DIY: replace front and rear dome lights (56k sorry)

[dubbbunny]

What you will need:

5 (2 front and 3 rear) 194 4-bulb wedge LED bulbs from a site such as superbrightleds.com

A credit card or interior removal tool
A small flathead screwdriver
One of those screw drivers with the end that looks like a star (sorry don’t know the technical name)

Front Dome Lights

First start off by removing the panel with the small holes in it. This is done by using a credit card or an interior removal tool. Starting on the left side place the card under the corner and carefully pry it back.


Once it releases work your way across the unit until the whole piece pops down. Now pull it towards you and down so that you have full access to the two screws. Remove these two screws.

Once they are removed the unit with still stay in place. Using a small flathead screwdriver release the two tabs to free the entire unit.

Hold the unit with one hand while releasing the second tab because it will fall out.

Now, free the unit from the wire harness by squeezing the blue clip.

BE CAREFULL AROUND THE STOCK BULBS! THEY ARE EXTREMELY HOT! Let the unit sit around for a few minutes before proceeding so the bulbs can cool down.

Now that the bulbs are cool proceed to remove them. This is accomplished by turning the black tabs 90 degrees and pulling outward.

Once the assembly of the light and black holster is removed proceed to pull the bulb out of the black piece.


Now place the led bulb in place and reverse the entire process to reinstall the unit. BEFORE REASSEMBLING THE UNIT TEST TO SEE IF THE BULBS ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BLUE WIRE HARNESS CLIP IS INSTERTRTED. If they do not work simply take out the bulb and black holster assembly and turn the bulb around. Since LED’s are polarized they will only work if they are placed in the right way.

Rear Dome Lights
Use a credit card or interior removal tool as before and carefully pry the assembly down starting from the rear left corner.


If needed use your fingers to release the clips as you work your way around. Once the cover is removed you will have full access to the lights.

BE CAREFULL AROUND THE STOCK BULBS! THEY ARE EXTREMELY HOT! Let the bulbs cool for a few minutes before proceeding so they can cool down.

Once cool pull out the bulbs and place in the LED’s.

Once again, make sure they bulbs illuminate before replacing the cover. If they do not work simply turn them around.
Now replace the cover, sit back and enjoy the lighting.

Amaze everyone at night when these bulbs truly shine!

Modified by dubbbunny at 10:35 AM 8-1-2007

[teriba]

Red x's for your photos and the star screwdriver is a Torx, do you know what size it is?

[dubbbunny]

yea sorry just realized i messed up the pics so i m gonna redo it

[LieutenantShinySides]

Yeah X's for me too. And I just ordered LEDs yesterday, would like to see how they turned out.


Modified by VWGeeTeeEye at 10:17 AM 8-1-2007

[dubbbunny]

sorry i ****** up the first four times. I hope this helps.

[kaner05jetta]

Looks good, but I'd rather go the white LED route cause blue'll get boring for me.

looks especially good if you want to develop photos in your car

just kidding.

[teriba]

Looks pretty cool. So you got the blue ones? I wonder what the white or red ones would look.

[dubbbunny]

Quote, originally posted by teriba »

Red x's for your photos and the star screwdriver is a Torx, do you know what size it is?

not sure about the size but its pretty small. it says t20 on the side, but not sure if that means anything

[dead0narrivel]

isnt this illegal in most states? (considered impersonating a police officer)

[kaner05jetta]

That's the size.

That's what's good about these cars too--most of the torx screws are all t20

[kaner05jetta]

Quote, originally posted by dead0narrivel »

isnt this illegal in most states? (considered impersonating a police officer)

Don't think so, that's only for exterior blue, which usually looks bad anyway

[linedpaper]

t20 is the size.

[GolfVtx]

thats awesome...where did you get the bulbs at?

[Pretarion]

I have the white LED's in my car. I ran into a problem when installing the rears. When I had all five leds on, it would uber-dim the leds. When I took out the middle led from the rear, they worked fine.
For some reason I couldn't get all five leds to work.

[GolfVtx]

wow just read the top of the post nevermind

[Uber E]

I got the blues also........but from 42 Draft Designs.

I cant leave the door actuated light setting on. The bulbs stay sort of lit all the time. So its either on or off at all times

I like it. Thought it was a little rice at first but I got over it.

[ar_mike]

can some moderator please put this in DIY??

[kaner05jetta]

Quote, originally posted by Pretarion »

I have the white LED's in my car. I ran into a problem when installing the rears. When I had all five leds on, it would uber-dim the leds. When I took out the middle led from the rear, they worked fine. For some reason I couldn't get all five leds to work.

That's odd...

Well I'm trying to see if people keep running into problems with LEDs, and I guess since the electrical system is picky and specific, LEDs won't work with me...

Interior Xenons it is???

[dubbbunny]

Quote, originally posted by dead0narrivel »

isnt this illegal in most states? (considered impersonating a police officer)

The lights don't stay on while driving so it's not illegal.

[kaner05jetta]

Hey, did you also replace the footwell lights?

[dubbbunny]

Quote, originally posted by kaner05jetta »

Hey, did you also replace the footwell lights?

My Rabbit doesn't have footwell lights but if it did i would swap those too. I love the blue look at night.

[adROCK319]

cool.

[dead0narrivel]

Quote, originally posted by dubbbunny »

The lights don't stay on while driving so it's not illegal.

what if you need to turn it on to see something? just could be that one moment etc... yadda yadda

and to whoever replied before, it doesnt matter if its interior or exterior... i was in a car and the driver has a blue led thing near visors and we got pulled over and the cop flipped at her...

[lswift84]

Quote, originally posted by teriba »

Red x's for your photos and the star screwdriver is a Torx, do you know what size it is?

most likely a t20. when i did my NAV install thats all i saw on the interior.

I used a t10 when i did the smoked side markers.

Dont use a hex! depending on how tight the screw is you could strip it real easily.

[ar_mike]

Quote, originally posted by dubbbunny »

What you will need: 5 (2 front and 3 rear) 194 4-bulb wedge LED bulbs from a site such as superbrightleds.com

Weirdly, I think my car needs 3 bulbs in front and only 2 in the back. In the back, I only have one push button that turns on the WHOLE dome. In the front, I have 2 push buttons (one for each side dome) but it seems like there's a 3rd bulb in the middle of the 2 domes in the front. I have a Jetta though, can anyone confirm the difference??

[ar_mike]

BUMP!

[kb611]

Awesome look, although I think I would have to go for the red leds, love the look

[linedpaper]

check out this thread...

http://forums.vwvortex.com/zer...16873

[thecarp]

[BoUnCyRaBbIt]

what about resisters? you don't need them?

[dubbbunny]

Quote, originally posted by BoUnCyRaBbIt »

what about resisters? you don't need them?

nope. just swap out the bulbs for led's. i believe each led bulb has its own resister in it.

[MN6845]

I just replaced my dome lights with LEDs from superbrightleds.com.
I used the white LEDs, looks nice but they stay on all the time. With the doors closed and switch in the "door position" they stay dimly lit. If I turn the switch to the "off position" then the LEDs go out completely.

Will installing resisters make them work the same as the regular incandescent bulbs?

TIA

[iMpromptu]

Quote, originally posted by dead0narrivel »

isnt this illegal in most states? (considered impersonating a police officer)

your right.

[bd jay]

will the 5,6, or 9-bulb wedge fit?

[MN6845]

The 4 and 6 led bulbs fit, no problem. Problem is they continue to be lit slightly after closing the door unless I turn the switch to the off position.