A/C Panel Button Lights for 2001 Pathfinder

[jpedderson]

Does anyone know what the part numbers are for the tiny bulbs that light up the A/C buttons? Mine have gone dark in my 2001 Pathfinder. I have the auto controls.

I did find this part number in a previous post...

Nissan Bulb 27545-1W600


Thanks!

[jpedderson]

I'll have to take the thing apart and take a look. The exploded parts diagrams don't have anything listed for lamps under the auto a/c controls only buttons themselves. The "lamps-heater" are shown for the 3-dial type a/c contols.

[Qxxx4]

I believe its the same as your dashboard lights...bulb number 74. I swapped mine to blue and made my own using LED's a lot of us on here changed all buttons and displays to blue. Based on your description of the three knobs it sounds like you have the cheaper hvac unit as opposed to the one with the display. Search around this forum for slickroger and hvac bulb I'm sure you will find an answer this was a hot topic last year

[jpedderson]

I have the auto a/c controls with buttons and LED readout, not the three knob version.

[jpedderson]

Just changed out the bulbs with parts from Radio Shack following instructions in this post: http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/climat ... ement.html

The original Nissan part is the Nissan Bulb No. 28529-10y00. I bought the following bulb at Radio Shack to replace the tiny Nissan bulb and retained the blue bulb covering:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2103780

12V Microlamps (2-Pack)
Model: 272-1092| Catalog #: 272-1092

I also used the same bulbs to fix my rear defroster button and a seat heater lamp (that was a pain taking the switch apart).

[Towncivilian]

Just changed out the bulbs with parts from Radio Shack following instructions in this post: http://www.nicoclub.com/archives/climat ... ement.html

The original Nissan part is the Nissan Bulb No. 28529-10y00. I bought the following bulb at Radio Shack to replace the tiny Nissan bulb and retained the blue bulb covering:

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index ... Id=2103780

12V Microlamps (2-Pack)
Model: 272-1092| Catalog #: 272-1092

I also used the same bulbs to fix my rear defroster button and a seat heater lamp (that was a pain taking the switch apart).

I'd assume it'd be possible to just find some 12V LEDs and replace the bulbs with LEDs, then. I might try that depending on how much clearance there is in the buttons. Do you happen to have any pictures of your unit disassembled?

I replaced my defroster switch's lamp with an LED, but failed to align it right (or just got an LED with too narrow of a beam), so it doesn't look too great. It was a giant hassle reassembling the switch though, especially with the elongated LED soldered there, so I'm not planning on fixing it or putting an LED in the hazard switch (without a hazard switch, the turn signals will not function, and the hazard switch is relatively fragile with the metal contacts inside).

[jpedderson]

Superbrightleds has some 12v LED bulbs that look like they'd work. I was looking at the NeoWedge series LED Lamp.

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/ ... ument.html

The 4mm ones look like they'd be perfect and they have a 120 pattern...should work. I need to pull one out of the unit again to measure the base/socket.

Mine looked just like the ones in that 240sx...the little screw base and bulb. There is plenty of space inside the controls...the bulbs are screwed in an the back of the unit and aimed forward at the buttons on the front. The control "box" itself is mostly empty.

[jpedderson]

Update: I used the NeoWedge 4mm standard power (NEOx-W) LED lamps in cool white for the ac panel and they match the stock color, just a little brighter. I did have to rough up the lens of the LED bulb to get a wider light pattern from them. I used a small file and hit the front pretty good and left it rough. They fit perfectly.

[Towncivilian]

Thanks for the results. Did you happen to take any photos of either the disassembled unit or the final result? You used two NEO4-x bulbs w/ bases in cool white color, and they were direct replacements and fit perfectly (minus the filing of the front surface)?

[jpedderson]

I'll try and take some pics, but I'm travelling for the next few days so it may be a while...

The Neo4-x bulbs are a direct fit, same size screw base. The LEDs are polarized so I put them in with the unit plugged in so I could make sure they lit up before reassembling the dash (if they don't light you just put them in 1/2 turn other way). There are a total of four bulbs in the back my unit (I have the auto ac controls).

The LEDs have a very directional light compared to an incandescent bulbs so it did take a bit of filing and fitment to get an even light pattern on the buttons, but I am pleased overall with the new look.

