map lights bulb replacement

[4DoorFord]

Ok, so I've read tons of threads regarding custom leds for the interior. My question is regarding the map light bulbs. On Sylvania and Super Bright Leds they're listed as 168 bulbs, which are onterchangeable with 194.

I took out the bulb and when i went to replace it with 194 led realized its not going to work because of the plastic base. Is there really no way to replace these with just a plug and play bulb?

The only numbers I saw on the bulb were 579 and under the plastic base I see Wagner A10.

I have a 2000 xlt with a sunroof. Anyone know an easy route for these? I don't really want to do custom work.

Thanks

 

[jimmyznutz]

I used a 194 LED bulb in my map lights. The plastic base accepts a few different bulbs. The base of the bulbs are the same, the difference is the size of the bulb itself.

 

[4DoorFord]

But isnt the bulb built into the base? I didnt think the bulb looked like it could be pulled from the base and replaced, but I'll look again.

 

[4DoorFord]

I havent checked yet, but i did find these exact bulbs with the base. I guess its under pc579 bulb w/ base.

http://www.amazon.com/Wagner-Lighting-PC579-Miniature-Bulb/dp/B000CLJOLI

Alright gonna check my base and LED

 

[4DoorFord]

Ya the bulb's wires at the end are looped over and soldered onto the metal from the base. When you did yours, did you have to break the wires loose? and did you solder the wire from the new one one?

 

[koda2000]

I think the front map lights are 921 size bulbs. Not sure if the base comes off the bulb, but 921's don't have a base. Be very careful when changing the map light bulbs, as it's really easy to tear the copper foil that carries the current to the bulb.

 

[4DoorFord]

Ya my copper foil is either alrdy broken or i thought it was as its disconnected at one part but when putting light back in, it still works. Why are these bulbs built into the darn plastic base!?

 

[4DoorFord]

I found a thread in another forum regarding these same lights and I guess the replacements from RockAuto and probably Amazon come with removable bulbs that aren't soldered onto the plastic base.

I'll probably just order some and do it the easy way, but I hope super bright led's on their own make enough of a difference for what I'm looking for. I'm sure theres a reason everyone here does it the custom way

Ok, now lets hope these 194 bulbs work in the puddle lights instead...If anyone knows this, please let me know.

 

[4DoorFord]

Well..I decided to just cut the wires off the original bulb so I could pull it out. Then I just unbent the wire from the LED bulb so it was straight. I put the bulb in the plastic base, but it didn't really fit, so I forced it down until there was enough wire that I wrap around the little metal tabs of the base at the bottom.

Installed it and its working! I'm gonna do the other one and then see what the puddle lights are like.

 

[4DoorFord]

The Puddle lights were plug and play. I just popped in some 194 LEDs in. To get to the lights there are 2 screws. T15 torx/star bit is all you need to remove the cover under the mirror. Then just yank it out of the housing and remove/replace bulb.

 

[williamhooper3]

This is the closest thread I could find to my problem. I have a 1993 Explorer with a battery that is being drained. What's causing the drain is the rear dome light, (Is that what it's called?) that lights the rear cargo area. It won't go off when all the doors are closed. It gets very hot and within a few hours the new battery is drained. It's probably controlled by a sensor in the rear hatch but I can't see one. There's no switch on the light itself and I haven't figured out a way to take the clear lens off. If I could do that I would just remove the bulb. Of course there's always the option of using the hammer to smash it to little bits but I'm not quite there yet. Any ideas?

 

[4DoorFord]

Does your door ajar light stay lit on your dash with door closed?

 

[J_C]

This is the closest thread I could find to my problem. I have a 1993 Explorer with a battery that is being drained. What's causing the drain is the rear dome light, (Is that what it's called?) that lights the rear cargo area. It won't go off when all the doors are closed. It gets very hot and within a few hours the new battery is drained. It's probably controlled by a sensor in the rear hatch but I can't see one. There's no switch on the light itself and I haven't figured out a way to take the clear lens off. If I could do that I would just remove the bulb. Of course there's always the option of using the hammer to smash it to little bits but I'm not quite there yet. Any ideas?

See if there is a gap between the clear lens and the surround for it. Shine a flashlight up in it to see if you can see little tabs molded into the sides. If you can then take a thin tool like a putty knife, slip it in and flex the lens VERY slightly. If it's brittle from being old or heated up so much then it may crack but you'll then just have to source a replacement from a junk yard and can play around with yours to decide the best way to get the replacement off at the yard.

The other alternative would be pry under the edge of the surround to see if it pops out of the headliner. Obviously both of these suggestions are only to get the bulb out so you spare your battery till you figure out where the switch mechanism for the rear is.

However on mine ('98 not '93) I think there is a separate manual (normal, for humans to switch by hand) switch that turns it on and off IIRC, maybe on the side trim panel? lol, I never use it so I can't remember exactly but do vaguely recall thinking to myself once "hey look at that..." when I saw it years later.

 

[bronchole]

This is the closest thread I could find to my problem. I have a 1993 Explorer with a battery that is being drained. What's causing the drain is the rear dome light, (Is that what it's called?) that lights the rear cargo area. It won't go off when all the doors are closed. It gets very hot and within a few hours the new battery is drained. It's probably controlled by a sensor in the rear hatch but I can't see one. There's no switch on the light itself and I haven't figured out a way to take the clear lens off. If I could do that I would just remove the bulb. Of course there's always the option of using the hammer to smash it to little bits but I'm not quite there yet. Any ideas?

Flip the switches on the back of the dome light to the off position.

 

[Thefordgirl]

This is the closest thread I could find to my problem. I have a 1993 Explorer with a battery that is being drained. What's causing the drain is the rear dome light, (Is that what it's called?) that lights the rear cargo area. It won't go off when all the doors are closed. It gets very hot and within a few hours the new battery is drained. It's probably controlled by a sensor in the rear hatch but I can't see one. There's no switch on the light itself and I haven't figured out a way to take the clear lens off. If I could do that I would just remove the bulb. Of course there's always the option of using the hammer to smash it to little bits but I'm not quite there yet. Any ideas?

 

[koda2000]

Don't "smash it with a hammer", just pop the lens off with a small screw driver and remove the bulb.

There is a switch/switches inside the tailgate (they're part of, attached to, the latch mechanisms if IIRC). it can be replaced or sometimes lubricated back to life, but getting at the switch/switches is not very easy. I'd just remove the bulb.

 

[allmyEXes]

Phil are you back ? We've missed you. Greg in north Alabama

 

[koda2000]

Thanks Greg. I'm not back in force, but when I'm copied on old threads I will sometimes put in my 2 cents if I feel it's relevant.

 

[J_C]

This is the closest thread I could find to my problem. I have a 1993 Explorer with a battery that is being drained. What's causing the drain is the rear dome light, (Is that what it's called?) that lights the rear cargo area. It won't go off when all the doors are closed. It gets very hot and within a few hours the new battery is drained. It's probably controlled by a sensor in the rear hatch but I can't see one. There's no switch on the light itself and I haven't figured out a way to take the clear lens off. If I could do that I would just remove the bulb. Of course there's always the option of using the hammer to smash it to little bits but I'm not quite there yet. Any ideas?

If the bulb is still running hours later, rather than timing out form the battery saver circuit de-energizing around... what is it, 40 minutes?, then even if you pull the bulb, you may still have 200mA+ phantom draw from that circuit instead of a couple dozen mA, so may still drain the battery excessively even without the bulb installed.