Sonia's Driver

Hello,

I have a '93 del Sol. I want to replace the lights behind the climate control unit so that the controls are visible at night again. I've got both replacement lamps, (oddly, they came with a blue vinyl covering) and I just need to get the face of the climate control unit off so that I can swap them with the old ones.

Yesterday, I tried to pry the face off with my trim tools, but I noticed that the face is attached at the top with clips, and I didn't have the right tool to release the clip at that angle with so little space. I looked at Honda's explode diagram, but all I could tell is that there were the three clips on the top of the face that engage the unit in the dash, but I couldn't tell how the bottom attaches. Can anyone enlighten me?

*Please* tell me that there is a trick to get the face off without breaking it, or removing the entire freaking dash!

If there isn't, I'm gonna go buy some dentist's picks - hopefully I'll be able to get it with one of those.

Thanks for the help!

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

Should have looked at the diagram a bit closer. Take out the hazard and defrost buttons and remove the 2 screws there as well to get the face off.

Sonia's Driver

I don't understand.
I reviewed the diagram again. The hazard and defrost buttons are about 12" away, above the instrument cluster. How could those be holding the faceplate for the climate control in place? This is a 1993 del Sol.
Please elaborate.

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

I didn't say the buttons are holding in the faceplate/bezel. There are screws BEHIND the buttons that you can access after you remove them. THESE need to be removed.
http://www.clubcivic.com/board/showp...88&postcount=5

DaOne54

Dude... his asking about a DEL SOL.


Did you remove your stereo and unscrew the screws holding the climate control in place? you need to remove your stereo in order to get to those screws.

Sonia's Driver

Thanks,
I didn't try removing the stereo to access any screws, but I will.

Does the heater control unit slide forward after the screws above the stereo are removed?

grumblemarc

iTrader: (4)

So he was. Pardon me.

simpwildcat

If you could keep me posted on your progress, I too am wanting to replace my climate control lights. I think getting the climate control unit out of the dash is pretty straight forward, but I can't tell how hard it will be to get to the actual tiny light bulbs themselves. Any help is greatly appreciated! Thank you!

JarvisW

What I do, (and i've done this half a doz times) is remove the stereo, then, like he said, take a stubby screwdriver, and find the screw (#20) holding it in. (the diagram below calls for 3, but theres only one that holds it to the dash...) You have to go in where the radio was. The screw points up into the CC. I just looked at it, and its about 5 inches forward (to the front) of the bezel, dead center.

Then go under the pass side, take the heater wire (#5) and carefully slip the loop off the heater box. (or you can do this first)

Now you can slide the controls back to you a bit, carefully pop the harnesses off, and it will be loose! (install is the reverse)

I went thru on my dads Sol and colored all the lights to match his paint, along with the Speedo Cluster lights.. Now I gotta do that to mine, and figure out whats wrong with my stock radio, AND while I'm at it, figure out how to make it and the clock the same color as my car too! (I have ideas I got here and will post pics when I do it)

BTW, the first time I did this, I had to take the whole dash out, but it didn't take long, and it was a fun learning experience as to what all is under the dash, and how it all goes together.. Now I have Dads apart, all the way to the firewall. I replaced the Heater Core, the Condenser/Evap, and cleaned (you should have seen the leaves!!) and put new gaskets on the fan box! (he decided to do an almost full interior rebuild as he passed 300k before the engine blew from a cracked manifold) (now I just gotta put the dash back in, now that his new carpet is fitting well!

Anyway, good luck! Its not too hard to do.

OH, and getting the lights out is easy, they just twist out. two of the larger ones are hooked to a wire, but with a lil fiddling you can work those wires loose, then just give a lil twist and they will come right out. BTW, my experience with the lights were 2 coats with a sharpie was good enough to last at least a year, tho I would like to save enough for a full set of LEDs, and then I'd never have to do it again.

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/...HEATER+CONTROL

BigDSimp

Thank you for replying. I was able to get my climate control out, and replaced the two light bulbs you spoke of, but they still won't light up. I guess it may be something soldered to that little electric board. I think I'm gonna have to look into getting another used climate control unit.

Red_Army

what jarvis said. it is a lil tricky the first time.

also i doubt without changing the clock you'll get it to be any different. unfortunately.

darkenedsol

^Agreed. Jarvis is correct. The reason the bulbs have the blue vinyl covers is to defuse the light for even lighting. Best of luck to you!

Sonia's Driver

Thanks JarvisW - I just changed the lights on Saturday.

BTW, for anyone else who wants to change these light bulbs - there is a little plastic snap piece at the left rear of the hole for the stereo. On my del Sol, that had to be removed before there was enough slack to unplug the harness to the climate control controller. Also, the light bulbs have wedge bases - they should be pulled straight out, not twisted. Twisting them could possibly break the bulbs. I used a pair of forceps to grip the bulb and r/r - that worked great.
(Also, the forceps are the best tool purchase that i've ever made.)

JarvisW

No prob! and I wasn't saying they twist out of their sockets. (i should have mentoned that tho lol) I meant twist the socket from the dash part (spedo or CC, etc) then pull out of loose socket, like you said

And if anyone tries LEDs, and it does not light, just reverse the polls, as they are DIODES

Red_Army

^^definitely not fun it is to find out your lights don't work after you get it back in.