To me they look just slightly brighter than stock. Of course with the LEDs you could also make them red, blue, green or whatever other color... I haven't gone into the radio and CD changer to look at those but I'll have to try and take a look...

[Towncivilian]

Hmmm, I have the manual knobs for AC controls so I'll have to tear down my unit and see whether the bulbs are identical. They most likely are, but it doesn't hurt to check. I've already swapped out the knob bulbs for LEDs, but haven't explored the possibility of swapping out the button bulbs.

[Towncivilian]

I've got some pictures of my button bulb. Click to embiggen.


Bulb from the side


Bulb from the top


Closeup of bulb in my hand


Bulb's location in the button


Bulb's location in the button (closer)

Does the bulb look exactly like yours? If so, I'll buy two NEO4-x bulbs and swap them out, and probably write a how-to topic with pictures.

[Towncivilian]

So the NEO4x-HP bulbs did not fit in my manual A/C unit, they're too fat:





I'm a bit miffed. Took a bunch of photos expecting to make a decent how-to, but nope. Damn bases didn't fit. I guess I can cut the plastic. If that doesn't work I may try NEO3x-HP bulbs. I can't even use these bases in the instrument cluster, they're too small (I tried).

[Towncivilian]

NEO3x bases do not fit either.

I tried soldering one of the high power LEDs I got to the circulation button, but the solder kept breaking (the solder just wouldn't stick to the copper (?) spots where the base would screw in to). I did get it to light once though with the button assembled and it looked great. I'll try hot glue or soldering again later. I'm down two HP green LEDs, but one is probably salvageable by soldering its positive lead back on since it broke off somehow.

EDIT: It's not really possible to solder anything as the electrical contact points are just some copper painted on the plastic. I'd think it'd be possible to stick an LED through the stock base and point the LED in the proper direction within the button if the leads were long enough, but it's a waste of time and effort in my opinion. For the manual A/C control unit, it's best to stick with stock 12v microbulbs.

[jpedderson]

Crap, I'm at work and can't see pics. The manual controls must be a lot different from my auto controls unit. The neo4 screw bases worked for me with plenty of room on the inside...

[Towncivilian]

The pictures should explain everything once you see them. Re-reading your description, it seems that the buttons are significantly different between the two types of A/C control units.

[jpedderson]

Ah, ok. The pics make sense. In the auto controls look totally different.







Kinda hard to see, but the lights screw into the interior of the unit (mostly empty space aside from the circuit board) and shine towards the buttons on the front. There is a clear plastic piece behind some of the buttons that bends the light towards the ones on the left/right sides...the auto/manual/off and the mode/fan.

[Towncivilian]

Thanks for those pics, that explains things. I guess I wasted some money attempting LED conversion of the buttons.

[jpedderson]

What are the dimensions of the HP LEDS? They look different than the regular ones. Maybe theres room to shave a regular one? There's a lot of lens on there before you get to the LED element. Does that button light from the side? You almost have to shave the front to a point to get light sideways out the top...hmm.

[Towncivilian]

What are the dimensions of the HP LEDS? They look different than the regular ones. Maybe theres room to shave a regular one? There's a lot of lens on there before you get to the LED element. Does that button light from the side? You almost have to shave the front to a point to get light sideways out the top...hmm.

The LED points down, so the light would probably not be as bright. If anything I think the HP LEDs are slightly shorter than the regular LEDs, but there's really not much room in the button housings at all. Unfortunately I didn't take any pictures of the interior of the button housing looking directly in from the front.

[Towncivilian]

I replaced both bulbs with some 12v 60mA microbulbs from Radio Shack. They're a tight fit in the housing and pressing the button encounters more resistance since the button scrapes the bottom of the bulb, but the buttons are still able to be pressed with ease. They seem brighter than the stock bulbs and will hopefully last another 10 years as my original bulbs did.

[nadnarb03]

when i changed the bulbs on my a/c panel all the lights on the insturment panel, a/c and gearshifer stop working after a minute and wont come back on can you help me by giving some ideas how to fix it

[robbykennedy]

Guys, I have the three buttons panel. The lights are kind of dark, I am sure there is a post somewhere in this forum on how to replace the lighting in the back of the three buttons unit and the required part number.