HOW-TO PAGE:
Here is my How-To write-up for swapping out LED's on window controls and locks on my 2000 Max. I used 5mm 5,000 intensity, 2.0v, 20 mA blue LED's. The resistors needed are 390 Ohm .5 watt 2%. I recommend starting on the rear door to get accustomed to the process.
Rear Doors:
1. Remove door panel and take out the switch control. Take switch inside to take apart. Take 2 small flat head screwdriver's and pry the switch apart to expose the light. Here is what you should see.
Be very careful with the switch part. Try not to let it seperate. Keep switch upright. If it comes apart just be careful and rememeber how it goes.
Get your sauter gun ready. Cut the copper contacts right below the first bend coming out of plastic. Should look like this.
With the copper contacts facing you the left is the negative and the right is the positive. That means that the 7 shaped part should be on your left. Take your LED and bend it into the shape the existing light was with the copper. Try and keep the LED about the same height as the existing LED. Cut the bottoms of the leads even. Overlay about half an inch on the copper for sautering
Side angle with LED already installed.
Close up of sautering. I cut the left copper too short, but both should look like the right one. This is why I say start on the rear door in case you mess up. Make sure the switch part is seated properly. Make sure LED is facing as shown. Carefully snap the 2 pieces back together.
Go back to the car and take the harness that plugs into the switch. Peel back the black sheating to expose wires. Cut the black wire right next to the red wire about 2 inches from the end of the harness.
This what you want it to look like. Crimp butt connectors with resistor in line as shown. I cut about 1 and a half inches off the long lead, so the wire is straight. Plug in switch and test it by flipping the parking lights on. Check to see that the color is even. If color is not even, it will need to be re-opened and checked. Repeat the same process on the other side's switch.
Front Passenger:Window switch is the same as above, the only difference is the wire tapped into. Instead of tapping into a black wire you want to tap into red/yellow the exact same way as the rear.
Door lock switch is a little different. Take the switch apart keeping the button flipped over. Take the rubber off. Snip off the very top so the new LED will fit through it. Re-install rubber when done. The old LED must come out. Do this by heating the sauter and slowly pulling up. Work both sides until the leads of the LED come out. Take new LED and measure leads to be as long as the old one. Note polarity when removing. Stick new LED in the holes. Sauter it down and snap switch back together. Wire resistor in line, then test.
Driver's Door:Unscrew switch box from door panel. Bring inside and open up. Cut all 5 LED's where they flatten near the top. About 1/4" in length.
Pics of LED's installed. On the board written is LED#, should read upright. There are 2 existing micro LED's which will remain. There are 4 sauter points on the existing LED's. The resistor should attach as follows: LED 1,2,4 the top left is +.The bottom right is -.
LED 3,6 The top left is - and the bottom right is +. Be very careful when sautering. Make sure that the sauter's don't touch each other.
There are no resistor's needed because they are already sautered to the board.
And the results are:
Pics of Illumination light out from under AC controls.
4 LED's installed! Connections all sautered and taped up before putting it all back together.
I took the blue condom off the AC lights and colored with a blue sharpie. Lights look much brighter. The light to the right is burnt out. I'm going to find some LED's similar to the existing one.
Enjoy! The look is so much better and brighter. Check out the rest of my ride.
