Heater Panel Bulb Replacement

[Roker]

How do I get at the bulbs behind the heater control dials. has the whole panel got to come out? do I have to take the trim off the gear lever first. The Workshop Manual is not clear on this at all.

[frankie406]

what year and car have you got??

[mrpj]

• Gender*:Male
  
• Toyota Model: 05 Avensis 1.8
  
• UK/Ireland Location*:Cork
  

Could be a bit of a clue. ;)

[Roker]

Thanks mrpj

[Roker]

I got the cover off the gear lever area without taking the handbrake section off. There are 2 bolts inside holding the radio and heater control panel, I think the radio has to come out with the control panel attached. Can anyone please confirm

[alan333]

Take off the trim which houses the cupholder and rear window demister. It pulls off towards the rear of the car. Start at the passenger outside edge and pull gently.

Lift the gear lever surround complete with ashtray up. Start at the bit nearest the handbrake end. You can twist/maneuvre it out your way.

Remove the radio complete with the heater controls.

The next part I can't 100% remember but I do remember that splitting the radio and heater was almost impossible. I did, however, manage to change the bulbs, perhaps I got to them without splitting the two.

BTW the bulbs are rediculously expensive from Toyota. Ie twenty quid or so for two.

[frankie406]

didnt see that im on mobile site not full website mrpj!!! as the above said you have to split the heater control from the rest of unit.it pushes to side abit then pull out take out all screws then tge panel with bulbs is there..think theres 2/3 black and 1 grey bulb...£6 odds for 1..the only place to get them is toyota i tried everywhere.

[Roker]

Does the radio have to come out before splitting the control panel from it? alan333 says they are almost impossible to split

[alan333]

Remove the radio complete with the heater controls.

[frankie406]

yes take the 4 screws out of radio then the heater control panel theres screws on side which is on a bracket for the radio and control panel slightly pull them apart then the control panel pushes to side and pulls out.

[Roker]

Done it, I found it impossible to open up the heat control panel with it attached to the radio, there a 4 screws and plastic catches on the heat control panel that put up a good fight before I got access to the bulbs. I removed the radio complete and put it on the table to work on. There are 5 connectors to remove the radio from the car, some of the connectors were also very stiff to remove, on putting it back I found there were 6 sockets which had me wondering if I lost a connector in the panel somewhere, I hope not.