http://www.horizonleds.co.uk/headlamp-cree-led/5th-gen-4000-lumens/h11-5th-gen-4000-lumens

And I have these for a few years now and never had an issue with MOT's. 

This is the thread I posted my LED installations. 

 

[Coolissimo]

15 minutes ago, wastedagen said:

Sorry I don't know exactly which ones I bought, but I'm sure they were about 20-25w.

As for the headlights I installed these http://www.horizonleds.co.uk/headlamp-cree-led/5th-gen-4000-lumens/h11-5th-gen-4000-lumens

And I have these for a few years now and never had an issue with MOT's. 

This is the thread I posted my LED installations. 

 

Thanks mate, once again for the answer I need to do a research to see check for the interior LEDs, by the way on your Low Bean what did you have before the H11 Philips LUXEON ZES Headlight Kit ?

What was the socket and wattage of the bulbs?

Thanks

[wastedagen]

6 minutes ago, Coolissimo said:

Thanks mate, once again for the answer I need to do a research to see check for the interior LEDs, by the way on your Low Bean what did you have before the H11 Philips LUXEON ZES Headlight Kit ?

What was the socket and wattage of the bulbs?

Thanks

Before those I had these LED bulbs. http://www.horizonleds.co.uk/headlamp-cree-led/4th-generation-cree-led-kits/h11-cree-led-headlight-kit-g4

These were 22watts I believe. And my present Phillips ones are 25 watts. 

And before these I had HID bulbs(35 watts). Before that was standard halogen... The socket/bulb type on my mark 1 has always been H11 for low beam and HB3 for high beam...