Okay guys - so I'm on my yearly spree of fixing crap on the car. I had a few lights burnt out that I'm trying to fix. the Auto/Off and Recirc button on the A/C panel was broken. I got that fixed. I also replaced two of the instrument cluster backlights, but I realized later at night, that I would need to replace all of them, because the others are dimmer/older, and it looks really funky. BUT - I do have a couple of things I could get some help with.

1. My fog light switch will not illuminate - and I've tried changing the bulbs. I'm thinking it could possibly be a switch malfunction.

2. The Sunroof button just suddenly stopped illuminating after I tore apart the dash the other day - I think I remember seeing 3 lights in that, so it's highly improbable that all three just went bad - I'm thinking that could also be a switch malfunction. The right heated seat button will not illuminate, but the orange light comes on for both low and high. That MAY be a light, but I did monkey with those switches trying to get them out when I was removing the console to get to the A/C panel.

3. What size bulb does the shifter backlight use? It's out, and I can't find any details about that bulb.

4. I appear to have a radio light out, look at the radio display in the picture below. All of these lights are soldered in as far as I know. Also - is it normal for whole headunit NOT to dim with the rest of the lights in the car when I move the dimmer switch?

Thanks for the help. Acura has the gauge bulbs for me, the fog switch, and I'll see if they have that shifter bulb if someone can tell me what size it is.



Let this be a lesson - if you replace any lights back there, replace them all! hahaha


After I get these minor lighting problems fixed - my car will be PERFECT, with no problems/malfunctions whatsoever!!! YEAH! Drives like a brand new car thanks to this site, and everyone's help. If anyone is ever in ATL, let me know - I owe lots of you a few beers!

 

get some leds. my "info/ data read out" on the bottom of the spedo is not illuminating. changed the bulb and the cluster with new bulbs in both of the. still out.

 

Half of my info thing was burnt out too, and I replaced those. If you pull up the schematic HERE they are number 15 (bottom right quadrant of the pic titled "rear view"). There are 3 bulbs that illuminate those, and 1 additional that illuminates the shifter designator I think. Replace those three, on the back of the speedo they are red. That should fix your problem. They are like $1.50 at the dealer. I have a bunch ordered I am picking up tomorrow.

The other thing that might help, which I am going to do tomorrow when I have the dash and speedo pulled apart is clean the contacts on the circuit board. I'm not sure how to do that, so I will look that up and research it tonight.

 

i replaced the bulbs with good ones, and with led. still doesnt work. everything lights up except for the info display and the ss, when i go to gear 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, r, n, p its all blank. if i get the right light pointed on it i can see it. but the back lights dont light up. u had that problem?

 

No I haven't - but one thing I did learn is you have to replace the bulbs with the exact replacement. I tried to use a VERY similar bulb for something back there, and on the A/C unit - and neither would work. The bulbs were almost exactly identical - but the model numbers were slightly different. I had to get the exact bulb in order to get it to work. That's part of the reason why I've had to make 3 trips to get all this stuff done and working. I've just said to hell with it, and I ordered them all from Acura since thats what needs to be done to make them light up.

 

Alright so just to give everyone an update - everything is fixed except for the sunroof light and heated seat light!

Would you believe I had to take the whole damn center console out just to get to that ONE damn gearshift light?!??!! the light was burnt out, but it had been pushed down below the gearshift plate so even if it was working it wouldn't have lit anything up. I superglued it back in place, and it works like a charm now. I'll try replacing just the bulbs in the sunroof and seat heater light at some later time, maybe tomorrow or the next day. I did install the new foglight switch, and it works like a charm as well.

Now - the LED interior kit also came today. I installed the dome light, map light, door lights, and license plate lights. It almost looks like the bulbs are smaller than they should be (especially the license plate bulb). I may have to order some bigger bulbs - although I haven't seen it at night yet. I may end up getting that 48 LED board that Volley has on his car.

So the car runs great, looks great and has 99% of my issues taken care of it! GREAT! =)

If anyone needs help taking apart the center console, or replacing any bulbs, I'm what you might consider an expert by now, so I'd be glad to lend my assistance.

 

The other thing I learned today about LED lights, is they have to go in a certain way. If they aren't working, take them out and put them in the other way. The contacts have to be in a certain direction. Just flip the bulb around and it should work.

 

i did that too with my leds, still have a problem.

u dont need to take the center council out to get to the shift gate bulb. pop up the trim (squarish thing), pop up the box like think that had the shift patter in it, and then the stip that has the prn+-54321 writen on it. and the lights under their.

 

No I did, because the bulb and socket was pushed down below the shift gate, so I had to access it from the side. It was such a silly ordeal just for one bulb - but oh well, it looks great and it only took 20 minutes so it was worth it.

 

Your problem with the backlighting on the sports shift and temp & info readout is the little circuit board which mounts to the back of the gauge cluster. Make sure all the bulbs are good for sure, but if the bulbs are good, and the display still doesn't light up, it is that circruit board-runs about $35.

It is part number 10 on this link. (I looked it up using a 2002 TL-S as the model)

http://www.acuraautomotiveparts.org/...s=&view=normal

 

Comet. im in atlanta too. mind checking out my stuff? all my dash lights turn off when i turn my headlights on

have you joined the ATL group?

 

https://acurazine.com/forums/groups/atl-17/

 

i did switch in 2 gauge clusters and they worked on my tlp. but when i put them both in my tls they didnt work. any got a wiring diagram that goes out of the cluster to where ever?

 

That's bizarre. Sounds like a wire is reversed somewhere. I'd have to look at the wiring diagram to see how all that works. It's probably somewhere around the switch, or the fuse box.

I'll join the ATL group! And yeah, if you needed help, sure I could do so!

Do we know if the TLP and TLS gauges are different?

 

RAJCA, that area with the outside temp, odometer, car icon and shift led's dont light up???
i had the same problem. fix: next time you take your speedo out there is a little green circuit board (about 2"X3") held on by one screw on back of the white plastic, that plugs into the circuit board of the gauge cluster. get a new one. if i remember its less that $60. i actually have some pics on my old phone if you want to pm me.

 

the cluster is not the problem. i think its something with the herness. i checked 3 clucters, tlp/tls they all work but when i put them in my tls thats whend the info doesnt show up.

 

this little guy did the trick for me in the areas mentioned above. odometer, outside temp, little car icon, current gear select led's...

 

Glad I found this thread. My info read out has been flickering lately.

 

Yeah mine would either be on, or half of it would be off, or it would flicker and then die out. In my case it was just the bulb, and the ones that were still working were so old (and darkened from use) that the lighting was all jacked up when I put one new bulb in it. Was totally uneven lighting, so I just replaced all the big blue backlights (7 of them) and the 4 red ones. Problem solved, it looks like a new car!

 

mine is really really really really dull. u cant see it during the day or night. i have to but a light to it to see any info. the info is their its just really really really really dull.

 

Mines is like that too. Everything shows up on the readout but it is way too dull. One weekend soon I'm going to get in there and change out all the bulbs. Hopefully that will do the trick.