J30 AC Controls question...

[carlos_knology]

Question about my '95 J30. I noticed the other night that my AC controls are dark. The green/blue display (with the temp, fan speed, etc.) works fine. However, all the buttons are solid black at night (the buttons for which vents to select, the recirc button, etc). Even the round temp adjustment knob is dark. I though there was a light ring around that knob. Am I imagining this?

I was wondering if all the buttons are supposed to light up at night. I don't remember if they've always been solid black at night or if there's supposed to be light shining through the buttons. Is there a bulb that can be replaced in there?

I hope I'm making sense.

Carlos

[Mayhem_J30]

you're right carlos there is a light ring around the temp adjuster. hopefully q45tech will know the answer here for ya.BTW, on a similar topic, does your cruise control options on the steering luminate...are they supposed to? It seems like they used to at some point, but that could have been my imagination or another car.

[carlos_knology]

I don't recall seeing the cruise control buttons light up on the steering wheel. I wish they did. That's not to say, they don't - I don't remember seeing them lit and I know I've wished they did since I have to do trial and error in the dark to figure out which button is which.

Carlos

[Eswift]

ok. the cruise control buttons on the steering wheel of the J30 do not illuminate.

the reason your AC control buttons are not illuminating is because there are about 4 or 5 grain-of-wheat bulbs attached through the rear of the unit that are burned out. i think maybe .70 each at an infiniti dealer with the little green rubber nipple on them. ( i replaced mine a few months back).

to get to it, take the trim around the shifter off, take the clock and vent assembly out, stick your hands in the hole where the clock and vents used to be and feel for 2 metal tangs, push em and the big wood piece areound the radio comes off, (theres 2 screws on the bottom too) then its a matter of 4 screws holding the radio and AC controller frame in. just use a small screwdriver and the bulbs pop right out of the back.

[carlos_knology]

Ahhhhh. I was in there a couple months back removing the Bose head unit b/c I had to send it off for repair.

Now I'm wondering if I left a wire harness unplugged while putting everything back.

That's a good tip about removing the clock and vent assembly. I had a TIME removing the wood trim and one of those damn trim-retaining clips popped off and I had to fish it out with a telescopic magnet since it fell into the depths of the dash board. At least I found the damn thing.

OK, I'll have to order the bulbs from TJ or from Infiniti of Isle. I don't have a local dealer.

Thanks for the help. This group kicks ***. :ylsuper

[VimyJ]

I wonder...Would Nissan dealerships have these bulbs?

[Eswift]

they should! the bulbs come in a NISSAN box!! i am sure that the very same bulbs are used to illuminate conrtols and radios in some nissan models. (same bulbs are used in the J30 for the clock). I dont have the boxes here, otherwise i would give the nissan part # on the box. call infiniti of lisle and ask for the part numbers, then call a nissan dealer if you want. Only a few cents either way.

[Eswift]

by the way carlos, the telescopic magnet= lifesaver, for me too.

[carlos_knology]

Ok, I have a part # if anyone else is interested:

28529-10-Y00

However, local Nissan place does not carry that part. I'm sure they do, they just don't have a way to correlate the Infiniti part # with the Nissan equivalent. Who knows.... I need to order them. I'd hate to pay $5.00 shipping on these 4 bulbs. The price is 30 cents each.

Carlos

[Eswift]

i am sure that you could ask a nissan dealer to find the bulbs used to illuminate the stereo/ heat controls on a 96 era maxima in their part database, have them pull em off the shelf, and see if they're the same.

[Mayhem_J30]

good thread guys! thanks for the instructions eswift!