Finally changed out my Climate Control and Clock Lights, here's the pics!

[Empty V]

So I finally got around to changing out the lights in my climate control system, clock and cig lighter. I first put in blue ones to match the AVIC-Z3(Nav unit), really liked them but wanted to try the white ones. I bought everything in both colors because they were super cheap. The dealer charges over $20 per clock light, these were less then $2 each from superbrightleds.com. White ended up looking stock due to the tinting of the translucent buttons and the small tinted covers on the clock bulbs so I went back to the blue. I'm going to wire another blue LED for the ashtray, just have to do some soldering so it's got a quick disconnect.

Here's the pics, let me know what you think:







Billy

[bmlawless]

Looks sweet. I like the blue gauges, too. I'm jealous of you guys with the newer rigs that have the clock in the dash.

[Qxxx4]

dammit you got to it before me! i dont have the clock either it looks seeeexy. Im gunna do my heated seats switch lights first and my dash. I never knew you could do the buttons for the climate control..come to think of it i dont think the 97-00's even have backlit buttons!

[Densetsu]

That's the main reason why I didn't put my blue LEDs into my dash... it'd just look kinda cheesy with the console and everything else green... but now that I know it can be done...

Sexy. Except now you just gotta change the backlight on the climate control display.

[bmlawless]

Im gunna do my heated seats switch lights first and my dash. I never knew you could do the buttons for the climate control..come to think of it i dont think the 97-00's even have backlit buttons!

Please let us know when you do the heated switch buttons. One of mine is blown and they have a tiny little lamp in there. I was going to replace it but I didn't take the time to figure out what type it needed.

One thing I really don't like is the fact that the seat switches, rear wiper switch, and 4WD switch aren't backlit. I can't tell you how many times I've turned on my rear wiper trying to turn on the seat.

[Empty V]

That's the main reason why I didn't put my blue LEDs into my dash... it'd just look kinda cheesy with the console and everything else green... but now that I know it can be done...

Sexy. Except now you just gotta change the backlight on the climate control display.

Yeah the displays just blows, such an ugly green and now it looks even uglier. I'm stoked on this mod, been wanting to do it for a while. The last thing that has to be changed out is my map lights and then everything that can be converted will be. The clock looks awesome because now it's got this cool blue iridescent glow.

Billy

[Holidazed]

Empty V:

that looks great! I want to do it to my truck now to match my blue guages! any details on how you did it? did the bulbs just swap right out or did you have to sodder and wire in new led's? any pics with the dash apart? any more install info would be greatly apprectaed, thanks!

[fueler]

come to think of it i dont think the 97-00's even have backlit buttons!

they *should* be. My 99 is backlit and the climate control looks exactly the same as 97 and 98. I just removed the climate control (dont ever drive your QX4 through a river) and it does have 4 removeable light bulbs, but much smaller than the gauge cluster lights. Empty, would you mind posting up the bulb # ?

Thanks (looks great by the way)

[Densetsu]

Hot damn, if the climate control colour can be changed, then I'm in.

And +1 on asking Empty V for the bulb #'s.

[ganesh21]

You guys on NICO are really tempting me to change the dash light on the pathfinder.

it look great.

[Empty V]

Thanks guys for the compliments. Tonight was my 2nd night with the new LEDs and I'm pretty stoked. I didn't take any pics of the swap but it's pretty easy.

Billy
Modified by Empty V at 11:48 AM 4/24/2009

[Holidazed]

Empty V: thanks for the write up. I am assuming the instructions are pretty much the same for our pathfinders as the qx4, and hopefully the bulb sizes are. can anyone confirm this?

how many bulbs did you need to order?do you know if the bulbs behind the stock bose radio can be replaced also?

last question, so did you have to do any soddering or wiring or was it just popping old bulbs and popping in the new LEDs?

[Empty V]

Empty V: thanks for the write up. I am assuming the instructions are pretty much the same for our pathfinders as the qx4, and hopefully the bulb sizes are. can anyone confirm this?

how many bulbs did you need to order?do you know if the bulbs behind the stock bose radio can be replaced also?

last question, so did you have to do any soddering or wiring or was it just popping old bulbs and popping in the new LEDs?

I'm sure the procedure would be very similar if not identical for a pathy.

I took my stock stereo out about a month after I got my QX4 so not too sure about that.

It takes 4 LED's for the climate control system and 2 for the clock. There is no soldering involved, everything is twist lock.

