HAVC Light

[Minninips]

I'll start out by asking is there a light behind the HAVC unit to light up the 3 knobs? If so is it just as easy as unscrewing and replacing?

I am lead to believe it is #12 in the following, but it says ash tray light on pelican parts: http://www.realoem.com/bmw/showparts...99&hg=64&fg=20

Pelican parts: http://www.pelicanparts.com/cgi-bin/...9%29%2C%20Each

Thanks for any help!

[cooljess76]

It uses the same light bulb as the ash tray. Ridiculously expensive IMO, but yes that's the correct light. I went to the dealer and tried to purchase 3 of them as the bulbs behind my headlight/foglight switches were out as well, they wanted over 50 bucks! You can access that bulb if you remove the radio. If you have a stock radio, make sure you have the code before you disconnect anything. I recommend disconnecting the battery first because there's a grey/red wire that runs to the back of the radio and if it shorts out on anything, you'll blow the rheostat in your headlight switch dimmer. Ask me how I know

[Marv17]

you can get them from tischer and cumzy from bimmerforums for under $10 each. those lil lights are a b*tch to buy cuz its so expensive for its size

[the awakening]

I replaced mine in the summer. Expensive for their size but replacing it makes it a hell of a lot easier to see the controls at night. Worth my ten bucks and twenty minutes.

[Minninips]

Thanks for the info guys, I ordered one from pelican parts and will have it tomorrow!

[Minninips]

Got the bulb today... its different than what I have?

Picture attached. The bulb on the left is the new one, right being the old one, as well as the two connections attached to the old light. I can take the old bulb out of the black housing, but not the new one.

[the awakening]

The bulb comes out of that black housing one way or another. If it were not such a p.i.t.a. to get my radio back in, I'd pop mine out to check. I couldn't figure it out at first either. Give it a slight twist maybe?

[Minninips]

Originally Posted by the awakening

The bulb comes out of that black housing one way or another. If it were not such a p.i.t.a. to get my radio back in, I'd pop mine out to check. I couldn't figure it out at first either. Give it a slight twist maybe?

I was able to pull the bulb out of the old housing, the new one seemed to be in pretty good. It took me a good 30 mins to get my radio and everything out so I could finally get to the little light... I'lll try yanking on the new little light

[cooljess76]

Originally Posted by Minninips

Got the bulb today... its different than what I have?

Picture attached. The bulb on the left is the new one, right being the old one, as well as the two connections attached to the old light. I can take the old bulb out of the black housing, but not the new one.

That's a hack job by one of the previous owners. The bulb on the right is not an OEM bulb, and those connectors are not oem connectors. Someone bought a bulb at autozone, cut the oem connector off of the harness and crimped their own connectors onto the wires. That's ok though, it looks like they did a decent enough job


Hahahaha, you could've just picked up a two dollar bulb at autozone

[Minninips]

Originally Posted by cooljess76

That's a hack job by one of the previous owners. The bulb on the right is not an OEM bulb, and those connectors are not oem connectors. Someone bought a bulb at autozone, cut the oem connector off of the harness and crimped their own connectors onto the wires. That's ok though, it looks like they did a decent enough job


Hahahaha, you could've just picked up a two dollar bulb at autozone

... Really? *facepalm*

So I'll have to go to autozone and take in the bulb I assume?

ugh.

[cooljess76]

No, the bulb you bought will work just fine. The pins might be a little loose in the spade connectors the previous owner installed, but it'll still work. It's just that you didn't have to buy an OEM bulb afterall, you could of just went to your local auto parts store and picked up a cheaper bulb like the previous owner did.

[Minninips]

Originally Posted by cooljess76

No, the bulb you bought will work just fine. The pins might be a little loose in the spade connectors the previous owner installed, but it'll still work. It's just that you didn't have to buy an OEM bulb afterall, you could of just went to your local auto parts store and picked up a cheaper bulb like the previous owner did.

I'm guessing one spade connection per pin on the OEM light?

I'm not sure that the previous owner purposely spliced it... Maybe a shop she took it to did it... The cigarette lighter is the same- it has the spade connections. Now I'm wondering if anything else was fixed this way...

..just noticed a havc section... oops