HVAC controls

[Reason]

Stupid question, did the L's come with lights?? I opened mine up and it had no lights.

[decke48]

i would think it would.. did you get down to the circuit board?

[Bohemian_Funk]

I seem to remember mine having lights... A long, long time ago... I've certainly been wishing to be able to see my creature comfort buttons.

[Benfolio]

Could be the guy who had it and changed the cluster to red or orange or whatever it is tried to change the HVAC to match and got stuck or sidetracked or got fustrated because they are dealer only bulbs and just took em out.

[AkumaMax]

I've got a 96 L Wagon and mine came with lights in

Gauge cluster
HVAC control
Radio
Rear defroster
Cruise control
Hazard

This is all the pieces in my car that I have replaced the lights in other than dome, ash trey, glove box.

[jonklein611]

The lights are prob burned out.


http://legacygt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=26408


that's a great how to on replacing the bulbs.

[Reason]

Nope there were no bulbs. I get another HVAC control from a GT and it had bulbs. I took them out and replaced them with white LEDs.

[jonklein611]

That's strange, my L has bulbs for the HVAC lighting....

[Bhatman]

Nope there were no bulbs. I get another HVAC control from a GT and it had bulbs. I took them out and replaced them with white LEDs.


How was the conversion to leds? Did it require any extra wiring?

[jonklein611]

He prob got the LEDs that fit that bulb type, should be a direct drop in. I might have to try that next time one burns out.....

[Reason]

They aren't direct, I haven't seen the correct size yet. These are larger and need to be "forced" in gently.

[jonklein611]

have you tried radio shack?

[Reason]

Nah they usually have everything I don't need.

[jonklein611]

lol, they have a ton of bulbs / LEDs. Might be able to find one that actually fits.

[Huffer]

I sold an HVAC unit to AussieDan (which unfortunately the bulbs were blown) and he got bulbs from Radioshack.

[decke48]

he must of used the bulb housing and replace just the led part

[AussieDan]

Yeah, I just replaced the actual bulbs but re-used the plastic bases and green 'boot' over the bulbs (the radioshack bulbs are a little bigger but the boots still went on ok). I forget the radioshack # but I have the packaging in the garage still if anyone needs them.

This was on the 98 hvac from Huffer, the 97 had larger bulbs and while the radioshack bulbs fitted the plastic base the 97 'boot' part was too big to stay on the bulb.

I should have taken pics, but I'm not about to pull it all apart again just for that!

[jonklein611]

Radio Shack part #272-1092, it's a 2 pack.

[jonklein611]

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/10/DSC00898-2.jpg

From the LGT.com thread. Then they look like:


https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/10/DSC01151-1.jpg

[AussieDan]

You don't have to open it further to replace the bulbs, but you can.

Pop off the temperature slider knob, then remove the 2 screws and open the 2 clips to remove the whole temperature slider assembly.

Remove the 2 screws on the PCB and open the plastic clips that the PCB goes into, then pull/rock it straight back to remove it. The buttons will pop off the front and it will come apart, just be gentle and work at it.

To remove the fan knob I found the easiest is to release the 3 clips at the back and pry it backwards, this will pop the knob off the front without damaging it.

To remove the a/c switch bend the plastic clip and push it out the front.

[impreza_GC8]

Holy $hit I never even realized those lit up!!!!!
My mom's 97 Outback has blown HVAC lights so I just assumed thats how they were. My '97 Outback has blown HVAC lights too.
Was this a common problem with those cars?

[Huffer]

Holy $hit I never even realized those lit up!!!!!
My mom's 97 Outback has blown HVAC lights so I just assumed thats how they were. My '97 Outback has blown HVAC lights too.
Was this a common problem with those cars?

For cars that are 10 years old, sure.

[impreza_GC8]

^ Wow well I'm pretty pumped to replace them. I even swiped an extra HVAC unit from a junkyard and I'm pretty sure the bulbs in that one are blown as well. Thats very interesting.
Is anybody still on their original bulbs?

[Reason]

Mine blew in my GT when it was 5 years old. I never replaced them..... With the L they were blown when I got the car.

[decke48]

i still have 1 original bulb! the blue on for the fan

[jonklein611]

mine burned out like after about 5 years. They are just little flashlight bulbs so they don't last forever.

[jey]

Is anybody still on their original bulbs?

I'm pretty sure I am, and it's a junkyard part from a 97 Legacy. Unless the previous owner of the junkyard car was diligent enough to have done it. But yes my 98 Legacy came with burned out bulbs and that was back in 2002 when I bought it, so it didn't even last 4 years.

