Shifter and AC knob LED convesion

9215 Views 14 Replies 8 Participants Last post by Toasted, Aug 4, 2012

2009LEDXB

Discussion Starter · Oct 18, 2009

24

Before we start i want to say that if anthing happens to your car i am not to be held liable for what u have messed up
Tools
Electrical Tape
Wire strippers / cutters
Both types of screwdriver
five or six wire connectors
4 bright leds any color i chose blue
hot glue gun
drill with small bit

BEFORE WE START TURN ALL OF THE KNOBS ALL THE WAY TO THE LEFT SIDE SO IT WILL BE EASY TO PUT BACK TOGETHER

here are the LEDs i bought at Advanced auto parts for around ten bucks
http://

Here is the disassembly of the dash
http://

http://

http://

http://

http://

http://

http://

http://

This is the shifter LED swap
http://

This is what the oem bulb looks like that u will remove and cut the wires
http://

Then just fine out which side is the positive and which is the negative and connect the Led power cords
http://

Then wedge the LED in the hole the light bulb was in i used a little electrical tape to make a tight fit.

Now for the ac knob swap.
http://

Here are the wire harness connectors that u need to press in the tabs and remove
http://

Now to dicect the knobs this is not hard just take your time.
The two outside knobs will take the same steps but the middle knob is different
the first part is for the two outside knobs
http://

Each knob has two sets of clips that will need to be popped off
This is the first set
http://

This is the second set
http://

This is the inside of the knob
http://

remove the piece that is the middle button of the knob it will pop off with a little wiggal
http://

The oem bulbs twist out and here is them removed from each of the knobs
http://

Were the oem light was is were i put the new led and ran all of the wire connected to the led through the hole were the bulb was
the first piece u took off is were the hole needs to be drilled they only need to be drilled on the two outside knobs the middle knob is already open so no hole is needed
http://

run the wires through the drilled holes and and put all of the knobs back together
http://

i wired the three leds in the knobs back to the led that is under the shifter because the lights in the knobs run off of metal plates so i wired them all into the positive and negative green wires from the light on the shifter
http://

then put your dash back together and your good to go here is how it turned out
http://

If u have any questions don't hesitate to ask.
Hope u like it

See less See more

1 - 15 of 15 Posts

joemader

· #2 · Oct 19, 2009

You definately get some good karma for this outstanding DIY.

I don't feel quite as hesitant about doing this now.

Do you think the blue distributes well and is visible on the outside icons of the knobs? Also, does the like from the one LED in the shifter make it all the way down to the 'D' (drive). I just worry about the bulbs looking less distributed and gradient.

2009LEDXB

Discussion Starter · #3 · Oct 19, 2009

yeah i thought the same thing but to my surprise it covered everything very well and yeah it does reach all the way down because the compartment is sealed off so it bounces off the white plastic

hey and i will post a diy later when i do it but i found out that the red light in the four way flashers is the same as in the traction control button so i am gunna go to Toyota soon and get the switch so both will be red it looks good the blue and red and it gets rid of more of the ugly amber

joemader

· #4 · Oct 19, 2009

your 7th picture...that says "Remove this screw"...that screw seems far away from the ac knobs...what is that holding together? I'd hate to think of how long it took to figure out that screw way up there had to be removed.

2009LEDXB

Discussion Starter · #5 · Oct 19, 2009

you don't really have to it just allows the dash to flex a little more to get the ac controls out no big deal just for a little more wiggl room

sovereign

· #6 · Nov 10, 2009

does the vent that the radar detector is in still work? or did you block it off?

joemader

· #7 · Nov 10, 2009

Sovereign said:
does the vent that the radar detector is in still work? or did you block it off?

WOW i didn't even notice that!

I have a Passport Radar...and still got pulled one day....got a ticket...probably due to the fact that the cop saw my detector.

Do you have sensors on the outside of the car...or does the detector pick up everything from inside your dash!?
Do you still access the buttons by reaching through your A/C vent?
Does the vent still work?

Sorry for all the questions, I just like your amazing idea.

sovereign

· #8 · Nov 10, 2009

don't want to get off topic, but how do you like the passport radar detector?

joemader

· #9 · Nov 10, 2009

well...i could say it works...but as my previous post says...i got pulled over while it was on. I think i got caught cause the cop turned his radar on specifically to hit me, and it was too late.

Otherwise, it picks up radars from pretty far away...even a few hundred yards on straight shots. You learn where it gives false alarms...drug stores...harley davidson shops..ect.

sometimes i see police and it hasn't beeped at all...i can only assume they don't have their radars on and wouldn't be able to pull me over?

hope this helps.

xtylerx

· #10 · Nov 10, 2009

I might be missing something, but why not just replace the factory bulbs with blue leds?

IvoryB

· #11 · Oct 13, 2010

Just an FYI for this.. Instead of drilling the AC knobs for LED's.. You should be able to replace them with Instrument cluster LED's from http://autolumination.com/74.htm. They are the SMT Neowedge bulbs and they will just slip right in.. no drilling..

xtylerx

· #12 · Oct 13, 2010

Yeah, nice DIY and all but you made that about a million times more complicated than it should be.

xbRS8.0

· #13 · Jul 9, 2012

what type of bulb is the bulb that lights up the automatic shift panel???

Kewladekidd

· #14 · Aug 4, 2012

Also have the rs8. What size and type LEDs do I need for the hvac controls and the shifter panel? Really want to do this, just don't want to tear apart the dash till I'm ready to do it.

Is there any kind of guide for the '11 xb which lists all interior bulbs and the crossovers to LEDs?

Toasted

· #15 · Aug 4, 2012

Just go here :

Instrument Cluster and Gauge Backlights - Super Bright LEDs

Thats all the instrument panel type lights.

And here is a list I found somewhere of all the lights and type #'s for XB (no idea where I got it, but I collect data).

Headlights (low) - #9704 - 55W - H11 halogen bulbs
Headlights (high) - #9005 - 60W - HB3 halogen bulbs
Foglights - #9704 - 55W - H11 halogen bulbs
Front turn signal lights / parking lights - #1157NA - 27/8W - Single end bulbs (amber)
Front side marker lights - - 5W - Wedge base bulbs
Side turn signal lights - - 0.4W - LED
Rear turn signal lights - 7440 - 21W - Wedge base bulbs
Stop/tail lights and rear side marker lights - 7443 - 21/5W - Wedge base bulbs
Back-up lights - 7440 - 21W - Wedge base bulbs
High mounted stoplight - - 3.6W - LED
License plate lights - 194 - 5W - Wedge base bulbs
Interior light - 28mm - 8W - Double end (Festoon) bulbs (30mm can fit)
Personal light - 194 - 8W - Wedge base bulbs
Luggage compartment light - 28mm - 5W - Double end (Festoon) bulbs (30mm can fit)

hope it helps,

See less See more

1 - 15 of 15 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.