98 Gs300 Dash/control Panel Light Out

[imtheking]

The "rear" and "front" defroster buttons on the control panel no longer light up at night.

Is there a procedure for taking out the dash to replace the bulbs?

Do each of them have there own bulbs?

thanks everyone

[GuyTelefunken]

Remove the climate control unit and radio, search the forums for how to if you need to. Seperate the CCU and the radio by removing the screws in the side brackets that join the CCU to the radio.

The CCU has several lamps in the back to light the controls. They are removed by using a small flat-bladed screwdriver and turning them counterclockwise as viewed from the back. You may have to partially dissessemble the CCU or rear cover to access the lamps. I suggest you remove the unit and count the bulbs. Order enough to replace them all. Chances are, after you disturb them more will soon fail. The lamps are only available from Lexus.

[imtheking]

great...should be easy enough. I have a after market radio in my car so the kit is easy to pull out. Shouldnt be hard to get to CCU. Man, $11 for the bulbs. :(

[GuyTelefunken]

When I ordered the bulbs, they were about $3.00 per bulb. I don't remember how many they were, but it wasn't too bad. Consider they have lasted for seven years (in my case MY1998). I service Mercedes from time to time and the lamps that light the speedo, radio, etc. sometimes only last for 2 months.

[imtheking]

well i tried pulling out the CCU and I just couldnt do it. i spent about 1 hour trying and I just gave up...ill just pay a mechanic an hour worth of labor to replace the 2 bulbs. Hopefully it wont be more than $60 for labor. Then the bulbs to :(

sigh....$80 to replace 2 bulbs....

[GuyTelefunken]

Aparently you did not search the forums on how to properly remove the radio. If you had, you would have easily seen how the control module comes out. It and the factory radio are removed together as a unit.

Look here.

[imtheking]

ok this is weird....im driving in the evening, i look at my CCU and my "rear" and "front" defroster lights are lit up like they are supposed to be.

So the lights were never burnt out...something must be loose back there. Actually here is something that has nothing to do with it BUT my sidemarker light was out and after I changed it today, the CCU lights started to work. Whatever....at least I didnt have to take out the CCU to replace 2 bulbs that were never really burnt out in the first place.

[GuyTelefunken]

Here is my guess. The bulb (one bulb lights both of those switches) has failed. Somewhere along the line, you incurred a vibration that caused the broken end of the lamp filament to touch the supporting conductor inside the lamp, where it is temporarially fused. Sometime in the future, you will be going down the road and hit another similar bump. After this happens, you'll again be wondering how to remove the CCU to replace the lamps. This thought comes from the school of been-there & done-that.

The side marker is just a coincidence.

[imtheking]

good call....well for now its working so im not going to worry about it. more important things i need to fix on that car like my hood latch and door lock. door locks gonna run me 250 plus labor. holding out on some things until i get some money saved up. so one bulb being out doesnt bother me...unless more start to go out