[Wagonista]

The light for the buttons with the pictures of how the air blows just went out on my wagon tonight. >:[ Looks like I'm off to radioshack.

[jonklein611]

same part number works for the switches on the dash (cruise / defrost / fogs) two in each of those.

[Wagonista]

Oddly enough, I replaced the front spotlight in my car, and the light came back on in the HVAC controller. I'm wondering if it's coincidental or if the one light bulb that lights up the "picture buttons" is also on the circuit for the spotlight.

[jey]

Once the lights in my HVAC unit went out, and I was like darn it I guess it finally burned out. A couple days later they came back and stayed back on for many months afterwards. It's like there was a fluke in the connection one day or something.

[Svenerachi]

all of my bulbs blew about a year ago except for the recirculating and a/c on/off switch

but when that happened my spotlight(s) also went out, in fact none of the lights come on as far as my interior is concerned except for the vanity mirror lights.... makes it interesting finding things at night.

[beckleysuby51]

i got my 98 gt limited in 99 and the lights were blown then. i think it has something to do with the green rubber boots that cover the bulbs. All the bulbs in my sedan and my dads 95 wagon that were blown had that rubber boot over them.

[TheAngryPidgeon]

What's with those boots anyways? I pulled them off the bulbs when I was in there, lol. Mine weren't blown in my '98, but they were suited and booted.

[beckleysuby51]

the boots in my and my dads wagon were "fused" to the bulbs, i just assumed the boot is making the bulbs overheat and thts why they are going bad. I just cant understand why leds werend used throught the assembly.

[decke48]

i recently installed new bulbs in my hvac controlls. I just dont understand why subaru didnt use leds for this??? "from a diferent post"
they did use led to light the controls just weird bases you can either just buy led bulb and retrofit the bases or buy the OEM bulbs

[jonklein611]

i recently installed new bulbs in my hvac controlls. I just dont understand why subaru didnt use leds for this??? "from a diferent post"
they did use led to light the controls just weird bases you can either just buy led bulb and retrofit the bases or buy the OEM bulbs

Not in my car, they used 12V flashlight bulbs, not LEDs....

[decke48]

ohh. havent seen one yet. first time for everything

[Okin DaVanh]

Not in my car, they used 12V flashlight bulbs, not LEDs....


Same here.


I actually tried replacing them with some led's from Radio Shack and the voltage wouldn't light them up. I'm gonna go there today with the part # listed here to see if it was the same thing I had before (still got the ones I installed in there) and hope they work.

If not, buy a few flashlights and remove the bulbs :wink: j/k

[slaytalera]

you mean they actually light up :shock:

at this point ive gotten used to blind pressing the buttons, but itll still be cool to actually see them...one more project added to the list!

[T_F_E]

you mean they actually light up :shock:

at this point ive gotten used to blind pressing the buttons, but itll still be cool to actually see them...one more project added to the list!

exact same here

[Okin DaVanh]

Radio Shack part #272-1092, it's a 2 pack.

This is what I got today. 4 of them to be exact (2 per pack)


Well, after a 1/2 hour and $3.20 later, they all work and light up properly. I didn't replace the green "condom" on the fan or temp. switch tho. I'll try and post the finish product.


Thanks to Jonklein611 for the part #'s. Made it alot easier to just get exactly what I needed.

[beckleysuby51]

its ben a week since i did mine and i havent had any problems out of them. i also bought my bulbs from radioshack. the sane bulbs in the hvac also fit the fog, defrost, and cruse buttos on my 98. they also are supposed to be lit whenever the guage lights are on, and when u press them the light orange

[jonklein611]

https://sl-i.net/FORUM/images/imported/2008/10/DSC01151-2.jpg

:grin:

[resilient2]

Finally figured out HVAC dash light bulbs. There's a nice tutorial in this site, with these mods. 1. unhook slider unit at bottom , in corner where pass. footwell meets center hump. (That saves an hour and a lot of hassle with circlips). Second, when unit is out of car,carefully slide up back cover over bulb housing Use radio shack bulb 7219 part #272-1092 ( they can look it up in their computer).(They are tiny, and very easy to install into the lamp bases if you set up a magnifying glass! (and use reading glasses) The radio shack bulbs fit nicely if you take your time and even work in the flasher warning switch. And cheaper. $3.50 x 2 = $7.00 in parts for all 4 lamps. Took a lot of time researching and a short time fixing. Amazing to see the middle of my dash again. Oh, 98 Subaru Legacy Outback wagon. Thanks for everyone's help