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Topic: Bulb access (Read 668 times) |
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DavidBE
Full Member
1998 Ghia X 2.9 24V Auto Estate
Posts: 135
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Can anyone tell me how to access the bulbs for the glove compartment and the front cigar lighter/ashtray? Oh, and what kinds of bulb they are.
They're the only two lights not working, and I'd like to fix them, but there's nothing about them in the owner's manual, it's not obvious to me how to get at them, and I'm a little worried that I'll break something if I just randomly try pushing, pulling and twisting.
Thanks.
Oh - P.S. Should the heated front and rear screen buttons (climate control version) and the heated seat buttons be illuminated with the lights on at night? (That is, lighting so you can see where the switch is, not the actual on/off light in the switch.) Mine aren't, but I'm not sure if they're supposed to be or not.
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mr._floppy
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Posts: 100
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Re: Bulb access
« Reply #1 on: Nov 1st, 2007, 2:47pm » |
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Yeah, all these buttons should be back-lit when the side lights are activated.
If you're good with a soldering iron and have lots of patience , you can replace the internal 12v LED in these switches. ( LED's available from Maplins )
Down side is that you'll have to take the dash fascia off to get to the Heated rear screen switch. Which is, to use a technical phrase, a bit of a b****r. 
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Simmo
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Re: Bulb access
« Reply #2 on: Nov 1st, 2007, 3:45pm » |
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Replacing the LEDs is detailed HERE. As for the glove box bulb you need to gently prise the plunger switch unit from its mounting in the top of the gloveboxand the bulb is then accessible. Sorry can't help re the ashtray but I'm sure someone else can.
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DavidBE
Full Member
1998 Ghia X 2.9 24V Auto Estate
Posts: 135
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Re: Bulb access
« Reply #3 on: Nov 1st, 2007, 5:56pm » |
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on Nov 1st, 2007, 2:47pm, mr._floppy wrote:Yeah, all these buttons should be back-lit when the side lights are activated.
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Thanks for the info. Pity - I think I'll just leave those. Funny how those two pairs should be the only switches with the lEDs out.
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DavidBE
Full Member
1998 Ghia X 2.9 24V Auto Estate
Posts: 135
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Re: Bulb access
« Reply #4 on: Nov 1st, 2007, 5:58pm » |
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on Nov 1st, 2007, 3:45pm, Simmo wrote:| Replacing the LEDs is detailed HERE. As for the glove box bulb you need to gently prise the plunger switch unit from its mounting in the top of the gloveboxand the bulb is then accessible. Sorry can't help re the ashtray but I'm sure someone else can. |
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Thanks very much for that. Stopped and got a bulb on the way home, and the glove box is now illuminated. 
If anyone can help with the front cigar-lighter/ashtray one I'd appreciate it.
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Snoopy
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Very old.BAD tempered and missing friends.
Posts: 6278
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Re: Bulb access
« Reply #5 on: Nov 1st, 2007, 8:03pm » |
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From my fading old memory the cigar lighter bulb is rather difficult to get at . I seem to rember taking the centre panel out and the nearside panel of the tumnnel unless oyu have thin fingers .. Rember the ash try can onluy be taken out when the dash is removed .. . See if any one else comes up with the solution.
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DavidBE
Full Member
1998 Ghia X 2.9 24V Auto Estate
Posts: 135
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Re: Bulb access
« Reply #6 on: Nov 1st, 2007, 10:05pm » |
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Removing the dash sounds a bit drastic, and more than I fancy doing at the moment.
It's frustrating. I can get a finger in through the hole the light shines through after removing the actual ashtray bit. And I can get a finger up from underneath. But as I've got no idea what's in there, I don't know what I'm poking. If there was a diagram somewhere so I knew what I was feeling with my fingertips, I might be able to do it.
Hm ... maybe I can see what's what tomorrow with a little mirror on a handle ...
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Tompion
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1997 2.3 Ultima estate.
Posts: 2918
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Re: Bulb access
« Reply #7 on: Nov 1st, 2007, 11:04pm » |
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Make sure the glovebox light goes out, quite a common problem. There is a test for this - can't find it at the moment, expect Simmo knows where it is.
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Simmo
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Posts: 5508
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Re: Bulb access
« Reply #8 on: Nov 2nd, 2007, 8:41am » |
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on Nov 1st, 2007, 11:04pm, Tompion wrote:| Make sure the glovebox light goes out, quite a common problem. There is a test for this - can't find it at the moment, expect Simmo knows where it is. |
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I can't find it either !!. What I do know is that fuse 43 covers it because it blew while I was trying to get the thing out in order to answer the question!!!  . Replaced the fuse but now no light so I guess the bulb, or is it an LED? went at the same time. I Did manage to lever up the actual cigar lighter unit but it seems to have a section protruding from the base which would not allow it to come out straight as does the glovebox one.
