Gear Selector Illumination
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Gear Selector Illumination
So on my gear shifter, the shifting pattern diagram illuminates, i.e. The line drawn from P down to D, but I have noticed online that there should be a little red illumination at the position that the gear level is in.
In mine there isn't. Has anyone come across this before? I've had my console apart a few times, and can't say I had noticed any wires disconnected.
Ben
In mine there isn't. Has anyone come across this before? I've had my console apart a few times, and can't say I had noticed any wires disconnected.
Ben
#2
MBWorld Fanatic!
So on my gear shifter, the shifting pattern diagram illuminates, i.e. The line drawn from P down to D, but I have noticed online that there should be a little red illumination at the position that the gear level is in.
In mine there isn't. Has anyone come across this before? I've had my console apart a few times, and can't say I had noticed any wires disconnected.
Ben
In mine there isn't. Has anyone come across this before? I've had my console apart a few times, and can't say I had noticed any wires disconnected.
Ben
#4
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Perfect! I will check it out after my med school exams! That and I'm also going to switch over the ambient down light in the rear view mirror. Had it working on my first CLK, albeit very very dimly, but in this one, it's never worked, so I plan on putting in an amber led.
You'd never know they were missing, but it's just those extra little touches that I appreciate.
You'd never know they were missing, but it's just those extra little touches that I appreciate.
#5
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Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Lebanon
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2007 BMW 550i
about the mirror LED, when you take apart the mirror its pretty easy to replace, if you do switch to LED note that the amber light was 12v, most LED bulbs are either 3v or 1.5v so make sure you put in resistors or find an LED 12v amber bulb
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Yeah I did consider just putting a like replacement in, but figured it'd be worth the effort of getting an LED and resistor to match for longevity.
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#8
Senior Member
Originally Posted by sailorben
I am also considering wiring in some ambient lighting into the foot wells too. I dont know why these cars never had any.
#9
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Hehehe that I have yet to figure out, but it'd be a cheap cool project to do over the summer.
I am in two minds as to whether to switch all the interior lights to led, and go white for a fresh modern look.
However I quite like the amber light, even if it is occasionally dim.
But of course any bright white ambient light would be a little invasive in night driving.
So then the downlighting from the rear view and foot wells would be Amber potentially, but then the courtesy lighting on the door would be white. Don't know if that'd be weird, but I've got some thinking to do. I think I may keep the Amber on the interior, but change the numberplate lights and puddle lights to white led for the brightness.
I am in two minds as to whether to switch all the interior lights to led, and go white for a fresh modern look.
However I quite like the amber light, even if it is occasionally dim.
But of course any bright white ambient light would be a little invasive in night driving.
So then the downlighting from the rear view and foot wells would be Amber potentially, but then the courtesy lighting on the door would be white. Don't know if that'd be weird, but I've got some thinking to do. I think I may keep the Amber on the interior, but change the numberplate lights and puddle lights to white led for the brightness.
#10
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Idk I'd just want it as a soft illumination, nothing garish or indecent.
I had thought about red, as we have on boats for night time, so you can see, but it isn't intrusive, tho' I feel that could appear a bit cheap and ricer.
I had thought about red, as we have on boats for night time, so you can see, but it isn't intrusive, tho' I feel that could appear a bit cheap and ricer.
#12
Senior Member
Well, from my experience and knowledge, red light is the most suitable color for night driving. It keeps you alert, doesn't fatigue and very well for your eyes unlike any other color. I guess for that reason on trucks overhead console has red light bulb so drivers can drive with it if they need some light inside at night.
Plus, my wife's van has red mood lights from the factory. I guess they know..
Plus, my wife's van has red mood lights from the factory. I guess they know..
#13
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Yeah it's similar reasoning as to why when yacht racing we have red lights installed in addition to normal white LEDs, so that when doing our watches through the night, we can get up and move about with good visibility, without disturbing those resting/sleeping.
But I'd be purely trying to add to the ambience not trying to make a light that is useable for anything. And I don't know whether red light will create the ambience I'm after.
Don't really want anything snazzy, just a little illumination in the footwell and down lighting of the centre console.
Maybe I will have to do a little temp. experimenting with a few filters before I decide
But I'd be purely trying to add to the ambience not trying to make a light that is useable for anything. And I don't know whether red light will create the ambience I'm after.
Don't really want anything snazzy, just a little illumination in the footwell and down lighting of the centre console.
