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Mon Apr 11, 2011 9:33 pm

I need to replace the light behind the heater controls. I notice that gowesty sells a bare bulb and a socket. My socket appears to be good, so I really only need the bulb, is that correct? Or is it a 'set'?

Gregor

Tue Apr 12, 2011 3:38 am

If you have the old bulb in your hand...don't forget that your local parts store (Napa)or VW dealer sells common things like bulbs,fuel tanks,brakes,shocks,gas lines-

Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:09 am

The factory heater control light typically doesn't have a replaceable bulb(I have never found one in a vanagon). The bulb is usually wired and soldered into the holder. If you do indeed have the upgraded replaceable bulb style holder that GW and VanCafe sells then you only need to buy the bulb.
Good luck.

Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:21 am

gbrandt wrote: I need to replace the light behind the heater controls. I notice that gowesty sells a bare bulb and a socket. My socket appears to be good, so I really only need the bulb, is that correct? Or is it a 'set'?

Gregor

If you've never changed it before, you'll need both. I just did this a couple weeks ago. Use a flathead screwdriver to pry off the panel (and try not to snap it). Others recommended pulling off the 4 control arms so that the panel would pop off easy but I couldn't figure out how to get them off. Instead I just set the control arms towards the left, and peeled the panel back to where I could reach a couple fingers behind it and then popped off the old socket/bub and replace with the new socket/bulb.

Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:20 am

If you have the old bulb and are feeling cheap and industrious, I reused a burnt bulb and retrofitted it with an LED. Sounds complicated but its not. If interested, a search for 'climate' and "LED" should find the thread.

Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:26 am

Here you go:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=373343&highlight=climate+led

I think I need to do this mod. :D

Link to ebay store. Old link was not active.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4pcs-286-T5-Dashboa...ccessories

Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:34 am

My bulb went out last year, now it's peeking out through one of the slots. I gotta get on top of this.

Thanks.

Tue Apr 12, 2011 9:28 am

Be VERY careful when removing the panel. That plastic is old and brittle, so take your time and pry very gently. (Ask me how I know this . . .)

Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:21 pm

dobryan wrote: Here you go:

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=373343&highlight=climate+led

I think I need to do this mod. :D

Link to ebay store. Old link was not active.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4pcs-286-T5-Dashboa...ccessories

Awesome, I have already done the dash lights with LEDs. I didn't like the lacking brightness of the climate control lighting and wanted to do an LED there too but wasn't sure how difficult it would be. This answers that question, thanks.

Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:46 pm

If you buy the bulb holder from GW or VanCafe you can push in a #74 mini wedge base led into it and avoid any soldering. Future replacement would also be a breeze if ever needed.
Options...

Fri Dec 14, 2012 1:01 am

I need to do this, stat. What I'm hearing and reading is that you can't just get a replacement bulb but the entire unit, right?

http://www.van-cafe.com/home/van/page_1023_579/cli...lb__s.html

Guess I'll find out when I get in there. I was trying to find a tutorial for taking the panel off (or whatever the best way is to get to that bulb) and came across this

http://shufti.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/vanagon-heater-control-lights/

seems very helpful. (^ perhaps from someone in here??)

Hopefully I won't break anything..

Fri Dec 14, 2012 4:01 am

There is a light in there???????

Fri Dec 14, 2012 7:06 am

For the life of me I can not get the control arms to come off...
I've read that they should just pull off but, it seems that they are really on there for life.. Is there truly no tab or something on the back end that releases them? I'm afraid to pull to hard to just break a tab in the back :cry:
(Already did that once with the plastic covering over the front heater outlets) :roll:

My light works but it's just dangling in the back and gets in the way of the control arms...

Fri Dec 14, 2012 8:39 am

Yes, the levers can be really hard to remove. Some tips:

- I've found it a little easier to do in summer vs winter. So perhaps some heat (hair drier? ) directed on panel will help.
- don't pull on the knobs at end of levers - they will break off. Grab lever shaft proper. Pliers or small vise-grips help.
- brace your hands so that the pull you will be applying is limited motion. I mean, when/if the lever comes off suddenly limit your pulling motion so you don't break the front panel .
-some grease on the levers when re-installed will make next time easier.

vermontgirl - yup, that's my blog post (http://shufti.wordpress.com/2011/11/24/vanagon-heater-control-lights/)

good luck

alistair

Fri Dec 14, 2012 8:46 am

I'm glad that this thread is here! I need to do this. This fall I took off my plate to replace the bulb. There is nothing there no wire- no socket nothing. I searched around to see if I could find a wire or something, no luck. I have tried to trace the circuit in the Bentley diagram but an having trouble deciphering it. Any suggestions on where the wiring connects and replacement of the wire would be greatly appreciated. The LED replacement looks like the way to go

Fri Dec 14, 2012 9:07 am

I have had good luck replacing the non-replaceable bulbs with the common 2721 bulbs using the original bulb housing. You have to pull the entire old bulb out complete, breaking the little wires that attach it to the bulb holder. Then you have to straighten out the wires on the new 2721 bulbs and feed them down to where they make contact with the socket connectors. It's a bit fiddly, but I have done it many times and it does work.

As for removing the levers, I have found it helpful to move all of the levers to one side except for the one that I am trying to remove. If you move the one that you are working with to the center position, you get the most amount of lever stick-out to work with.

Also, if you look at the shape of the lever where it slides over the metal tabs, you will see that they have a raised hump. This hump may be on the top side or the bottom side. When removing the lever, it is VERY helpful to put downward pressure (if the hump is facing up) or upward pressure (if the hump is facing down) on the lever when pulling toward you. This gives the hump the clearance that it needs to exit the slots in the plastic cover and helps prevent it from catching on the plastic cover as the lever releases.

Sat Apr 06, 2013 11:46 pm

There are lights for the controls? Thank you very much I'll be looking into that!

Though, not sure that heater one will help me so much, I can barely figure it out WITH the manual! I just printed stickers off to help me until I've figured it out. All I know is the other day it was pouring out hot air when I wanted cold. After an hour long drive, I finally figured out (randomly) how to shut it off. The next day, it was cold out and I wanted some warm air, do you think I could make it do that again? Nope. Not a chance! LOL

Heater Controls from the manual:
[url]
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/archives/manuals/1985vanagon/34.jpg[/url]

tam

Sun Apr 07, 2013 6:03 am

climberjohn wrote: Be VERY careful when removing the panel. That plastic is old and brittle, so take your time and pry very gently. (Ask me how I know this . . .)

Or just take the gauge cluster out and approach the problem from the back. Then you don't have to yank the levers off the ventilation controls.

Paul

Tue Sep 20, 2016 6:29 am

Additional tip for re-installation of the control levers:

I've previously installed the hvac panel first, then the levers. Difficult to get the metal arms behind the panel to align and start the plastic lever.

Better way is to position the lower plastic lever through the slot in the panel BEFORE snapping the panel in place. Connect the arm to its corresponding metal lever, continue with the remaining 3 levers, and then snap the panel into place last.

Tue Sep 20, 2016 8:35 pm

^^^ ...and hit the back end of those levers with a little grease to make
'em easier to pull next time. Good idea for the face plate posts, too... :roll:

:wink: 8)