Hazard Switch Light stopped working

[DMC-81]

Hi there,

I'm chasing this same issue with the tiny bulb in the hazard switch. This is thread has great troubleshooting information!

The incandescent light didn't work when I bought the car, but was not burned out. I have a red LED replacement. I was able to fix the bulb's connection in the switch using the information above, so that it now lights with an external 12V on the correct pins. I verified the ground works on the connector, and both fuses are good. I'm currently verifying the the red/orange wire has 12V, as it still doesn't work when connected to the car.

image.jpg

A couple questions:

1) What is the normal operation of the bulb that I should look for? I.E. Does it light up and stay on with the key on accessory? Does it only light when the switch is on? Does it blink with the operation of the hazard lights when they are on?

2) What is the function of the blue square in the picture that is located between the bulb and the area the lights up on the knob? Is it a diffuser, reducer, or what? With the LED installed, it seems to completely block the light!

3) Is there a VIN specific operation of this bulb, or should it work on all cars?

Thanks!

[mburshtain]

Hi there,

I'm chasing this same issue with the tiny bulb in the hazard switch. This is thread has great troubleshooting information!

The incandescent light didn't work when I bought the car, but was not burned out. I have a red LED replacement. I was able to fix the bulb's connection in the switch using the information above, so that it now lights with an external 12V on the correct pins. I verified the ground works on the connector, and both fuses are good. I'm currently verifying the the red/orange wire has 12V, as it still doesn't work when connected to the car.

image.jpg

A couple questions:

1) What is the normal operation of the bulb that I should look for? I.E. Does it light up and stay on with the key on accessory? Does it only light when the switch is on? Does it blink with the operation of the hazard lights when they are on?

2) What is the function of the blue square in the picture that is located between the bulb and the area the lights up on the knob? Is it a diffuser, reducer, or what? With the LED installed, it seems to completely block the light!

3) Is there a VIN specific operation of this bulb, or should it work on all cars?

Thanks!

The light should turn on when you press the headlight switch. It will stay on as long as long as the headlights are on.
The blue square lens provide the blue light effect when the light it on. I agree that it blocks the light...
I believe the design of the hazard switch is the same across all VINs.

Keep in mind that you need a dark environment to see the light as it has very week illumination .

[DMC-81]

The light should turn on when you press the headlight switch. It will stay on as long as long as the headlights are on.
The blue square lens provide the blue light effect when the light it on. I agree that it blocks the light...
I believe the design of the hazard switch is the same across all VINs.

Keep in mind that you need a dark environment to see the light as it has very week illumination .

Thanks! I'll keep that in mind as continue testing. Still no dice on power to the red/orange wire.

I removed the blue filter and the triangle now shows red with external power.

image.jpg

[DMC-81]

Hi there,

Just an update to my power to the red wire problem. When I re-installed my console today, the hazard switch bulb began working. I figure the power is routed through the dash dimmer unit as they have the same color wires, and when I connected the dimmer, it lit. Now it works beautifully...

image.jpg

Thanks everyone for the help.

Cheers,

[Bitsyncmaster]

Hi there,

Just an update to my power to the red wire problem. When I re-installed my console today, the hazard switch bulb began working. I figure the power is routed through the dash dimmer unit as they have the same color wires, and when I connected the dimmer, it lit. Now it works beautifully...

image.jpg

Thanks everyone for the help.

Cheers,

Yes that dimmer is a junction point for a few of the light wires in the console.

[DMC5180]

Dana,

Did you replace your clock? I'm not used to seeing 15:32 .


Dennis

[DMC-81]

Dana,

Did you replace your clock? I'm not used to seeing 15:32 .


Dennis

Hi Dennis,

That's the test clock from Mario. It includes a military time mode - my favorite. I really like the clock.

Cheers,

[Mario]

Hi Dennis,

That's the test clock from Mario. It includes a military time mode - my favorite. I really like the clock.

Cheers,

How funny, I'd totally forgotten I'd sent you one, so I saw that photo and thought "Huh - they must have an aftermarket clock." Indeed you do, it's my clock!

[spikeygg]

Saw this thread and I thought I should chime in since I've been installing LEDs in my console and I found something concerning.

I purchased the recommended binnacle LEDs along with the hazard switch, headlight switch and cigarette lighter LEDs from Going 100% LEDs on your car is a good idea. Anyway, the LEDs arrived tonight and I had such a hard time getting the original bulbs out of the hazard and headlight switches that I wanted to be sure that I oriented the LEDs correctly the first time.

I got the schematic and my DMM. I took a good long look at the plugs and probed out the switches. What I eventually noticed was that half of the switch where the little light plugs in is power (red/orange) and the other half is ground (black). The would be okay if the rub-plates were oriented 90 degrees but the way they are oriented makes it looks like installing the LEDs I got would short power to ground on both leads of the LED!!!

Switch Innards.jpg

The leads on my LEDs wrapped all the way around the wedge. I don't know if this is a standard or not but I checked the wedge BULBS I took out of the switches and their leads only covered one side if the wedge. Here's a couple comparison photos so you can see what I'm talking about:
Bulb vs. LED #1.jpg Bulb vs. LED #2.jpg

In the picture of the switch you can see how the power and ground are oriented, the wedge of the bulb would be horizontal in this picture meaning that both leads on the LED would be shorting power to ground...

I worried about the orientation and these new LEDs causing a potential fire inside the switch so I modified the wire by snipping off the long leads of the LED:
Modify LED #1.jpg Modify LED #2.jpg

I didn't realize this but the diode option on my DMM actually generates enough current to lightly illuminate the LED so when I discovered this, I used it to verify that they were both installed correctly. Then to get the "full effect" I took them out and put the leads directly on a 12V battery and wow, they're bright. However, I reinstalled that little blue cover on both switches but the red LED I got for the hazard wasn't bright enough to shine through it so I pulled it out and it lights up nicely without it.

[papanoel]

Didn't want to make a new thread...

Is it possible to replace the headlight and hazard switch bulbs without removing the Ac Panel?