Here's the original thread for this topic:

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...or-lights.html

I wanted to recreate this because some of the info in that thread is outdated or misleading. This is likely the cheapest and easiest mod you can do to your car, especially given the improvement it makes.


NEEDED:
A tiny flat-head screwdriver (or something similar)
LED light bulbs (read "NOTES" below)
About 5 minutes

NOTES:
First off, the "WLED-W6" LED lights mentioned in the original post are no longer around. Even if you could get them, I wouldn't recommend them (the worked well, but burned out and one actually crumbled in my hand when I pulled it out). They were several years old, but the design wasn't the best.

Here you can see one dying light and one completely dead:



This pic shows the plastic bulb socket unclipped from the wiring, along with the old-style WLED-W6 bulb:



Instead, I got the "WLED-WHP6: Cool White" lights from the same vendor in that original post. I do recommend them, they answered my questions and were easy to work with, and shipping was quick and accurate. The lights I got were the most expensive ones (but what's $16 for a noticeable improvement in an Aston Martin? lol). I like the design far more than the originals so I hope they hold up longer. The lights are plug-and-play and take 5 minutes total to do both map lights.

You can use a pick or knife or something, but a tiny screwdriver works best for me - it is flat so it won't indent the plastic bezel or alcantara, and it'll be strong enough to pry loose the bezel.

Step One:
Put the tip of your tiny screwdriver between the plastic bezel and the alcantara. Carefully pry the bezel loose from the alcantara. Once you start getting it loose, work around the bezel to pull it out evenly to reduce the risk of damage. (Once you've done this once and seen how easy it is, you'll be a lot more liberal with your prying.)

Step Two:
Gently twist the bezel and plastic bulb socket to release the socket from the bezel.

Step Three:
Remove the old bulb, insert the new one. Test the new map light to make sure it works.

Step Four:
Insert the bulb socket back into the bezel, and twist gently to lock it in place. It should look something like this:



Step Five:
Line up the wide sections on the backside of the bezel with the larger openings in the alcantara. Push the bezel back in place in the alcantara headliner. You can see the wide sections in this picture:



And where they fit in this picture, in the 5-o'clock and 11-o'clock positions:



Step Six:
Repeat steps 1 through 5 for the other map light.

And that's it. Easiest DIY ever!

 

Thanks! I need to take out my headliner this winter... is there a DIY on that too?

 

I changed the map lights on P1nky_Up's car tonight so I figured I'd film the process lol

Video added to the first post.

I'm sure there's one around here somewhere...

 

Great video. I am going to do this right away!

Do you realize you have comments disabled on the video?

 

Thanks! Oddly this was the easiest job ever but a total pain to film. Took a dozen takes to get it right lol.

I did disable them... YouTube is notorious for having some absurdly irrelevant (and often hostile) comments and I didn't want to get wrapped up in them. I'll be posting the videos on 6speed as I make them, so the forum is intended to be the comment section

 

Got my bulbs ordered. Can't wait to replace the lame ones I currently have.

 

Installed and they look great! Thanks for the heads up!

 

I just changed out the lighting in my '07 Vantage. I posted all the details in the original thread. This is a huge improvement to the car and probably the easiest and cheapest mod available.


All together, the LEDs needed for this project cost $57.60 including shipping and took about 40 minutes to install all of them. I could do it again in 15 minutes.

 

done! as it should have been from the factory! really freshens up the interior feel at night.

 

Glad it worked for you guys!