Window Switches In The Dark

[AYGOgummy]

Okay, so the lack of a light built into the electric window switches must annoy us a bit in the dark. Even more so for the passenger. I've seen on the various other blogs around that people have installed LEDs into the light switches. But they don't seem to reveal how it's done. Anyone ever tried this? I managed to fit the dimming interior light earlier today, and that took more than the five minutes quoted on here :P so is it a fairly straightforward job to do the window switches? And do other people find this to be a problem (albeit a tiny, only slightly annoying one!). We're obviously happy owners if all we can pick at is the window switches! :P

[Jan van de Wouw]

I can't say for sure if I'm the first and/or ony one that's done this modification, but in

the past couple of years I've lit about 15 sets of windowswitches in The Netherlands.

Don't do them anymore because of time and effort becoming incompatible with my

other hobbies and work, but what I did was relatively simple TO ME...

I took out the switches, unclipped the "hood" and then put an LED in this,

just under the lip where you pull/push the switch. I then took the wiring down

the rear of the hood, down to the connector and soldered the wiring (resistor and a protective

diode for the LED are in the "hood") onto the spades for the plug, so the plug could still fit.

The little panel the switch sits in only needs a small cut to make room for the wiring.

This way the "cup" in front of the switch is lit whenever the ignition is on/windows are powered.

[AYGOgummy]

Thanks for your help Jan :) I might give it a crack when I've got some spare time! :)

[Jan van de Wouw]

My first set (my personal one) took me about an hour to make, since I had to figure out everything...

The "production-versions" I made later on took me 20 minutes per set, but I DID do some preparation:

I made all the LEDs with resistors and extra diodes with wiring and heatshrink in advance.

That way I could make 30-something LEDs with wiring in roughly two hours.

Made them in several colors too, red and blue were most popular.

My own set was later redone in the proper amber color by using a couple of

LEDs I took out of someones speedo when I fit different colored LEDs in that...

But since they are SMD-LEDs this was not as easy as I'd hoped :P

[bertieuk]

It's a shame you don't make them any more, i'd pay for a set of the orange ones :D

[saniasamah]

jan van please do me a set for my auris please id pay definitely what a great idea

[Jan van de Wouw]

I can't maken "sets" as I did this modification on the switches while the owner was at my home with his or her car.

And I don't know what the Auris uses for switches, so I definately can't help you on that.