I'm not a huge fan of aftermarket radios. I like the features (bluetooth, aux input, different colors, hands free calling, etc..) but I prefer the look of a stock radio. Since the rest of my interior is green LEDs, I decided to try installing LEDs in my stock radio. Unfortunately, it is not plug and play like the rest of the interior.
First. Here is the radio I'm talking about
So the first thing you do is remove these little screws - 2 gold and 2 silver on bottom; 2 gold on the back (bottom left stays)
Next, lift the cover off. this is what you MIGHT see. (Every video I've seen, the radio does not have this circuit board; mine did?)
If you have that circuit board, remove these 3 screws
The one on the side
and this last one on the back
Pick up the board and disconnect this connector
Now unhook these two connectors
Flip the radio over to the faceplate and pull the power/volume and the tune knob off
and remove this screw from the power/volume knob
Now take a small flathead screwdriver and carefully pry up on the tabs while pulling the faceplate from the radio
Feed the wiring through the slot in the radio and sflip the faceplate over
Now remove these 8 tiny screws
and here's your circuit board
Notice the 10 bulbs
Flip it over and remove the bulbs and the solder from the holes
The bulbs I used were 3mm 12v LEDs with built in resistors. I bought them from www.lc-led.com. I bought the sample order of 15 bulbs. It took a week to process the order and about 3 days to get to me once it processed. But they are great quality.
https://www.lc-led.com/Products/department/34
The resisitors are on the positive side of the LED (the longer leg)
The black marks are the POSITIVE side
(Thanks to a video on youtube)
Now solder in your new bulbs. BE CAREFUL AROUND THE WIRING CONNECTORS. Make sure they are perpendicular to and about the same height from the board as the stock bulbs. The stock ones have a plastic "spacer" while the LEDs do not. Only use ROSIN CORE SOLDER.
When you test them out, it should look like this (minus the 2 bulbs that I switched right after that)
Now that is as far as I got ^^^
I went back in the shop and put it all back together and took it to the truck and plugged it in. I didn't have volume control, and some of the number buttons and one or two others did not work. All of a sudden I heard a pop and smoke came from the radio and my Ill fuse (10a) blew. So I got very close to this being successful. I'm going to get another radio and try again. All I can say is be very careful with the circuit board while soldering. I'm sure I scatched it, got solder where it didn't belong or some other stupid, careless mistake. I got a little close to the connectors with the iron and they melted a little. Not to the point they were unusable but it was getting close.
Good luck guys.
First. Here is the radio I'm talking about
You must be registered for see images
So the first thing you do is remove these little screws - 2 gold and 2 silver on bottom; 2 gold on the back (bottom left stays)
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
Next, lift the cover off. this is what you MIGHT see. (Every video I've seen, the radio does not have this circuit board; mine did?)
You must be registered for see images attach
If you have that circuit board, remove these 3 screws
You must be registered for see images attach
The one on the side
You must be registered for see images attach
and this last one on the back
You must be registered for see images attach
Pick up the board and disconnect this connector
You must be registered for see images attach
Now unhook these two connectors
You must be registered for see images attach
Flip the radio over to the faceplate and pull the power/volume and the tune knob off
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
and remove this screw from the power/volume knob
You must be registered for see images attach
Now take a small flathead screwdriver and carefully pry up on the tabs while pulling the faceplate from the radio
You must be registered for see images attach
Feed the wiring through the slot in the radio and sflip the faceplate over
You must be registered for see images attach
You must be registered for see images attach
Now remove these 8 tiny screws
You must be registered for see images attach
and here's your circuit board
You must be registered for see images attach
Notice the 10 bulbs
You must be registered for see images attach
Flip it over and remove the bulbs and the solder from the holes
The bulbs I used were 3mm 12v LEDs with built in resistors. I bought them from www.lc-led.com. I bought the sample order of 15 bulbs. It took a week to process the order and about 3 days to get to me once it processed. But they are great quality.
https://www.lc-led.com/Products/department/34
The resisitors are on the positive side of the LED (the longer leg)
The black marks are the POSITIVE side
You must be registered for see images attach
(Thanks to a video on youtube)
Now solder in your new bulbs. BE CAREFUL AROUND THE WIRING CONNECTORS. Make sure they are perpendicular to and about the same height from the board as the stock bulbs. The stock ones have a plastic "spacer" while the LEDs do not. Only use ROSIN CORE SOLDER.
You must be registered for see images attach
When you test them out, it should look like this (minus the 2 bulbs that I switched right after that)
Now that is as far as I got ^^^
I went back in the shop and put it all back together and took it to the truck and plugged it in. I didn't have volume control, and some of the number buttons and one or two others did not work. All of a sudden I heard a pop and smoke came from the radio and my Ill fuse (10a) blew. So I got very close to this being successful. I'm going to get another radio and try again. All I can say is be very careful with the circuit board while soldering. I'm sure I scatched it, got solder where it didn't belong or some other stupid, careless mistake. I got a little close to the connectors with the iron and they melted a little. Not to the point they were unusable but it was getting close.
Good luck guys.