Just a quick how-to for those who wish o change out the amber light in the steering wheel controls to match the other lighting that they have changed in the gauge cluster.
DISCLAIMER: If you blow your airbag it's not my fault. Also don't attempt this if you are not comfortable using a soldering iron and doing small circuit board work.
Ok, now that that is out of the way here we go.
First and foremost disconnect the negative terminal from your battery. probably don't have to as you won't actually be disconnecting the airbag but no need to risk it.
Obviously this is the steering wheel.
Left side screw. Looks to be a 27-30 Torx head.
Right side screw, same as left.
If you don't happen to have a Torx driver, or in my case don't have one long enough to reach the screw turns out a 4mm allan head works just as well.
This shows how far in it is.
Once you loosen the screw it will stay in so don't worry about losing it.
Right side screw loosening.
At this point the airbag/horn assembly will just come right off.
Lay it down hanging from the wires.
See the single line on the left of the assemble. That is the horn line which you will need to unplug as it and the radio controls are in the same harness.
Just use a small flat head screwdriver to release the clip holding it on.
Do the same to the middle harness on the column.
Now the middle plug is out of the way.
There is one screw just at the left edge of the open area. It hold the controls in place.
Now with that screw removed you will be able to pull the controls out. It is a little tight so just pull and wiggle it a little bit.
Once loose away it goes to a more convient work space.
Here is the control assemble on my work bench, ignore the mess I've been doing a lot of fiberglassing lately.
Backside of the assembly. You can see the two small phillips screws that ned to be removed.
Screws removed.
There is one tab on the botton right that need to be openned up with a small flat head screwdriver.
And another on the top left.
Now you will be able to open the whole thing up. Here is the front, circuit board and back cover spread out.
Note the tiny ass size of the LED on the circuit board.
Here it is in comparison to the PLCC-2 LEDs used inthe gauge cluster. The correct LED size is a 1206 I have been told.
Just a shot so those who don't understand what a surface mount LED is can see. There are no solder points on the back of the circuit board, everything is soldered from the front side.
Here I am de-soldering the stock LED. All you really need to do it get a low wattage solding iron completely hot, hold it against tone end of the LED and push slightly. Once the solder has melted the LED will push up and out of the way. Repeat to the other half of the LED.
In my case since I had a few PLCC-2 LED left over from doing the gauge cluster I just used one of the for the radio controls. It's a tight fit but it works well.
Assembly is the reverse of disassembly.
Here is a shot witht he lights off.
And now with the lights on it is blue to match the rest of the dash and AC lights.
and I had to go and pick her up.
