Air vent light

[Pokey]

Hi I have a 2002 Passat 130 TDi sport, the air vent on the dash are illuminated around the contol dials that open and close the vent.

My problem is that some do not work and I can'nt find out how to replace the bulbs, do the vents just pop off or is it a dash out job or are they non replacable.

Kind regards

Pokey

[caldirun]

Hi I have a 2002 Passat 130 TDi sport, the air vent on the dash are illuminated around the contol dials that open and close the vent.

My problem is that some do not work and I can'nt find out how to replace the bulbs, do the vents just pop off or is it a dash out job or are they non replacable.

Kind regards

Pokey

They can be removed using a couple of butter knives to prise them out of the dash, the lamps can be replaced, I replaced mine with LEDs

[808]

Did mine as well recently and it aint that easy to get the vents out. Dam wish id put leds in thats a realy good idea will last 4ever

[Pokey]

Thanks I found some other posings, I went to VW and the parts manager told me their were no bulbs in the vent!!!!

After making him look them up their are 3 at £4.86 each, I would think their is 4.
Would love to do the LED's but does any one know what resister to use.

I think the LED's are 5v so need to drop 7 volts.

Cheers

[caldirun]

Thanks I found some other posings, I went to VW and the parts manager told me their were no bulbs in the vent!!!!

After making him look them up their are 3 at £4.86 each, I would think their is 4.
Would love to do the LED's but does any one know what resister to use.

I think the LED's are 5v so need to drop 7 volts.

Cheers

Just use 12V LEDs, I used something like these,
Ebay item No 320514682703

[martin1810]

LED voltage drop depends on colour. White is about 3.5v and needs a half watt resistor of about 470 ohms in series. LED's and resistors are cheap if you have a Maplins store near by.

[Intelicide]

Be carefull.
Wrong value resistance or wattage resistor and you will burn out the resistor and/or LED!

Check these out.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/michael...mson5/ledcalc/


http://www.ledcalculator.net/

http://www.electronics2000.co.uk/cal...calculator.php

http://www.ee.ucl.ac.uk/~amoss/java/calcled.htm

and there are many more,search for LED series resistor calculator.

[caldirun]

Be carefull.
Wrong value resistance or wattage resistor and you will burn out the resistor and/or LED!

Check these out.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/michael...mson5/ledcalc/


http://www.ledcalculator.net/

http://www.electronics2000.co.uk/cal...calculator.php

http://www.ee.ucl.ac.uk/~amoss/java/calcled.htm

and there are many more,search for LED series resistor calculator.

I must be missing something here, 12V LEDs work out to 3.5 pence each, why go to the trouble of calculating resistor required, soldering it to the LED (which probably cost more!) then finding out there is no room to fit the result?

[martin1810]

I agree with you Caldirun. It makes more sense to buy a ready made product. If you make it yourself you do have more control over the LED performance and the wattage of the resistor. I think the best thing to do is find a supplier that you trust and stick with them. There is a lot of crap on ebay.

[Intelicide]

......... why go to the trouble of calculating resistor required, soldering it to the LED (which probably cost more!) then finding out there is no room to fit the result?

If you do not use correct value resistor,the LED may end up too dim or too bright(too bright=short lifespan).Either way you will have the hassle of removing the vents again,which are easily broken.
This mod is very simple and the parts will easily fit.

As to why bother?
Some guys just like to tinker with things,maybe make them better,just for fun...