SN95 LED Shift Indicator Swap (Auto)

[Echo]

This write-up is a work in progress. It needs pictures, probably some better organization, and a few links here and there. Hopefully it won't remain in progress for long. I'll be adding step-by-step pictures to this write-up tonight (...maybe). My work-place doesn't really smile upon downloading and uploading things on their computers. Go figure.



So after browsing around these forums, I was pretty excited to find DIY instructions on how to swap out my Gauge lights, and HVAC lights with super-bright LEDs, which actually turns all the lights a bright blue. Everyone was doing this with great results, and I also found a set of instructions on how to switch your clock pod so that it too was blue. So now everything in your car can match, right!?

Well, not really. The last set of lights up front that illuminates itself in that sickly green color are the shift indicator lights for an automatic. I don't know what a manual is like, so I'm going to pretend they don't exist. When everything else is lighting up a pretty blue, these lights are a real eyesore. So after doing some research I was able to find out a few things. 1) No one has a done a write-up on how to swap out this light with a super-bright LED. 2) The bulb size is the same as the bulbs used in the gauge cluster and HVAC. And, 3) A text-only instruction on how to get to that damned bulb. So while I was swapping out my HVAC lights (I did my gauge a few days ago) I decided to do this as well. I imagine that it about doubled the time it would have taken me, to do just my HVAC lights. For the record, this write-up will be written from the point of view of a complete novice to pretty much everything that’s getting written about. So if I can do it, so can you. Anyways, that’s a good enough introduction to this, let's get started.

I should probably mention that this is only going to work for a 94-95. If you have a different year, this will not make you lights blue. Browse some other write-ups a little bit for more information on this little tidbit.

Things you will need;

T20 torx screwdriver, preferably once with a long, skinny shaft.
-It turns out that in the center console removal write-up, and in the Gauge/HVAC swap write-up a T15 torx was used. When doing my swaps, I used a T20 all the way, but found a T15 to do the job. Pretty sure the correct size is T20 but use what ya got.
1 Super-bright White LED light, Socket 194/168
-I got my lights from here; (Amazon - Thx to 5ptSlow for that link!) This is a set of 10 LED lights. This gives you 5 for the gauge, 2 for the HVAC, 1 for the Shift Lights, and 2 to put either in your license plate lights, or you can throw one into your trunk and keep a spare. From what I've heard these give more even coverage than the LEDs from Superbright LEDs' website, and I can't say I'm complaining from my end result.
Patience


This write-up here is also helpful in removing the center console, in case you can't understand mine, for whatever reason.

 

[Echo]

Step 1; Trim Piece Thingy

Your first step will be removing the trim from around your shifty-thingy. I put mine into neutral first, because I think I read somewhere you should. Don't forget your emergency brake! So with my shifter in neutral, I began grabbing around the edges of that POS and pulling.

Don't be too forceful, but don't be a pussy about it either. It'll come off eventually. It turns out the plastic tabs holding it in weren't where I thought they were at all! Maybe you'll have an easier time with this, knowing where they are.

Or maybe not.

Step 2; Trim Piece Wire Thingy

So now you have that damn trim piece up, but it's plugged into something. What the hell, right? Well, don't worry about it this part is easy. Just pull the little black thing from the back of your plug thing and it'll slide right off.

No tabs to worry about or shit like that. Just give it a tug. Great! See how easy that was? So now your trim piece thingy is gone.

Step 3; Center Console Removal

Helpful hint; This instructional may be easier, more accurate, and you'll probably get insulted less. Plus, his pictures are better.

So, we got the trim thingy off, now we need us some wiggle room to get to the next step. We'll start by unscrewing the two screws that were hiding under that trim piece thingy. Your T20 torx screwdriver will come in handy here. In fact, it's practically required for this step. Here’s a picture.

So yeah, just take those suckers off. Wasn't too hard, right?

At this point, you can go about this one of two ways. If you have a nice little extension thingy for your torx screwdriver, or little bitty midget hands I suppose, then you don't need to remove anything else before you can try and get that shifter thingy up. On the driver side, there are two screws deep within the center console holding the shifter down. I couldn't get to them at this point, and I couldn't even get a picture of the screws in there, but maybe you can. Get these off and pull the shifter up and you can skip to the second part of Step 5. Let's assume you don't have little bitty midget hands. Keep reading.

Step 4; Center Console Removal for people that don't have little bitty midget hands, continued.

Now we need to finish getting that damned center console out of the way, because we don't have little bitty midget hands, do we? That's right, we don't. So, you need to open up your center console, and you'll find three square rubber thingies. We're going to take out only the two in front. I took out all three, because I didn't know only two have screws under them. This is where you'll need the Phillips head screwdriver that I didn't mention up in the 'things you need' list. Sorry about that. Anyway, use it on those two screws. Here's a picture for you visual learners;

Once you've got those two screws out, you've got to wrestle the basket out of your center console. This was a pain, and I kept thinking I must have missed a screw. If you're also thinking this at this point, you're wrong. Just keep trying at it, maybe ask your little sister to help. Once you've gotten the basket out, you can go on to the next pseudo-step!

Pseudo Step 4.5; Still Getting the Center Console Out

So you got the basket out, and you've thrown it into your back seat, or whatever. Now if you look down into that gaping hole that was your center console, you can see two more torx screws.

Yeah, those. Unscrew 'em. Great! Good Job! Whatever. Anyways, take those out, and now you should be ready to pull out your center console. Just kidding. First you need to unplug some cords. Look around for a grey box thingy with cords coming out both sides. Sorry I didn't get a picture of this one. Maybe later. Or maybe someone else can take a picture and I'll add it on. Either way, find the box thingy and pull it apart. One side will be fastened to the console, the other to the car, so we obviously can't just leave it. If you have a convertible or fog lights, you will probably need to do something about those too, in my case my convertible top switch was already unplugged. You just have to pry the buttons up and unplug them. Maybe an ashtray light plug as well. Idk, just unplug anything that's in the way. Shouldn't be a problem. Now for the tricky part. You need to pull your E-brake up as far as it will go. Trust me, it helps. Then just rip it out! But seriously, be careful and slowly maneuver your center console up over the e-brake and then out of the car. If you hit some resistance, make sure you've unplugged everything, and be patient with this, it's not the easiest thing to do.

Now would be a great time to clean up under here! Or you could not.

Step 5; Taking that ****er off.

So now you have easy-peasy access to your shift-thing. Good. On the left (driver) side, there are two screws holding it down. It's your T20 torx again.

Yeah, get 'em off. Good. So now that those are off, you're ready to remove your shifter thingy. Just grab it, and firmly pull up. Careful though. That resistance you're feeling is from two peg things on the right (passenger) side. They'll pop out relatively easy but try not to break anything.

(Picture)

Again, go get your little sister if you need any help. You got it? Good! So now, you're almost finished.

Step 6: Replacing the Light

Look under the shift-thingy, and you'll see a place where some wires, in a plastic thingy, go into the shift thingy. That's your bulb holder thingy.

Grab it, and turn it to remove. Nice. So now, just pull the bulb from the socket, and replace with your super-bright white LED bulb. At this point, I went ahead and turned on my lights, to make sure it lit up.

Pretty! So yeah, now you just need to put everything back together. My advice is to make sure your seatbelt doesn't get screwed up under the center console. I found out this morning that mine was. So that's wonderful. If you haven't installed your LEDs into your HVAC yet, now is a great time, since you have to remove the trim piece from step 1, and the two screws from Step 3 to do this anyway. Here's a link for you lazy people; SN95 Gauge and HVAC LED Swap



Finished Product;

Yay!

 

[Echo]

Reserved