Door Handle LED Mod
 

Another one I did at HA

First, props to KayJai in this here for all of his info. It was from this info that I decided to do this mod.

Used: 2 blue 3.7v 20mA 2600mcd 5mm LED's ($1.50 for both)
This took me about 30 minutes including removing and reinstalling the door panel.


First you need to pop the door panel off, which most of us already know how to do.
Once the door panel is off you will need to pop the window switch out. It simply pops up (versus down which in turn would make it fall inside the door panel if the panel were on)with a little prying on the tabs holding it in.

Once it is out you need to pop the top gray trim piece off, it should look like this afterwards

http://www.brendanandliz.com/images/diy3.jpg

Now you need to take the window switch buttons off. There is a black plastic rod that slides thru them. All you need to do is poke the rod with something small and then pull it out. Keep in mind the window switch buttons are spring loaded, so it is a good idea to push down on them while removing the rod to keep them from flying away.

http://www.brendanandliz.com/images/diy1.jpg

You will need to desolder the two joints above circled in red in order to remove the circuit board the LEDs are on. Once it's desoldered you can remove it by gently prying on it with a screwdriver. It may help to pry while you have a hot soldering gun on the joint. Once it is removed you need to flip it over and desolder the existing LEDs circled in red (below). The big red arrow pointing down is for reference for the polarities of the LEDs. The LED has a big metal flange inside of it on one side. That big metal flange faces the direction the arrow is pointing.

http://www.brendanandliz.com/images/diy2.jpg

Just do everything in reverse to put it back together and your done. Hopefully it should look something like this:

http://www.brendanandliz.com/images/diy4.jpg

My digital camera does not do this mod justice. It is really a deep, rich blue, not a washed out bluish green color.

I would have posted some more thorough pics but I am quickly running out of much needed space on my web server.

Good Luck.[/url]

I did the LED install on the door handle. To do this I wired it up to the window power wires, so when my headlights are on, the LED are. Anyways... I did it without removing the door panel. You are able to pop the window switch panel out with a flat head screwdriver. Pry from the Window Lock button end first, then from the other side, and it pops out pretty easily (do it at each end, not on the sides for easiest results).

Good luck on anyone doing this. I'll try it in a few weeks wink.gif

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (AllBlackTibby)</div><div class='quotemain'>Another one I did at HA
My digital camera does not do this mod justice. It is really a deep, rich blue, not a washed out bluish green color.</div>

he is right. i did this mod already and the color is really deep and looks very different from that picture.

guys, i'm having a trouble taking out the window switch panel....help would be apprecaited!

(i tried using flat screwdriver on the window lock end, it didn't pop out at all....)

HELP!!
 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (hprockets)</div><div class='quotemain'>guys, i'm having a trouble taking out the window switch panel....help would be apprecaited!

(i tried using flat screwdriver on the window lock end, it didn't pop out at all....)</div>
Take the door panel off!!!
DO NOT TRY TO POP IT OFF FROM JUST USING A FLATHEAD FROM THE SWITCH PART.
3 screws at the back
2 up front by the vents
1 by the door handle, which will take the handle plate off
2 inside the big black handle you use to close the door.

Put your knee on the metal outside part of the door, and pull the plastic door panel off by starting at the lower corner.

thanx a millino kayjai...i just finished the mod...hehe

i think i'll do the driver's side next week...=)

I want to do this mod along with the door handle LED mod but I went to Radio Shack and they only have the LED you specified in Blue. I want to do the mods in red. Is there a red LED I can use with different specifications? Or do I need to hunt around to find one?

You should be able to find them online at superbrightleds.com

There aren't any 2600mcd red LED's on their site :cry: There is a 3000mcd one at 1.7 volts or something like that. Would that possibly work?

DIY clear corners???
 

you will just have to get a higher ohm resistor to bring the voltage going into the led down.