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Simmo
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Re: Bulb access
« Reply #9 on: Nov 2nd, 2007, 11:07am » |
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Solved it !!!!.  The answer is 1: remove fuse 43 to avoid shorting anything. 2: The bulb holder is just a push fit from underneath so it is a case of removing the 'inner' tray as mentioned which gives access,through a hole, to the bulb holder. With one finger through this hole and a finger and thumb from the outer edge you can get enough purchase to push the holder down and so release the bulb which is a tiny capless one. It is the bulb holder itself which is fitted to the lighter unit which prevents that unit from being lifted out complete with holder!!  . Ford give the FINIS no: 6579838 for the bulb but didn't have any. Went to the local motor factors and got two for £1 53. The 'generic' number for the bulb is 286 which is a minature capless 12v 1.2v.
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DavidBE
Full Member
1998 Ghia X 2.9 24V Auto Estate
Posts: 135
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Re: Bulb access
« Reply #10 on: Nov 2nd, 2007, 6:11pm » |
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Thanks so much, Simmo.
Saw your reply while I was at work, and managed to nip out for long enough to finally get the bulb out (still quite a struggle). It was blown, and I picked up a pack of two on my way back home, eventually managing to fit one in the car park.
Unfortunately it's still not working (although the lighter is). Hope I didn't wrench a lead loose fighting to get the old bulb out. But as I don't have a garage, or even off road parking, I think it'll have to wait until my weekend (Monday and Tuesday) to find out what's wrong.
But thanks again. If it had been left to me blindly fiddling, I'm sure I would have broken something as I hadn't managed to see how the fitting worked.
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Simmo
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Re: Bulb access
« Reply #11 on: Nov 2nd, 2007, 7:27pm » |
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Dave, I had the same problem and I still don't know what the answer is!!!. I put the bulb in three or four times before it 'connected'. I think it must be to do with the position of the holder, try twisting it and also make sure the tiny wires at the base of the bulb are able to make contact with the internal fittings by 'tweaking ' them out a little. Also. of course you need the ignition and the side lights on before the bulb will illuminate. Good luck and at least we now know how to get at the d**ned thing.  MIke.
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harry.m1byt
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What's YaBB?
Posts: 792
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Re: Bulb access
« Reply #12 on: Nov 2nd, 2007, 11:15pm » |
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on Nov 1st, 2007, 3:45pm, Simmo wrote:| Replacing the LEDs is detailed HERE. As for the glove box bulb you need to gently prise the plunger switch unit from its mounting in the top of the gloveboxand the bulb is then accessible. Sorry can't help re the ashtray but I'm sure someone else can. |
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I have checked with Maplin, the supplier for the LEDs recommended in the above quoted link - they suggest the LED is only suitable for upto 12v, not the 13.8 to 14.2 you can expect on a vehicle.
Perhaps Ford used the identical spec. of LED and that is why they have a tendency to blow?
In my experience LED's if used within specification usually out last the vehicle.
One solution using the same LED, would be to add three forward biased diodes in series with the LED. 3 would drop the voltage by 3x 0.7v or 2.1v bringing 14.1v down to 12v.
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DavidBE
Full Member
1998 Ghia X 2.9 24V Auto Estate
Posts: 135
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Re: Bulb access
« Reply #13 on: Nov 3rd, 2007, 5:53pm » |
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Yes! Lighter/ashtray light now in and working.
The trick when putting it back in appears to be getting it rotated right. One contact on the cylindrical base one puts the bulb in is a strip up the side. After getting it back in, one needs to rotate it so the strip is facing directly towards the lighter socket so it makes contact.
Flipping awkward, though. My fingers are way too big. Having got the bulb holder out again to check the bulb was making contact and identify where the contact strip on the holder was, it took me at least 20 frustrating minutes to get it back in again. No way I could hold it - just poke with a finger tip, somhow trying to twist it to get up into the socket.
Thanks again, Mike.
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Simmo
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Re: Bulb access
« Reply #14 on: Nov 4th, 2007, 6:56am » |
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Glad to have helped Dave and I agree that it is a frustrating exercise but at least now we know it can be done and how. I understand what you say about that strip on the side of the bulbholder which presumably is the earth contact. Mike
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