Converting the Green Interior LEDs to Red?

Deathstang II

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Want to first start off by saying hi! New to the forums and look forward to the many future forum threads.

Been having this project I've been wanting to do for a while to change out the puke green interior lighting to Red in both the steering wheel controls, door locks, and HVAC. Only problem is for one I'm pretty low skilled with electrical than my mechanical work, so work with me here. Most extensive thing I've done was wired up fog lights on an old '98 Mustang I owned and even that was pretty tame.

Now my '05 GT has the mycolor option if that helps any with this project and what I have to do. I also grabbed the processor module and wiring off a 2008 Mustang that's responsible for changing the colors in both the cup holders and ambient lightening in the footwells (if that'll help any as well).

So really, I'm looking at possible options to do this. Any electrical brains out there know if it's possible to tap into the positive leads of saaaaay one of the lights in any of the above mentioned? (steering wheel controls, door locks, and HVAC) and wire it into the processor module of that 2008, or do I have to solder on new LED chips. Or hell is it possible to somehow program the mycolor crap to work. Thank you in advance.
 

teeje

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Want to first start off by saying hi! New to the forums and look forward to the many future forum threads.

Been having this project I've been wanting to do for a while to change out the puke green interior lighting to Red in both the steering wheel controls, door locks, and HVAC. Only problem is for one I'm pretty low skilled with electrical than my mechanical work, so work with me here. Most extensive thing I've done was wired up fog lights on an old '98 Mustang I owned and even that was pretty tame.

Now my '05 GT has the mycolor option if that helps any with this project and what I have to do. I also grabbed the processor module and wiring off a 2008 Mustang that's responsible for changing the colors in both the cup holders and ambient lightening in the footwells (if that'll help any as well).

So really, I'm looking at possible options to do this. Any electrical brains out there know if it's possible to tap into the positive leads of saaaaay one of the lights in any of the above mentioned? (steering wheel controls, door locks, and HVAC) and wire it into the processor module of that 2008, or do I have to solder on new LED chips. Or hell is it possible to somehow program the mycolor crap to work. Thank you in advance.
I've done mine, and added leds to the door panels, and cup holder. Let me know what you're interested

I have a PDF I found also, but it won't let me attach it here. Send me a PM and I'll send it to you. You need plcc-2 LEDs and 3mm though hole leds for the door lock switches and window switches

in.
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Deathstang II

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I've done mine, and added leds to the door panels, and cup holder. Let me know what you're interested

I have a PDF I found also, but it won't let me attach it here. Send me a PM and I'll send it to you. You need plcc-2 LEDs and 3mm though hole leds for the door lock switches and window switches

in.
e2ba6fe6f9bd52d377d459e3f522227b.jpg
6802d8d532ed3c7c9a77d99eedd5e3d8.jpg
e97b140f3c22eded626637412d83f7f0.jpg
9795e38b4ac5e77c3174833cbf167be2.jpg
12a5e4cfe29ed4ab04ffbef4455a8bf4.jpg


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Yes please! I’d greatly appreciate that, though you seem to have a 10-14 s197 I reckon it’s no different?
 

teeje

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Yes please! I’d greatly appreciate that, though you seem to have a 10-14 s197 I reckon it’s no different?
I have an 08. Just swapped the steering wheel and door panels is all.

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Deathstang II

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I have an 08. Just swapped the steering wheel and door panels is all.

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Ahh I see, forgot the interior is interchangeable. Any who either send me a dm of the pdf or I can do it once I’m home the mobile web browser is pretty not so user friendly to navigate around. Thanks in advance man
 

teeje

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Ahh I see, forgot the interior is interchangeable. Any who either send me a dm of the pdf or I can do it once I’m home the mobile web browser is pretty not so user friendly to navigate around. Thanks in advance man
Thanks to Deric Higgins for the guide. I wish this was available when I did it. Maybe it was, but I couldn't find it.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/efan5dixea8oyoo/LEDchange.pdf?dl=0


Check the link, save it. Should be available for everyone to use

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Deathstang II

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Thanks to Deric Higgins for the guide. I wish this was available when I did it. Maybe it was, but I couldn't find it.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/efan5dixea8oyoo/LEDchange.pdf?dl=0


