How to Add Vent Lights From a 1990-1992 Q45 to a 1993-1996 Q45

[Infinitiguy19]

OK so you if you want the complete lights from a true Q45's interior minus the Lighted seat controls from the 1994+. Then you have come to the right place, Here I will show you have to add 1990 lighted vents to your 1993*-1996.

*I say 1993 but I have no idea if 1992 Q45's had them, can some one please let me know if so.

With this the only features a 1990-1992 Q45 will have is the Interior color, transmission and for the 1990 Q45's the Seat controls.

Time required for project: 1 day for Professionals/2 days for Newbies

Items Needed:

You will need the light Harness from a 1990-1992 Q45 $5-$10 at most recycle yards.

Optional: You will also need from Auto zone: "Add A Circuit" $5.99

Possibly needed: 1994-1996 Q45's may need the vents from a 1990-1993 Q45, As I am not sure if the 1994-1996 Q45's had holes for the lights in there vents.

OK Step one: Remove cluster A

Bigger picture here: http://picasaweb.google.com/lh...tlink

Also this is from a 1994 Interior but everything is the same beside the glove box, center console, and *heater controls which are missing in the 1993 Q45 *Till I make a write up for that too.

But to remove cluster lid A (where the vents are housed) you need to remove the following:

No need to remove the steering wheel (removing the ignition would make thing much simpler)

1.) Fully extend steering wheel to remove the steering column covers, You can remove the 7 screw holding the cover in place from the bottom.

2.) Remove the A/T finisher AKA center console window controls.

3.) Remove entire ash tray assembly (leave the connectors going to the ash tray and just set the ash tray to the side).

4.) remove all screws that cover the Radio and HVAC (AC/Heat controls).

5.) remove cluster D AKA cruise control on and off switch, side mirror controls and microphone.

6.) remove all screws holding the cluster lid A AKA the piece that holds the clock, vents hazard switch and dimmer switch.

7.) Gently remove cluster D by wiggling it out (remove the top of cluster D first then remove it completely.)

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Step 2: Identify your cluster A

Once you have removed all that is needed to see behind the vents you will see something like this:



Color of yours will obviously vary (But my interior is that of a 1994 Q45)

It is from this piece here that I got the harness for the lights:



Vents and Dimmer switch removed for other reasons, But this piece is also for sale minus the harness for the lights of course.

A picture of the two side by side:



You will see that the one with the cut whit connector with the two wires coming from it is the one from the 1991 Q45

This is to show you where the actual light goes on the back of the vent.

Click on it to see the text larger.

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Step 3: Working with the light harness

Once you have your self familiar with cluster A you will want to look at the light harness that makes all this possible.

This is your light harness:



The socket on the harness for the light to go into:



Note you will want to replace all the light on the harness, clock, hazard and dimmer switch. This might be a good time to replace the light on the instrument panel as well with OEM or Sylvania LL.

For those of you whose dealer is an idiot, Doesn't have a part number or have them in stock or don't want to pay $10 for shipping on 3 things at Joe at IOS, well you can go to Auto zone and get them like I did, better crappy Chinese than 14 year old Japanese (I would like to think).

Here is what to look for at Auto zone:

And a closer view at the top of the box:

Your connector for the light harness:



You will want to clean the connector with electrical parts cleaner then apply dielectric grease, Might as well do it for all the other connectors you can see since you don't want to be back there any time soon.

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Step 4: finalize your light harness and prepare it for re-installation into dashboard.

I did a great deal of explaining above but this picture is very simple to follow:



Make sure your cluster A looks like the above, remember RED is power so add a long wire (enough to go to the fuse compartment).

Make sure when you add the ground wire so that its long enough to reach the radio.

When you add the connector to the harness, don't get confuses with the wires that are different colors always go by what the main harness color is, If it s RED then that power if its Black then its ground, Any other colors and you have a harder job.

Removing the connector from the little metal pieces that holds them is tough, You can break it off: good if your in a hurry, Or take your time an do it right, by using a knife to get in between the plastic an metal.

Back of cluster A all wired up and ready to go:



Notice the (Add a circuit) from Auto zone.

