2001 Aurora replacing bulbs in steering wheel controls

[derkach99]

Hello all,

Well this evening I bit the bullet and I changed the bulbs in my radio steering wheel controls. I burnt my finger but i managed to do it. I found that pulling the switch off hurts your fingernails but I finally got it off without breaking anything. I managed to get the switch apart which I found rather hard. Once the switch was apart I put all the small parts aside and and started to desolder one of the bulbs and solder in a new bulb which went well and i even managed to solder it on just like the original, the second bulb however played out a bit differently. I soldered the bulb without much issue but when i soldered the new bulb back in is where i had trouble and burn my finger. After some fighting and cold water I got the new bulb attached firm enough to the board not as nice as the first but it was there. I plugged the board into the car the they both lit up but man those little bulbs get hot. One thing i noticed is that with the switch back together I feel that the top bulb (Vol rocker switch) is hotter than the bottom one and i smell a little bit of burning if I put my nose on top of the switch. Should I be worried? I also notice that the switch is a bit dinner than the other too. Let me know your thoughts.

[ljhermsen]

Where did you get the bulbs? Part Numbers? Cost?

I see clear bulbs and blue bulbs. What's the scoop on that?

[derkach99]

I purchased the bulbs in a lot awhile ago online through ebay i think. The bulbs i got called grain of wheat bulbs look identical to the original. The bulbs are clear out of the box but there is a blue condom that goes over them to give then the green bluish look like all of Oldsmobile's instrument lights.

[Oldsnut]

Did you not use LED lights?

[derkach99]

Oct 27, 2017 22:05:50 GMT -6 Oldsnut said:

Did you not use LED lights?

No i did not, in not that electronically inclined. I just soldered in new bulbs. Space is very limited in those switches.

[tigger]

Aw, mam! Now I want a Canadian spec gauge cluster! LOL!

[derkach99]

What lol? I opened up the switch again to see what was burning but i saw no evidence of burning/melting i am going to test the switch part by part in the car tonight. Then on to the next climate control switches. I am worrysome of how i am going to get the other buttons out that have bad bulbs in them. I am hoping to get to a junkyard before the snow flys up here in southern Ontario and give my poor RIP final 500 Intrigue a visit and steal some parts off the engine and look at some Saturns SC coupe for some parts for a friend. Also check your PCV valves they are so cheap especially off of rock auto OEM part, i had a fram aftermarket that just last week was fine but decided to stick just as i changed it and she runs noticeably smoother. The part is a breeze to change too.

[derkach99]

Just a quick question, How hot to these switches usually get when your lights are on? I find my switch feels warmer at the top switch then the bottom.