Check the link, save it. Should be available for everyone to use

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Holy crap this is very detailed. Thanks again for this and whomever higgens is for creating this. I’ll have to go to the yard and pick up some extra boards to trial and error on since I have 0 soldering skills.
 

teeje

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Holy crap this is very detailed. Thanks again for this and whomever higgens is for creating this. I’ll have to go to the yard and pick up some extra boards to trial and error on since I have 0 soldering skills.
Get a butane soldering iron from lowes. It's a complete kit. Use the flat tip. Also get a solder suckered. Order or get one locally if you can it will make it easier. Low heat is your friend. Too much heat and you'll burn the LED. Do one at a time, plug it in and test it. Pay attention to the notches on the LEDs also. Heat the solder up using the flat tip (almost looks like the tip of a flat head screwdriver) then either use the solder sucker to remove the melted solder or GENTLY lift the led up. You may have to heat both sides quickly but you shouldn't have to lift it up much to separate the LED from the board. Heat up the solder with the flat tip, use a pair of tweezers and very carefully lift up that side off the board but not too much or you'll rip the pad off the other side. I did that by accident on one and had to run a jumper wire.

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Deathstang II

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Get a butane soldering iron from lowes. It's a complete kit. Use the flat tip. Also get a solder suckered. Order or get one locally if you can it will make it easier. Low heat is your friend. Too much heat and you'll burn the LED. Do one at a time, plug it in and test it. Pay attention to the notches on the LEDs also. Heat the solder up using the flat tip (almost looks like the tip of a flat head screwdriver) then either use the solder sucker to remove the melted solder or GENTLY lift the led up. You may have to heat both sides quickly but you shouldn't have to lift it up much to separate the LED from the board. Heat up the solder with the flat tip, use a pair of tweezers and very carefully lift up that side off the board but not too much or you'll rip the pad off the other side. I did that by accident on one and had to run a jumper wire.

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Thanks for the advice, I was thinking about grabbing a cheap 20 dollar soldering kit off amazon, they seem to have decent reviews, and can't see me having much of a use for other soldering other than cell hardware maybe.

I went ahead and ordered a pack of 100 PLCC-2 Red LEDs off ebay, not sure how great the quality is, but we shall see. Just got to go to the yard now and grab a couple of extra circuit boards and switches in the event I fuck up a few of them. If you have any other advice I'd love to hear it. Yours looks as good as if it was factory, Im impressed. Did you do a custom cupholder LED job or is that the console off of an 08-09.
 

rocky61201

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There was a guy on another forum, The Mustang Source IIRC. He changed every LED bulb from green to blue. Even the stock shaker radio. It was an extensive write up. I have not been on that forum in probably 7-8 years. It might still be out there if you look for it.
 

teeje

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There was a guy on another forum, The Mustang Source IIRC. He changed every LED bulb from green to blue. Even the stock shaker radio. It was an extensive write up. I have not been on that forum in probably 7-8 years. It might still be out there if you look for it.
Yes, that was Deric Higgins

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teeje

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Thanks for the advice, I was thinking about grabbing a cheap 20 dollar soldering kit off amazon, they seem to have decent reviews, and can't see me having much of a use for other soldering other than cell hardware maybe.

I went ahead and ordered a pack of 100 PLCC-2 Red LEDs off ebay, not sure how great the quality is, but we shall see. Just got to go to the yard now and grab a couple of extra circuit boards and switches in the event I fuck up a few of them. If you have any other advice I'd love to hear it. Yours looks as good as if it was factory, Im impressed. Did you do a custom cupholder LED job or is that the console off of an 08-09.
I used a through hole led, and an led socket holder and drilled a hole and glued it from the back side. The butane soldering gun from lowes is about 20$. It's well worth it and has temp control.

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Deathstang II

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I used a through hole led, and an led socket holder and drilled a hole and glued it from the back side. The butane soldering gun from lowes is about 20$. It's well worth it and has temp control.

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Hey again, would you happen to know what kind of SMD chip Diode 10 is on the board? Believe this is the orange light that's active when the AC is on and might be a 3020 SMD. I may or may not replace these, but would like to know for future reference, Thanks again. Work on this project starts tomorrow. I'll post images here of my work and a possible video walk through.