This is what the Add A Circuit connector looks like:



Here is the top of the box:

Here is what the bottom of the box looks like:

Trust me its better to pay $6 than just adding a for to the fuse, Because if you just a add a fork or some other connector that draws power with out a fuse and the fuse blows the connector will still draw power till it burns the car.

Crappy picture of the light on the socket:



And how it looks before complete installation:



Make sure to ground to an unpainted metal surface on the car.

I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES INCURRED TO YOUR VEHICLE DUE TO THIS WRITE-UP.

I will add another picture of the finished set up (I was to busy today).

Can some one tell me how to take a picture of the interior lights at night?

Teenagers Rule!!!
Modified by Paul Wall at 6:38 PM 3/29/2009

[Infinitiguy19]

I just want to add I went to see a 1993 Q45 (Build date: 07/92) and the car had the "fresh air lights" harness but no connector for it coonect to the car and light up. It would seem that they stopped having a connector on the main harness in 07/92 so anything after may have the lights and the harness but no power going to the harness because of the lack of a connector.

And I have yet to confirm 100% that these light can be added with no side effects. I will do some more research tommorow.

[qship96]

Seems like a lot of work for little to no real benefit- I have never had a hard time finding the knob to adjust the vents.....come to think of it, I have never felt the need to adjust the vents airflow ever in the last 200,000+ miles.

Now, if you could rig up lighting for the center console storage box and include a 12 volt power outlet inside there, I would think that would be a useful benefit to many owners!!!!
Modified by qship96 at 8:29 PM 8/10/2009

[maxnix]

So thiese light up the interior of the vent? I guess I need to ride around in an early G50 more often.

What about the passenger vents?

[elwesso]

only one i ever mess with is the far one on the passenger side in case i want more airflow on the other ones without making the fan faster.

[Infinitiguy19]

Seems like a lot of work for little to no real benefit- I have never had a hard time finding the knob to adjust the vents.....come to think of it, I have never felt the need to adjust the vents airflow ever in the last 200,000+ miles.

I understand your point, But you have to move the vents around otherwise the plasitc will freeze up on you.

Now, if you could rig up lighting for the center console storage box and include a 12 volt power outlet inside there, I would think that would be a useful benefit to many owners!!!!

I have been think about this since you first recomended it way back. I just need to have a spare center console to test with, I might buy it from Drew soon.

So thiese light up the interior of the vent? I guess I need to ride around in an early G50 more often.

What about the passenger vents?

Yes the drivers and center vents light up. There is no light on the passneger vent and its not easy to do it either, Not to say it can't be done.

You going to be in Massachusetts anytime soon?

only one i ever mess with is the far one on the passenger side in case i want more airflow on the other ones without making the fan faster.

I bet its hard to find at night LOL, You might need a light there LOL.

[mxr662]

Nice writeup with clear pictures. Thanks

[xKnownShadowX]

AWSOME!!!

[Infinitiguy19]

Sorry for the thread bump but I figured out the problem of why my interior lights were blowing out. I added a "Add a circuit" to power the lights but I tied into the INTERIOR fuse for the lights and thats a big no no because more than enough power flows through there to blow the interior lights and cause problems.

So to anyone thinking about using the Illumination fuse as a power source DON'T DO IT!

But I was wondering if I could have the lights use the dimmer switch as a power source?

Would that cause more problems?

I was thinking about adding the vent lights and a console light that I found the FGY33 Q45 and J30 has, so 4 lights all together.

[LoxMurda]

I did mine 4 months back. I used LED's because the draw less power and I tied in the the dimmer control directly ...didn't use "add a circuit" never had a problem.

[Infinitiguy19]

What wire did you tie it into on the dimmer switch?

Do the LED's dim?

[LoxMurda]

They dim but the do not turn off all the way like the stock bulbs....I think I tied into the black and blue wires..(can't Remember). I do have to swap out some in my cluster, so when i take it out I'll let you know for sure. I have replaced all except for the ones in the rear view mirror will LED's. I sent you an email on gmail..reply if u can please.