Button Backlighting

[JaxS550]

I haven't seen anything about this on aftermarket websites or the forum yet (sorry if I missed something).

I have a GT PP and with the gauges being white/red (which I love) against the baby blue button lights, makes me want to throw up in my mouth. This is really the only thing I don't like about the S550.
Ford makes this great car, great engine, blah blah blah...but who the HELL thought baby blue would be the best back lighting for the buttons. :tsk:

Anybody take apart the dash/console/door panels to see what would be needed to change these out?

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[TexasRebel]

I haven't seen anything about this on aftermarket websites or the forum yet (sorry if I missed something).

I have a GT PP and with the gauges being white/red (which I love) against the baby blue button lights, makes me want to throw up in my mouth. This is really the only thing I don't like about the S550.
Ford makes this great car, great engine, blah blah blah...but who the HELL thought baby blue would be the best back lighting for the buttons. :tsk:

Anybody take apart the dash/console/door panels to see what would be needed to change these out?

I guess you have a base PP not premium? :shrug:

add mycolor to it.

Some variation of that icy blue color has been standard gauge color in vehicles since the 60's if not before... back when that was the color of the gauge lenses as they aged and they used 194 incandescent bulbs.

 

[MustangDaily]

I guess you have a base PP not premium? :shrug:

add mycolor to it.

Some variation of that icy blue color has been standard gauge color in vehicles since the 60's if not before... back when that was the color of the gauge lenses as they aged and they used 194 incandescent bulbs.

I think he is referring to the baby blue buttons that are located on the steering wheel, door locks, and center console at night. Unfortunately MyColor only affect the gauges, door light handles, floor lights, and cup holders. I wish MyColor has the option of changing those colors to match with the ambient lighting.

To your question JaxS550, I haven't seen the lights when the dashboard is taken apart but I am assuming these lights are either tiny bulbs for each section or led boards that are fused together with button controls. This would be a great feature to have in a Mustang but the process seems nearly impossible.

 

[JuRuKi]

I hate the color too!

 

[Rambl3r]

It's ice blue :shrug:

 

[Hashbrownn]

mine is more of a greenish blueish color.. baby blue makes me think of UNC Tarheels

 

[jasonstang]

Drive fast so you won't have time to look at the buttons.

 

[JaxS550]

I think he is referring to the baby blue buttons that are located on the steering wheel, door locks, and center console at night. Unfortunately MyColor only affect the gauges, door light handles, floor lights, and cup holders. I wish MyColor has the option of changing those colors to match with the ambient lighting.

To your question JaxS550, I haven't seen the lights when the dashboard is taken apart but I am assuming these lights are either tiny bulbs for each section or led boards that are fused together with button controls. This would be a great feature to have in a Mustang but the process seems nearly impossible.

Correct, I am talking about the blue lighting for the steering wheel buttons, buttons on the doors, and buttons on the A/C and head unit buttons.

I imagine these are just small LEDs on a board behind the buttons, but having the minimum knowledge on how to swap them out I don't want to screw anything up. I don't know what kind of bulbs they use, what all would be involved with doing this. Seems like it would be one of those jobs that could be really easy or make you want to burn your car to the ground...

 

[TexasRebel]

Correct, I am talking about the blue lighting for the steering wheel buttons, buttons on the doors, and buttons on the A/C and head unit buttons.

I imagine these are just small LEDs on a board behind the buttons, but having the minimum knowledge on how to swap them out I don't want to screw anything up. I don't know what kind of bulbs they use, what all would be involved with doing this. Seems like it would be one of those jobs that could be really easy or make you want to burn your car to the ground...

ah. I see.

Those aren't bulbs. Those are surface mount LEDs. You'd have to pull out every board that has one on it to find the footprint, order all of the same color from digikey, and use a fine soldering iron with a magnifing glass to swap them out.

 

[JaxS550]

What I was hoping wouldnt happen...

ah. I see.

Those aren't bulbs. Those are surface mount LEDs. You'd have to pull out every board that has one on it to find the footprint, order all of the same color from digikey, and use a fine soldering iron with a magnifing glass to swap them out.

I was hoping it would be easier than this...sucks.

 

[Andrewg]

ah. I see.

Those aren't bulbs. Those are surface mount LEDs. You'd have to pull out every board that has one on it to find the footprint, order all of the same color from digikey, and use a fine soldering iron with a magnifing glass to swap them out.

That's exactly right. I swapped all the steering wheel, dash, radio and door trim LEDs in my 07 and several other 05-09s in various colours. Relatively easy with the hardest part being removing and reinstalling all the interior trim. Soldering was straight forward and the LEDs were rectangular and about 4mmx6mm in size. Figured I could do the same with a 2013 but after I pulled the circuit boards out I realised the LEDs are even smaller, circular and are sunk into the circuit board making them flush. Would probably have given it a go if I could have found out what type of LEDs they were but searched for weeks without luck and would have needed to buy a specialised soldering iron smaller than a standard one to do it. I expect the 2015+ would use the same style LEDs. Not worth it in my opinion.

 

[Chameleon]

Drive fast so you won't have time to look at the buttons.

 

[Vondecker77]

I would have to say that I've been looking around for some one to mention this!!!! My buttons use to illuminate white!!! After I disconnected the battery and replaced my steering wheel with the GT350 wheel all the buttons illuminated that "ice blue" color. I hate it. It use to be white! There's gotta be some program or switch that allows you to change that. I do have the premium package too! Anybody have an idea what happened????

 

[NickBlack]

Reviving this thread!
Has anyone taken up this challenge to make the backlighting white instead of barf aqua blue? Any pics?

I love the interior, but this is the biggest thing that bugs me.

Maybe I'll be the Guinea pig...

 

[Cobra Jet]

Reviving this thread!
Has anyone taken up this challenge to make the backlighting white instead of barf aqua blue? Any pics?

I love the interior, but this is the biggest thing that bugs me.

Maybe I'll be the Guinea pig...

The only way to change those areas of interior lighting would be to take out the boards and remove the tiny LEDs on the boards and replace. It’s been discussed in another thread in the interior sub-forum; it’s a very tedious process that only those experienced with working on such components can do rather easily.

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