How To:- Change the LED Colours in the Heater Controls

Written by MR2Jay. Posted in Mk2 Interior

How To - Change The Heater Lighting Colours With LED - Solder Method

Before you start, it is essential that you have all the equipment that you need to hand. There is nothing worse than starting a job only to find that there was something else you need.
Now I have to say that I have left out one part because of this but the main effect can be seen.

OK, firstly parts

1. 10x3mm LED (I've used https://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Mod ... Code=WL34M in red for this)
2. 2x50mm LED Strip (I've used https://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?Mod ... Code=N91CX)
4. Short length of wire (positive & negative) to wire up the LED strips
5. One number T3 Neo Wedge LED (https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2pcs-T3-T4-T5-Neo ... 3098049581) - The one part I am waiting for in blue

Tools needed

1. Decent Wire Strippers
2. Soldering Iron
3. Solder
4. Side Cutters
5. Stubby Cross Head Screwdriver

Step 1 - Removing the Heater Controls

1. Lift off the gear gaitor - this can be left in place as the gaiter will pass through the surround

2. Remove the surround by lifting the rear and unclipping from the centre tunnel. Feed the gaitor through the hole.

3. Remove the ashtray and remove the 2 screws holding in the centre console

4. Unscrew the panel screw underneath the cigarette lighter. Once this is undone, the panel will unclip enough to remove the centre console.

5. Around the heater control unit, there are 4 screws holding the unit into the car. Undo these and lift the unit out, unclipping the connectors from the rear.

Step 2 - Preparing and stripping down the unit

1. Unscrew the 4 screws to the rear of the controls, lifting away the slider and the connections. Do the same for the heater on/off dial and unclip the A/C unit

2. Gently melt the solder to the back of the existing LED's while pulling the fitting. This should release them from the circuit board, leaving holes ready to fit the new LED's

Step 3 - Fitting the new LED's

1. Push through the new 3mm LED's, making sure that the longer leg is to the right if you were to look at the controls. On the circuit board, there is a symbol that looks a little like -|< . The longer leg pushes through AWAY from the arrow

2. Carefully solder the legs into position. Trim off the excess

3. Feed the 2 new wires UNDER the LED brackets. This will link the 2 strips together. Then stick the new LED strips into position

4. Tack the ends of each wire onto the strips paying attention to the polarity printed on the circuit board

5. Melt the solder on the circuit board where the main control wires come into the unit. You need to push through the brown and the red wire. This is your positive and negative feed that will control the LED strips, red to positive, brown to negative.

6. On the A/C Unit, repeat process 1 and 2 for the 2 LED's inside the control box after removing them the same way as before (skipped)

7. Insert the T3 LED bulb unit into the A/C holder (skipped)

(Note - part 6 & 7 skipped for the minute as I am waiting on the T3 LED bulb)

8. Rebuild the unit in reverse to above

9. Rebuild your dash and revel in your own brilliance!!!