Zs4Rav1.jpg
 
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teeje

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Hey again, would you happen to know what kind of SMD chip Diode 10 is on the board? Believe this is the orange light that's active when the AC is on and might be a 3020 SMD. I may or may not replace these, but would like to know for future reference, Thanks again. Work on this project starts tomorrow. I'll post images here of my work and a possible video walk through.

Zs4Rav1.jpg
I think it's a 3014...could be 3020 You would need to take a closer picture. I haven't had mine apart in awhile. I need to see the pads. Even better if you have a set of calipers to measure it. 3528 is the other leds. There in essence, the same chip but different sizes. You could in theory use the 3528 but you would need to clock it so you can solder it to the pads.

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Deathstang II

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I think it's a 3014...could be 3020 You would need to take a closer picture. I haven't had mine apart in awhile. I need to see the pads. Even better if you have a set of calipers to measure it. 3528 is the other leds. There in essence, the same chip but different sizes. You could in theory use the 3528 but you would need to clock it so you can solder it to the pads.

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93ec0cd9e5f8f0b897008d63bb37738f.jpg

Even for a good smartphone, camera won't focus enough on the chip. Im thinking it might be a 3020, looks extremely similar. No worries though, I believe Ill leave them be for now. Chips are pretty cheap, ends up being the wrong size, oh well. Thanks again.
 

teeje

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Even for a good smartphone, camera won't focus enough on the chip. Im thinking it might be a 3020, looks extremely similar. No worries though, I believe Ill leave them be for now. Chips are pretty cheap, ends up being the wrong size, oh well. Thanks again.
No problem. You should be able to get the 3528s to work. Just clock them to get the pads to somewhat line up and solder them. When I changed all mine, I left everything alone that wasn't green. When I turn ac on, the light is blue. Same for recirculation. My heated seat lights stayed red.

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Deathstang II

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No problem. You should be able to get the 3528s to work. Just clock them to get the pads to somewhat line up and solder them. When I changed all mine, I left everything alone that wasn't green. When I turn ac on, the light is blue. Same for recirculation. My heated seat lights stayed red.

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I decided to leave the orange LEDs alone that being the airbag light and AC indicator lights. Like you, I removed all the green and successfully got the red diodes onto the board. My cheap little 20 dollar amazon solder did the job done. Unfortunately I had a lot of trial and error on the HVAC circuit boards though (Mine happens to be the same as the one in the PDF 05-06 board). My heat was set to 300, but sometimes the stock diodes just dont want to pull off the board. So as I pulled up on one diode, the metal pad came off with it...On my second attempt the metal pad came off and pulled with it the connection off the board.

Funny enough...the HVAC board I pulled off my own car ended up being the one that went smoothly. The through hole diodes were also a bitch, tried to figure out how to surface mount those and just bent the tips of the metal prongs to create one (Guide somewhat touched up on that but doesn't quite go into detail about it).

This is why I went to the yard to grab a set of these boards and switches and Im glad I did. I will have pictures posted later tonight. Was much easier than I expected it to be. I just need to figure out how to mount an LED to the light switch since it appears to be the only old school halogen bulb that shines through a green translucent piece of plastic if Im not mistaken.

Would you also care to explain where you got your heated seats buttons for the hvac? Apparently they're stock on 07 and newer, but wanted to be sure. Would like to add heated seats to mine in the future using the stock switch.
 
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Deathstang II

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Final results! Going to end up doing the light switch eventually and info screen on the gauge cluster. Lights appear more orange in the pictures, but they’re definitely red!

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teeje

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Deathstang II

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Awesome man. I'm sure was glad to have helped!

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Indeed! You helped my substantially with this and gave me the courage to solder for the first time! I posted you some other stuff on my last post if you have any info on any of that too that'd be swell, though thinking about it now, the 07 and newer had different circuit boards to cater to that option and the button was built into the board. Not a switch now realizing...so not sure how I could use the stock buttons, like to keep my stuff looking somewhat stock and try to avoid drilling at all possible.
 

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