Bulb question

[medphys]

The vanity mirror in my 2006 Sport has a small light that is dimmable from off to high, and built into the visor. I need to change out the burned out bulb but the lens isn't easily removable and the parts guy at my dealership says I have to change out the whole visor, which is like $200. I know that most of these threads are about actually serious mechanical issues but has anyone actually changed that bulb?

 

[joegr]

Okay, so you don't know if the bulb is really burned out if you haven't removed it. One of my bulbs quit working, but it was not burned out. Instead, a trace was broken in the flat flex PCB that connects the sockets. I soldered a piece of very thin hookup wire from the good socket to the bad socket to correct it. The wire does not show behind the lens if you run it along the perimeter.

If you look very carefully (I used a magnifier) at the lens, you can see to places along the long edges to gently pry on it with a small screwdriver to unsnap it.

These LEDs will fit correctly. They work okay as is, but you may want to add a load resistor if you want the dimmer to still work.
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B018J69J6W/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

There are other car brands that use or used the same lighted visors. You may be able to find a video somewhere showing lens removal.

 

[medphys]

Thanks

 

[medphys]

Ok I ordered the new LED's and they arrived today. I installed two and they don't light up. So, I'm figuring that your trace problem or a simple fuse? Can you tell me which fuse it is and if its location? if that doesn't work, Ill have to remove the lens again and find the trace....I guess. Any suggestions at this point ?

 

[joegr]

So, both bulbs are out on one of the visors, but the other visor is okay?

The fuse is 5 in the battery junction box. Unless both visors and most of the other interior lights are out, it's not going to be the fuse.

In my case, one of the visor lights worked, and the other on the same visor didn't. I just ran a wire from the working one to the non-working one.