First rule of electrical gremlins - Don't talk about electrical gremlins
Second rule of electrical gremlins -DON'T TALK ABOUT ELECTRICAL GREMLINS!

But seriously, as soon as I get excited, my damn bulb is out again lol

Good luck with your fix :cheers

 

It was bad from the first time it went out. When an incandescent bulb 'burns out', it's the filament breaking. Sometimes when it breaks, the two ends can bounce around, with each end still connected to their respective posts, and touch each other remaking contact. This leads you to believe the bulb is still good, but then another good jolt, and the two ends separate again.

 

halo, exactly right and "denial" or waiting wont fix it!

so you either decide to live with it or fix it.

the fix has been posted here, a search should find it

 

Ok i did it.... i changed the illumination to uv ultra violet and the button selects to white led.... the camera cant pick up the uv though all though the seat belt illumination to far right shows better uv black light purple glow that others on camera... i did step by step pictures ill get on here soon... basically you open it up, swap smd with your color led or smd... and the illumination is from tiny bulbs.. add a 470ohm resitor and a led.. the select buttons i used white leds, those were smd and had on board resistors.... ask any questions and ill reply soon. Or wait till i get time to post my how to with pictures... and p.s. im doing the whole car this way, a different part every day

 

1. Have 12 v leds, and 470 ohm resitors.. leds are acouple bucks on ebay and reaistors should be free from the seller...
2. Stick two fingers in cigarette hols on dash and pull fram out.. un screw the three bolts behind the switcha, think its a 8mm i forgot.. unplug it...
3. Open it up, six or so Philips head screws on back. On circuit board there will be bulbs that do the illuminating, and serface mounted leds that do the orange selecting light... we call these smd, serface mount diod... ignore my spelling im on my phone and walking at the moment...
4. The smd's... put a solder iron tip on one side getting solder loose and lift it up, next remove other side by getting it hot.. next take a led, no resistor is needed and the smd has on board resistors... now take your led and solder it on the leads... the arrow printed necto it points toward the negative side, as leds are polarity sensative + -... check the led with a 470 ohm resitor and a 9v battery to see the polarity of your led... now solder it on...
5. The illuminated bulbs.. they will light up no matter what side you put your 9v battery leads to, not troubleshooting polarity sensative.. so we need to figure out with lead is poss and neg.. on the board you can trace the leads and see where they go like a puzzle, you will see that it will lead to one of the smd with the arrow pointing toward neg.. as the circuits share poss and neg.. just goes threw one to the other... now the bulb removal. Just cut underneath the bulb with sissors, this way you can use there leang rather that soldering to board.. these leds will require your 470 resistor per led.. check it all out with your 9v battery tester, remember the polarity you traced threw the circuit with the arrow.. and solder it all together. Thats it...
You can check the smd on board to get familiar with the arrows and poss neg. You get your 9v battery leads and put one on the end of a resistor (little black squars with numbers written on them) and put the other lead on the outside of the smd lead.. this will light it up on board if your polaritys are correct.. +smd~~~resistor- each smd has a resistor near by.. pictures can show you what internal before after looks like.

 

I never really thought about the filaments touching, such a small bulb, makes perfect sense.

This denial thing sounds like a viable option as well.

 

Good job funv007 that looks awesome,
Gives it the more custom feel.

 

Thanks.... just got done with the hvac and rear wiper controll, all uv illuminated, and white selectable swithes led. Hvac was super tough to do buttons... ill post pics soon as im to tird to go outside and snap a photo.. the only note i wanted everyone to take it if you go and replace a filiment bulb "illuminated" bulbs, any one... with an led... your entire dim control will dim nothing.. how often do i even use the dimmer? Never so i didnt care... pics coming soon.. also if you dont have the extra button, lockers i supose? On 4x4 controls, 2nd to right, well i have seat belts illuminated, but if you dont have a button as i didnt, theres an extra illumination bulb back ther being un used.. mine had a switch button on the circuit board, led, and illumination bulb, all in an empty hole, where it apears another models front controlls could have use my circuit board.. open it and you will see the misterious button and light that i have nothing on the front for.. its between the far right button of a car with sqwiggly road lines, andpass airbag off..
There is a illuminated bulb illuminating nothing, a button, and led for button select.. but apparently i dont have the front shell for that feature.. wonder what would happen if i press it? Haha maybe i have the add on, and the just restrict the use of it to people who buy that package, and swap the front 4x4 face, with one that can access that button that mine has no button for... hummmm