WICKEDFX

I finally found the right led's to change out all the factory ones.
This mod is only 3/4ths done. I still need to finish the steering wheel, memory seat buttons, and the VSA switch, and the P,R,D,D1,D2 lights. everything else is done and I love it so much.
Will take more pics soon, but had to get these with my phone to show here for now.


look at the pics.

BackToStock

looks clean..

xjohnkdoex

iTrader: (2)

sweet. DIY on how to swap the bulbs?

chuson

I don't really understand how the mod goes but it looks tight.

Did you change every single piece of button bulb to LED? My friend's TSX centre console has ran out of light (170K km failure), so this might work for him...

S14 n Tsx

looks pretty cool, but I perfer oem over all blue.

kowloonsniperhk

def looks nice, i might want to do this.

Audioserf

If you could post a DIY that would be monumental. I'd love to do this.

xjohnkdoex

iTrader: (2)

does anyone else think the blue is severly bright in those pics? or is it just b/c it's shot in the dark.

the green lights are pretty subtle on the dials and buttons. i know this is nit-picking, but if the blue LEDs are superbright that you can't even read what the button says, i'm not sure how practical it'll be even though it looks cool.

vthree

iTrader: (1)

i want a pure white.. i like the blue for accents =) looks nice... plz post a diy!!!

Simba91102

I agree; I find the OEM just fine.

CGTSX2004

iTrader: (1)

I must admit, one of the things I liked most about the TL-S interior is the fact that the lighting is consistent for all of the buttons in the interior.

to the OP for doing this.

WICKEDFX

the lights only look super bright because I took the pics with a camera phone. They are really just a little brighter than the oem ones. And yes I replaced every light on the board. Some were surface mount others were hallogen so I had to put resistors on some LEDs. As far as a DIY we just moved out of our place. But we will be in phoenix AZ for the next 3-6 months so if anyone wants this done let me know and we can take pics to make a DIY

cybereclipse

nicely done!
DIY and better pics??

PhiSigBrotha

about how much did it cost you. if its not to expensive, we could use my car for a DIY. i get first phoenix dibs!!


:fro:

Demos

looks good. I have a spare headunit and might be willing to use it as a test unit

WICKEDFX

the only expensive part were the surface mount LEDs I think they were $20-30. I can't remember. Go to www.ledmod.com and order around 40 surface mount LEDs. Also you need 20 3mm LEDs from wherever you want. Then 20 470 1/4 watt resistors from radio shack. That's everything.

Hey demos, if you open your spare unit and would be willing, I lost 3 of the blue pins that go behind the buttons. I would appreciate having those again.

llJrockll

iTrader: (2)

This would look nice in red.

LukeaTron

So you had to desolder and then resolder all those surface mount leds?

Pass.

Saeyon

nice

theone55699

where do you mount the resistors??

MMsTSX

See if a car has red interior lights, I won't buy it.
I couldn't own a TL Type-S because of the red lights.
Or a pontiac for that matter...

Just goes to show that we're all different and there's no right or
wrong way to do something. It's all about what's best for you.

I've noticed though that fairly universally car companies equate red
light interiors with "sport" type of cars. Aluminum dash trim is also
considered "sport" seems like.

I commend the OP for the crazy work and soldering that went into this.
I'd really appreciate this in person I bet.

You're better off taking pictures when it's dusk out, not night.
We'll be able to see it better that way.

Civic2TSX

You and I have more in common that just our 08 CGP/Qtz/AT/Nav, lol. Red interior lights are a deal breaker for me too.

I'd also like to see a better pic. I have blue LEDs but right now they're plugged into the spare "not a cigarette lighter" in the center console so you can't see any wires but I know and eventually I'd like to hard wire something similar. I can barely read anything in your pics but I'm thinking it's more the pic than what it's like in person.

TommySalami

I hate blue LED's on anything you have to read. Blue LED's give that glow effect that make it so annoying. My roommate's eclipse has them on everything, and at night you can barely read the speedometer

DLTSX6MT

Wow, big props - this must have been alot of work. Personally, I'd do white LED's if I were to do this (which I probably couldn't convince myself to do).

WICKEDFX

You have to carefully mount the resistors to the board and LEDs that's the hardest part. I need to find some surface mount resistors and the job will go twice as fast.

I will take more pics and this time use my camera. But since I have to use the library computer to connect to my camera it will take a day or 2 to get the pics uploaded. Right now I have been replying with my phone.

DLTSX6MT

Man, that's dedication! Somebody got mod aspirations?

WICKEDFX

being a mod would be cool, never knew how to become one.

HondaAcura83

+1

SoCaliTrojan

Red lights have a lower wavelength (ie: less energy). With prolonged driving, it won't strain your eyes as much and make you fatigued. BMW has red dashboard lights, for instance.

Personally, I hated it. The TSX dashboard lights are one of the factors that made me decide to get it.

I don't mind the center console lights...but I wish the steering wheel buttons were a little brighter. Staring at the HID light's output and the bright dashboard lights makes it hard whenever I look down at my steering wheel. I don't usually use my steering wheel buttons...but when I do, it's usually at night because I don't want to reach over and fumble with the center console buttons in the dark.

DixonTSX

I'm not a fan of the blue lights I'm afraid.

I think its also because of the uneven distribution of light. Looking at those pictures, it seems where the LEDs are located are the brightest, then once you move away from the LED it gets less bright, and makes the whole console look so spotty and blotchy... and yeah, it is hard to read.

Would probably make the nighttime driving adjustment pretty bad.

But its cool that you can do something like that.

swirlie

Red light doesn't take away your night vision, as your eyes don't need to readjust afterward. Given that, I still think blue looks nicer than red. Given THAT, I think I still like the OEM look better than all blue, but I'd have to see better pics or see it in person. Nice job, nonetheless.

WICKEDFX

ok here are a couple updated pics, but they are still with my camera phone so they might not look the best.

rex.

still looks good.. DIY in the works?

WICKEDFX

I need a volunteer to complete the DIY

spoiledkari

The lighting doesn't look evenly distributed behind the buttons. One side of some of the buttons is really bright and the other side is dark. (Look at the pass temp button or the tune button.) Maybe the LED's aren't aligned properly? I still kinda like the OEM better. The blue looks like it would be too distracting. Nice attempt, though.

Audioserf

After my initial "wow that's cool" reaction wore off, I realized that's my problem with this as well. You can see the light's brightest in the center of the buttons because that's where the LED is. If this looked just like OEM, except in blue, I'd be all over it, because I love the blue lights.

silkk8482

I will volunteer. I just need you to come to Washington. Nice mod

xjohnkdoex

iTrader: (2)

yeah, i still think they're too bright. it's a great freaking effort and i do wish our lights were blue to match the guages and the other blue ambient lighting, but if they could be a little more subtle like the OEM green, it'd be perfect.

miked8887

sorry to drag up old threads. I want to do this. Does it involve soldering or does everything just plug in or what? Can you give some more details on the DIY?

WICKEDFX

It involves lot's of soldering, And after thinking about this mod for awhile, it might be easier and look better if you used all surface mount leds. Only the places that have twist in bulbs, you will need to create legs (1 from the led and 1 from the resistor) that way they will cover the whole and not fall through it. Here is a pic i made in paint shop to explain. This idea will save room and distribute light more evenly.