Maybe I will have to do a little temp. experimenting with a few filters before I decide
#15
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Not as of yet, back home I have the WIS/ASRA/EPC downloaded and somewhere on there I hope to find a suitable position to splice; using the wiring diagrams. Either under the front seats, illuminating forwards, or under the dash and downwards, ideally the latter. I'm not fussed about illuminating the rear foot wells, although if I were to mount under the seat, I'd probably do the rears for the sake of it.
There's the 12V socket, quite a lot of wires that are underneath the carpet passing backwards, along the sills, perhaps one of those. But ultimately before I commit, I'll have my father look over. Perhaps it'd be taken from the illumination of the shifter and split both sides, or from console illumination, I don't know just yet, at the moment it is just an idea I plan on looking into over the summer, in a couple weeks. I'll no doubt make a post of what I do however.
There's the 12V socket, quite a lot of wires that are underneath the carpet passing backwards, along the sills, perhaps one of those. But ultimately before I commit, I'll have my father look over. Perhaps it'd be taken from the illumination of the shifter and split both sides, or from console illumination, I don't know just yet, at the moment it is just an idea I plan on looking into over the summer, in a couple weeks. I'll no doubt make a post of what I do however.
Last edited by sailorben; 05-28-2016 at 06:05 PM.
#16
Senior Member
Thread Starter
https://mbworld.org/forums/clk-class...-lighting.html
Well this is swanky! Don't know exactly how decent it would look in the day time with the lights off, but damn I like the look when illuminated.
Well this is swanky! Don't know exactly how decent it would look in the day time with the lights off, but damn I like the look when illuminated.
#17
Senior Member
Thread Starter
If I were to use Electroluminescent wire, I could very well use the EL tape, in order to give a dim light to the foot wells also...?
Check out this E90 coupe.
Orange is nice, it'd match all the standard lighting that we have, however, it'd have to be illuminated whenever the ignition is on, not just at night time, since, the wire is coated externally with a coloured sheath.
My cluster however is white, so I think a white illumination would actually work quite nicely, with the benefit of it being clear-ish when not in use.
It's only cheap stuff, so I think I'll get my hands on some and have a cheap experiment.
As you might appreciate, like in that E90 coupe, when done properly, but not excessively, it does look rather nice.
Check out this E90 coupe.
Orange is nice, it'd match all the standard lighting that we have, however, it'd have to be illuminated whenever the ignition is on, not just at night time, since, the wire is coated externally with a coloured sheath.
My cluster however is white, so I think a white illumination would actually work quite nicely, with the benefit of it being clear-ish when not in use.
It's only cheap stuff, so I think I'll get my hands on some and have a cheap experiment.
As you might appreciate, like in that E90 coupe, when done properly, but not excessively, it does look rather nice.
#18
Senior Member
It does look nice. Indeed. However, reddish strip should blend in with wood trim on the door very well but on armrest it is not going to cut it. Plus I have team interior. So, I'm with you on white color. But I would like very dim and soft color.
I wouldn't say that wide light will be dim enough for under the seat application.
I wouldn't say that wide light will be dim enough for under the seat application.
#19
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Yeah, and my car is black leather and aluminium, no wood whatsoever, so I think white would be the way to go.
The light is supposed to be very soft and unobtrusive. I'm quite excited by the prospect of having an experiment with it!
The light is supposed to be very soft and unobtrusive. I'm quite excited by the prospect of having an experiment with it!
#20
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I think a full LED interior, puddle, and registration light swap over to white would be in order however, if I were to go white.
In a couple of weeks, I shall start uo a dedicated thread.
In a couple of weeks, I shall start uo a dedicated thread.
#21
Senior Member
Do you have an idea where to find proper light strips? Not a knock off. I had so much problems with led strips from China for my home projects so I gave up.
#22
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Okay so I've got the thing apart now....
And I'm struggling to see anything wrong with the circuit board itself. PRND C/S illuminates but the red dots don't.
Looking at the board I think the second connection slot that's 4 pin may be the one to light up the dots. I cannot see any 4pin plug in the console though!
Don't know where to look next!
And I'm struggling to see anything wrong with the circuit board itself. PRND C/S illuminates but the red dots don't.
Looking at the board I think the second connection slot that's 4 pin may be the one to light up the dots. I cannot see any 4pin plug in the console though!
Don't know where to look next!
#24
Senior Member
Thread Starter
And looking at the board, this must be getting transmitted through that 3pin.....
I can't imagine the 4pin just doing the little red dots hahaha.