DIY: Replace dash light bulbs

So, I had a few bulbs burn out in my A/C and Radio Control units on the dash. I went to the Honda dealer and we attempted to order all the bulbs we would need. Unfortunately, the exploded views weren’t very clear. Now I know (and I’ll be ordering the “missing” replacement bulbs).

So, first off – if you’re going to do this and you have a few that have burned out, it’s probably not a bad idea to just replace them all at once. The cost is relatively small compared to the headache of having to open everything up again.

Here are all the part numbers and quantities:

Radio Unit Side Required Bulbs
– (4) 35855-S2A-003 (Short Black)
– (1) 35851-S2A-003 (Short Black) for Start Button
– (1) 35855-S2A-A11 (Short White)

A/C Unit Side Required Bulbs
– (2) 79628-S2A-003 (Orange)
– (2) 79670-SL0-A01 (Long White)

WARNING

Before you get started, you should disconnect the battery and wait five minutes. This will help to prevent to airbag going off as you mess with the steering column. VERY IMPORTANT, this is.

Also, if you decide to do this, you take all the responsibility for yourself. This how-to is simply me relating how *I* did my own car, not a definitive flawless how-to. Basically, follow this at your own peril 😀

Also, have your radio code handy (for stock radio) and write down your saved radio stations if you like.

WARNING

Before you get started, you should disconnect the battery and wait five minutes. This will help to prevent to airbag going off as you mess with the steering column. VERY IMPORTANT, this is.

Also, if you decide to do this, you take all the responsibility for yourself. This how-to is simply me relating how *I* did my own car, not a definitive flawless how-to. Basically, follow this at your own peril biggrin.gif

Also, have your radio code handy (for stock radio) and write down your saved radio stations if you like.

1. Lower the Steering Column
Yes, this is required. Thankfully, it’s not terribly difficult. Your back may not like you though.

1. Remove the three gold screws on the underside of the plastic steering column surround.
2. Gently separate the bottom half of the plastic surround from the top half. There are 4 plastic clips on the bottom half. Be careful not to break them. Two are up front, two are towards the back, on the left and right sides.
3. Pop the black plastic vent retainer clip away from the metal bracket and move the vent out of the way
4. Loosen the two 12mm nuts on either side of the steering column that were hiding behind the vent. Loosen them until they’re nearly all the way out, then screw them back in a few turns. These will hold the column in place once it’s lowered
5. Remove the two 12mm flanged nuts further up the steering column (as seen below)
6. The column will lower as you unscrew these nuts. Watch your head.

2. Remove the Dash Surround
Again, pretty easy. There are two screws and a large number of clips.
Now that the steering column is lowered and out of the way, you can easily remove the surround. There’s pretty much NO WAY you can do this without lowering the column, as you’ll soon see.

1. There are two little hidden screw covers on the underside of the gauge cluster recess. Carefully pop these out with something not sharp. Unfortunately you sort of have to pry, so be very careful if you want it to look nice when you’re done.
2. With those out of the way, there is a phillips head screw in each of the two locations. Remove screws.
3. Gently pull the assembly away from the rest of the dash, starting at the A/C and Radio control units. It will pop loose.
4. Pull the unit forward and disconnect the connectors (four in total):
* Start button connector
* Radio controls connector
* Cruise control connector
* A/C controls connector (large green vertical connector)

You now have the dash surround in hand and things should look like this:

This is a good time to clean all the hidden surfaces, inside the vents, the edges of the gauge cluster, etc.

3. Replace the Radio Control and Start Button bulbs
The bulbs are weird little things, sort of like Christmas light bulbs. They drop in and twist into place. They twist out of place, as well. You’ll need a flat head screwdriver or other tool that fits the recess in the soft plastic base of the lights very well or you’ll end up chewing up the base.

Here are what the LARGE ones look like:

The small ones are considerably… smaller. Some have a little rubber “hat” over the bulb to give it a different color (green, orange, red).

The Radio Unit side has a total of six bulbs:

As you can see, replacing five of them is very easy and straightforward. You insert your screwdriver into the shallow recess, twist counter-clockwise (or anti-clockwise for any Brits!) and gently remove the bulb (you may have to shake it out). Replacing the bulb requires a bit more force to snap into place. Make sure you’ve tightened them all the way.

Replacing the Start Button bulb requires a bit more work:

1. Start by GENTLY prying up on the clips on the chrome part of the button to allow the white plastic piece to slide off. There are two clips, one on the top and one on the bottom. Work the white plastic and spring piece away.
2. Next you will gently push the clip on the side of the button assembly out of the way to allow the circuit board to slide out the back of the button.
3. Now you can remove and replace the bulb, which is integrated into the circuit board.
4. Replace in reverse order, carefully guiding the contact leads through the white plastic and snapping everything back together.
5. Ensure that the button works properly (depresses and springs back)

4. Replace the A/C Control bulbs
This is much the same as the other side, except that we have to remove a cover.

1. Remove the three gold screws holding the white plastic cover in place and gently lift the cover out of the way. There are connections between the two boards, so exercise caution.
2. Replace four bulbs.
3. Put it back together.

5. Button it all up
Basically, do what you just did, but in reverse order.

Reattach the dash surround

1. Make sure all the clips on the dash surround are in place and intact.
2. Put dash surround up in place and connect all four connectors:
* Start button connector
* Radio controls connector
* Cruise control connector
* A/C controls connector (large green vertical connector)
3. Make sure everything fits into the dash and start to push it all back together
4. Don’t force anything. If it doesn’t want to snap back into place, pull it apart a bit and try to align things again. Look for bent clips or jammed plastic.
5. Once all your clips are snapped into place replace the two screws on the underside of the gauge cluster area.
6. Note the lettering on the two plugs for left and right (L and R) and push these back into place over the screws you just replaced.
7. The dash assembly is back in.

Reattach the steering column

1. Start by lining up the column’s bolt holes with the mid-column bolts and run down the nuts so that the column is held back up in place (these are the 12mm flanged nuts).
2. Hand-tighten the forward-most 12mm nuts.
3. Torque all nuts properly (16lbf for the forward-most nuts, 12lbf for the mid-column nuts). See Photos for Reference
4. Replace plastic column surround by clipping it to the top piece and replacing the three gold screws on the underside of the column.
5. Pop air vent mounting plug back into metal bracket and reattach wiring harness to vent

Finally…

1. Reconnect the battery.
2. Test the lights.
3. Enjoy your properly-lit dash controls.

Now is the time to re-enter your radio code if you have a stock radio and reset any other settings on your radio.

Enjoy!

Based on an original write up by animeS2K

NOTE: S2KI welcomes the opinions of its members on the S2000 and on all topics related to the S. Should you feel the creative urge to pen a few words then by all means do so and PM Energetic, Aashish2 or Onehots2k OR send us links to what you would like us to write about and we will feature you (or your community) on the S2KI Home Page.