Bulb replacement, newer Audis

[Todd Young <tyoung@wamnet.com>]

If you don't own a newer Audi, you can delete this.

I have a 1993 90S, I have the following experience
in replacing switch bulbs.

>Center console, non-climate control:
Pull the knobs out, I used a pick with a hook on the
end, and that will expose two philips screws. Remove
the screws and you can pry out the face plate. Behind
the face plate are three bulbs, PN#N0177512. I bought
mine at VW for $1.10 each, Audi dealer wanted $1.50.

>Sunroof Switch LED:
The owners manual states that the overhead center
console just pops off, WRONG. You have to pry the
light section out of the main console. Pry it out from
the passenger side, the left side is the hinge area.
Once that is out, you will see a phillips screw,
removing that will release the whole console, at
which point you can unplug the switches and unbolt
the ground wire and take the switch pack inside to
work on. The sunroof switch has the LED/resistor
combo, I didn't feel like digging around for my
resistor color code chart, so I did some quick
thinking. I had one of these rechargable flashlights
that plug into the cigarette lighter, this one happened
to have a LED indicator, so you knew it was plugged
in properly. Well, it got sacrificed to the Audi gods
for it's LED/resistor combo. I soldered it into the
switch just like the old one, and of course the LED
was backwards, so I had to take it back out and change
polarity on the LED. My advice, leave the long leads
on, solder it in, check it in the vehicle to see if it lights
up, once you are sure it works, then make it permanent.

>Seat Heater Switches:
I needed to get at my driver's side switch. I removed the
radio (made my own tools for that, e-mail me if you need
to know how), then reached in with my finger and managed
to pop out the fog light switch, once it was out I could reach
in through that hole with my aforementioned pick to pop
out the seat heater switch. Take the front cover off the
switch, release the tabs in back, and push the guts out the
front. At this point you will notice that these switches have
clear plastic with a red bulb, AAARRGGHHH. Back to
Radio Shack, I found Cat #272-1099, which has 12volt,
60mA bulbs, 1-red, 1-yellow, and 1-green. I took the red
bulb and proceeded to rip off the wire leads while trying to
strip the insulation, luckily the actual leads that come out
of the bulb are hidden in the glue junk at the bottom of the
bulb. I managed to expose these leads, which made the bulb
just the right length for the switch, unfortunately, the bulb
a little too wide. Out came the drill, I reamed out the hole
to 11/64" all the way down to the pc board. Now you can
insert the bulb and solder it to the board.
TWO POINTS: I emailed Radio Shack and bitched about
packaging multi-colors in one blister pack. I tried to paint
a clear bulb with fingernail polish, it didn't work, I wonder
if food dye would work.

Now the only problem I have is that the new bulb is about 5
times brighter than the old bulb, so I'll probably end up
replacing that one too.

--
Todd Young              WAM!NET Inc.
tyoung@wamnet.com       6100 West 110th Street
612-886-5051            Bloomington, MN 55438-2664
800-585-1133 ext.5051   http://www.wamnet.com/