One of the minor details that has bothered me since I purchased my LR3 is the ambiance light located in the overhead console between the driver and front passenger's seat. It's not bright enough to light up the gear shift area at all.
I had a spare led from another project so I decided to try it out & see if it was and brighter than the oe unit. I was pleasantly surprised that the new led put out the perfect amount of light and does a good job of illuminating the console with out being too bright & creating a distraction. The overhead console is easy to remove- start at the edge closest to the windshield and gently pull & work it out of its position. There are no screws that attach it just spring clips. Once the console is out the led wiring & black plastic housing are easily visible. I suggest using a small flat blade screwdriver like the type for sunglasses or jewelery, and gently pry the led housing from the back side of the overhead console. One trick I've used in the past to help avoid breaking those little plastic tabs is to give them a light coat of silicone grease or dielectric grease to help the pieces slide a bit easier. It's easy to pry too much & snap one off.
The next step is to remove the led & harness, the connector is not very clear about how it comes apart & I wish I would have taken more detailed photos, but the best way to disconnect it is using the flat blade screwdriver - enter the connector on the vehicle side of the plug, this will lift the locking tab enough to pull it apart.
Using the same little screwdriver gently pry the locking tabs open on the housing that actually holds the led. Using a soldering iron, un-solder the old led & solder the new one in place. Take care not to get the led too hot while soldering, excess can **** it!
I had a spare led from another project so I decided to try it out & see if it was and brighter than the oe unit. I was pleasantly surprised that the new led put out the perfect amount of light and does a good job of illuminating the console with out being too bright & creating a distraction. The overhead console is easy to remove- start at the edge closest to the windshield and gently pull & work it out of its position. There are no screws that attach it just spring clips. Once the console is out the led wiring & black plastic housing are easily visible. I suggest using a small flat blade screwdriver like the type for sunglasses or jewelery, and gently pry the led housing from the back side of the overhead console. One trick I've used in the past to help avoid breaking those little plastic tabs is to give them a light coat of silicone grease or dielectric grease to help the pieces slide a bit easier. It's easy to pry too much & snap one off.
The next step is to remove the led & harness, the connector is not very clear about how it comes apart & I wish I would have taken more detailed photos, but the best way to disconnect it is using the flat blade screwdriver - enter the connector on the vehicle side of the plug, this will lift the locking tab enough to pull it apart.
Using the same little screwdriver gently pry the locking tabs open on the housing that actually holds the led. Using a soldering iron, un-solder the old led & solder the new one in place. Take care not to get the led too hot while soldering, excess can **** it!
