KevinH2000

You are resourceful. After driving the car with the new knob for a few nights I am adapting to the color. However, I continue to think that white or a better matching amber/orange would be a better choice.

I think you have a thermotronic digital climate control. Visualize a white shift pattern near the white digital read out of the climate control and let me know what you think. Also, my knob does not dim when I adjust the dashboard brightness like the installation video shows. I wonder whether the video was produced using an older model with a regular light bulb. Not all LEDs can be dimmed.

Let me know how it works out with the watch maker. If you find someone who can change the LED without damaging the knob I may ask for his or her address and ask them to change my LED.

BF_JC230

Thanks!

I plan to dim them (hopefully) close to OEM with the JustPlug Light Hub...especially if I use the JustPlug yellows.

I’ll see how soon I can get to the local jeweler...we are close to another Covid quarantine here.

(Envisioning white like the HVAC read outs, and cluster makes good sense...now...I do wish, and have communicated to the manufacturer this error, or lack of close color
approximation...we’ll see if they respond)

KevinH2000

I had an hour to slip away to the garage in the midst of preparations for Christmas and changed my orange LEDs to white. (Thanks to Jake for negotiating with the Germans on the replacement LEDs and associated parts.) The instructions called for drilling into the shift knob pattern in order to access the LED. I'm not sure that is absolutely necessary after completing the job. The shift pattern was not glued into the assembly. It seemed to have been pressed in place. I may have been able to insert a small pick in between the trim ring and the shift pattern medallion and simply lifted it out. That method may have led to a scratch on the trim ring. It's possible that the process I followed was the best available.

Here are some photos of the procedure in case anyone else has to do this.


Drill a hole in the shift pattern medallion.

Insert a screw and use it to pull the shift pattern out.

Remove this screw.

This reveals the LEDs. Note that two of them are positioned at the bottom (2-4-6) part of the medallion and one is at the top.

Cut off the old LEDs and solder on the new ones. Leave enough wire on the new LEDs so that you can pull the solder joint all the way through the shift knob. You will need to do this before you wrap the joints in electrical tape. The soldered wire wrapped in electrical tape will be too thick to fit through the opening in the bottom of the knob.

Retrace the steps you took to take it apart to reassemble. Note that the translucent plastic that is held in place by the screw has three indents that align with the LEDs. You will need to position the indents in the same way as the LEDs. One is toward the top of the knob (R-1-3-5) and two toward the bottom (2-4-6.)

BF_JC230

Update.
Logo peels of really easily, maybe a suction cup with a small soft tool would do it. I don’t think I had to destroy it with a drill...never needed the screw. I predrilled it, and the larger bit popped it out.

Once off, peel up cup with fingernail.
Don’t try to release the silver cup, clear part from underneath...

BF_JC230

Factory LED (small dot in lower left) from the upper control panel compared to the shifter’s three LEDs.

Drilled out shift pattern cover on loosely

Shifter pattern badge cover off to expose LED clear lens housing plate

KevinH2000

That looks much better than the red/orange that the seller supplied. It looks more stock than the white LED I am using.

BF_JC230

I plan to tie into the blue/gray line which is supposed to be the dimmable power for these, OEM. Any insight?

KevinH2000

I followed this and used the blue/grey wire as you plan to do. (The wiring part is at about the 48 second point of the video.)

However, the light on my shift knob does not dim with the other lights on the dash. I'm wondering whether the video was made before the seller started using LED's in the knobs. Not all LEDs are dimmable and it's possible that the LED the seller uses in the shift knob doesn't respond to changes in voltage. If you are planning to use the same LED's as in the dash panel lights, you may have better results.

BF_JC230

I totally forgot about that video! Thanks!




I don’t like cutting wires, unless I feel I have to.

That said, I opened up the socket and soldered my leads onto the OEM locations.

It does not dim, I feel it’s a tad too bright, so I might see if a factory equivalent 3301,33ohms resistor will bring it down and chill it out...

And then maybe I can get my rear map light icons to work...my assembly from the w210 has no CANBUS input - I think that’s the problem...

https://mbworld.org/forums/e-class-w...ing-light.html

KevinH2000

If you are using the OEM LED's, I'm surprised that it didn't dim.

I need to use my multi-meter and check whether the reading changes when I turn the dimmer control. My theory that the amp reading will change, but that the aftermarket LED used by the shifter manufacturer doesn't need much power to reach full brightness. It may take some experimentation to find the current range in which the LED illumination varies. Of course that may have an unintended effect somewhere else.

Is the circuit we are using to tap into for power to the shift-knob light is different from the one that powers the dash lights? Maybe the one we are using has a higher amp reading than the one for the dash.

BF_JC230

I think I have a solution to a “period correct” ambient light set up - that really WON’T be noticeable most of the time…

Never mind the bright spots, it’s from bending and playing with the fiber before this mock up…