Panel lights, or not?

[Bowline5]

Back in the Spring I needed a mid-sized estate car, ideally not front wheel drive, and found a nice clean 2006 Forester 2.5 turbo (by **** it's quick!). A few nights ago I noticed that none of the switches in the lower panel were illuminated. The indicator lights, either on the switch or in the main binnacle, all work when the switches are pressed but in the dark it's pot luck finding the right one. It seems to me they should be background lit and it would be quite a coincidence if all four of them were hiding duff bulbs. I've had a look behind the panel, all the switches are individually connected, there's no common supply or common light anywhere, so I decided not to start taking the whole thing apart before asking advice. Does anyone know if the switch assemblies do contain panel lights, and if they do how do I replace the bulbs?

Thanks

Derek

[Judd]

You can prise the switches apart carefully with a thin screwdriver, inside each you will find two easily fitted tiny bulbs, one for background illumination and one (not sure if brighter but they look identical) to illuminate the switch once on.

I have one background bulb out, it seems odd that all of yours have blown so suspect that power isn't reaching the link for those lower dash panel illumination bulbs, easy enough to check by pulling one switch out and swapping the bulbs over.

If you do have blown bulbs and manage to find the correct ones without the hassle of visiting the dealer parts dept, please let us know what the bulb code is.

 

A tip from wifey for finding the right switch, get some small self adhesive decorative embellishments (crafters would use these when card making), and apply to whichever switches you want then when you run your fingers along the panel you feel the bobble and you know its the right one, even when illunimated they're not in an ideal place to start looking when driving along, the Japanese have a habit of this, on our Landcruiser they site the mirror adjusters as well as mirror heaters and fast idle switch and something else i can't recall down in the same place very difficult to see, without checking i don't think any are even wired for illumination, times i hit fast idle instead of mirror heater or adjusted a mirror involuntarily before the self adhesive bobble wheeze.

[Bowline5]

Thank you Judd, I think I'll double check the wiring first before prising the switches apart. If it comes down to bulbs I will post the codes.

It's not just the Japanese who fit awkward controls, I've had a couple of Audis where the heater controls are small, flush and at the bottom of the centre console - impossible to work without taking eyes off the road.

[Bowline5]

It turns out Subaru decided not to invest in lights for these switches, at least not in 2006; maybe they have for later models. In use lights only in these.

[Judd]

That's a surprise.

[Judd]

Hmm i wonder if you were to remove and split one of those switches if you'd find one instead of two bulbs inside with maybe a second bulb holder available, if that proves to be slip the bulb in the other holder and see if she lights up with the panel lights? if it does have the second bulb holder you could easily run a wire from the panel circuit to the switches if the feed isn't already there.

The switch panel looks identical to the one in my 2008 model, and everything looks cleaner than mine, ahem.

[Bowline5]

Judd, I'm confused, I went out yesterday evening and the front fog light switch lit up, panel light and in use light working perfectly, all I'd done to it was unplug it then plug it in again. The switch that I took apart, rear fog light, doesn't work any more so there's another job. There is a green bulb in there and there is also a warning light in the instrument binnacle to show it's in use, maybe the green bulb is for panel illumination but not working. I do enjoy a challenge!

I said it was a nice clean example didn't I

[Bowline5]

It has taken me a while but I have found the bulb type. After much googling I found a name, after that it was ridiculously easy. Go to eBay, type "T3 neo wedge bulb" into the search pane and take your pick from filament, halogen or LED in a variety of colours. They come in different sizes, T3 is an 8mm base, 10mm (T4) and 12mm (T5) are also available for about £1 each

Not all my switches have lit up so there may be a wiring issue to sort out, at least the first hurdle is cleared!

[Judd]

Thanks for updating the thread, and very much obliged for finding out the bulb code, will order a few tonight. 😎

[Judd]

Excellent, job done, now have a fully lit panel, still not as clean as yours mind.

Bought a pack of the green LED's, as expected they only work one way round.

Much obliged Bowline5 for sussing the bulbs needs.

 

Have to say though, what a pleasure Subarus of this era are to work on, the switchgear is well made and of high quality, who else except the Japanese would make switches as robust as these with separate bulbs in each one for panel illumination one for confirmation turned on.

When i managed to crack the lenses on one of the rear lights, luckily finding a perfect used one, the quality of the wiring and assembly involved has to be seen.

In contrast on my MAN truck now coming up to 4 years old the switches in regular use are falling apart, their fronts only held on by gravity, go over a bad pot hole and several switch covers can fly off, also (they all do that sir) the drivers door interior pull handle has disintegrated and i've bound it with gaffer tape until the dealer can get their act together and supply fit a new one...these issues wouldn't be a thing on Hino trucks which see serious service in the worlds harder environments.

 

 

[Bowline5]

Glad that it worked out for you and I echo your comments about ease of work and quality of components in these cars, although it's apparently a four hour job to change the spark plugs in mine! I drove a MAN truck for a couple of years, better to use than the equivalent DAF, or Iveco, or Merc, but it's a feature of VW group to charge premium price for the cheapest bits they can find in the market, and make them as inaccessible as possible to boost chargeable workshop hours. Or am I being too cynical?

Derek