Billy
Modified by Empty V at 3:40 PM 3/13/2009

[longhornsqx4]

this is an 01+ dash?

[Duckman540i]

Empty V, what did the clock look like when you used a white LED?

With the LED, there should be no blue caps on it. It should just show nice white light.

[Adnan]

that looks amazing......reminds me of something like a high end 09 acura

[naladude911]

Nice job!Can you tell me:A. What are the bulb #'sB. How to take the clock and a/c controls out

[W O T]

I just did it to my car last night and it looks pretty good.

Only thing that sucks is that the display doesnt change to blue!!!! Its always green on yours to right? Kinda looks stupid to me. Im gonna try and find a film or something to put over it

Unless ofcourse you somehow got yours to change to blue without that, but I did all 4 bulbs and dont see a way to change the colour of the display

[BurntTimber]

Empty V:

that looks great! I want to do it to my truck now to match my blue guages!

Did you change out your gauges and the lights to get blue gauges? Got links for where you ordered from? After seeing WOT and Qxxx4's setup I'm definitely changing out the interior lights.

[Holidazed]

just changed the 4 light bulbs behidn the guages. Theres a thread here with all of the details about changing the bulbs, where to buy, buld #'s, etc zerothread?id=368004

Really easy to do. cost me about $20 I think. I got the 3 LED type bulbs and they give lots of even light.

I havent figured out how to change the climate contol bulbs yet for a 2001 pathfinder. I dont have the automatic climate control, mine is the old style with the knobs to turn. I think only the QX4s have been changed so far. If anyone can figure out how to do this easily (without wiring and soddering), I'd love to know

[naladude911]

So bulb #74 fits all of the interior climate control lights? There are so many choices, which type of LED should I get?

[Duckman540i]

Guys regarding the climate display remaining green, there is a perfect solution. I used this method on my '92 Maxima SE. The results were a blue clock. All you need to do is cover the inside with some violet/purple colored cellophane. This will cancel out all the green and give it a very nice bluish white color. The trick is finding more than one purple or violet. The stuff is really cheap, buy a few different shades that are close, and you will find the exact blue you want.

Here are two pictures of how my green clock turned out in my Maxima.

[longhornsqx4]

Guys regarding the climate display remaining green, there is a perfect solution. I used this method on my '92 Maxima SE. The results were a blue clock. All you need to do is cover the inside with some violet/purple colored cellophane. This will cancel out all the green and give it a very nice bluish white color. The trick is finding more than one purple or violet. The stuff is really cheap, buy a few different shades that are close, and you will find the exact blue you want.

Where did you get this cellophane?? You can just put it ontop of the green screen, and Im looking for purple or something? Like on the qx4 there is the screen, but then there is a cover on the bevel piece that also covers the green screen, but I could get the cellophane between easy obviously

Curious where to get the stuff, never seen or heard of it

[timmack]

thats a damn fine job, billy. the led's compliment the stereo well.

[Empty V]

thats a damn fine job, billy. the led's compliment the stereo well.

Thanks guys and thanks Ducky for the cellophane trick. Now that I think about it check this out.



That's a book of different colored filter for studio lighting. Those sheets might even be the right size, I'm going see if any of those will match.

the factory clock and climate control LEB bulbs do have blue tinted covers to them. This gives the tungsten bulbs a whiter look. If you put in white LED's they would look the same, I tried it. FYI these tinted covers also limit the amount of light output, anytime you put anything in front of any light it always decreases the output, doesn't matter what color.

Billy
Modified by Empty V at 2:39 PM 6/16/2009

[longhornsqx4]

Ok well what colour do we need to turn the 01+ green displays to the blue though?

And where the heck can I buy them!!

[Duckman540i]

You can get cellophane at any party store, and hobby stores.

The cellophane is pretty thin and only reduces the light output by a little. You can see a standard Nissan clock display with cellophane over it in my pictures a few posts up. It still is bright, no worries there.

[longhornsqx4]

And its just called cellophane? Im definetely gonna have to call around for it, what is its intended purpose?

What color did you use duckman540i to get the blue colour?

[Duckman540i]

The color you want to get is like a violet or a purple. Try to get a few different shades that are close to that and you will find the exact blue that you want by testing each one.

[Empty V]

Cellophane is the plastic you see on cigarette packs, cookie packages, chip bags whatever.

Billy