door pull light replacements

As you probably know, the door pull lights have not been available as replacement parts for some time.

I found a Digi-Key part, 5110F5-12V-ND that looks like it should work and might also work to install in the power outlet cavity on the passenger side of the front lower center console. I have not tested these yet to see if/how they dim with the instrument panel lights. I will try them out when I pull my HVAC control later this week, to replace burned-out bulbs.

If you do a web search on 5110F5-12V-ND or 5011F5-12V you will find that Allied, Mouser and Newark also show these in their respective catalogs.

Point is (if they work) you might want to add them onto your next order from your MRO supplier, if available. The Riv uses two in each door panel - one in the door latch handle cavity and one in each door pull handle at the top, to illuminate the armrest controls.

If any of you already happen to know if they work, or if LEDs work in this sort of application, let me know. Thanks.

Albertj

Oh geez...you're not gonna believe this but just yesterday I pulled the drivers door panel off to reinforce the upper screw ports where you secure the trim via with about a pair of1.5" screws mounted on the door jamb and front, top near the upper hinge. As you know, these are soft points that tends break on the inside of the door and then the door trim flaps in the breeze when you close it and the screw has nothing to bite into. Oh, it's a 1998 Buick Riviera BTW. Anyway, while reinforcing with some washers glued to the INSIDE of the plastic trim, I took a look at the "door pull light" to see if it was as simple as a bulb replacement. 'Course not. The lower lamp illuminates the drivers side door handle. It is a two wire lamp that has a piece of shrink wrap right on the black part that sits inside the blue bezel that gives it a soft glow. One wire is white, and the other orange. Two prongs and I'm kicking myself for not taking photos. Anyway, that bulb has to be around the smallest 12V bulbs I've every dealt with. It is NOT a push in bulb, for that would be too easy. I searched eBay and various sources...nothing. Couldn't even find it on a schematic (but maybe I wasn't looking hard enough or in the right place). Anyway, I've seen this bulb before, when I was repairing a Nissan Maxima, 1996 vintage, and was replacing lamps in the HVAC controller. Small small small bulb with the little "smurf" blue condoms over them. Of course, on the Buick, you won't need them (nor want them, as the lamp will then NOT FIT into the blue bezel. Back then, I bought a 2 pack of Radio Shack 272-1092 (and I hope the number is correct). You get a tiny lamp with about a 1-1.5" wire lead (2 of them, obviously). Anyway, on the Riv, the bulb is probably soldered into the black housing, and I couldn't get it out no how except breaking it. By carefully drilling the black plastic housing THRU the white and orange holes (yes, I had to cut the wires), I was able to clean out the holes, strip the white and orange wires and solder in a new lamp (you have plenty of wire--plenty). Now I didn't go to Radio Shack for the bulb, but grabbed an instrument switch bulb from the cruise control switch (note, I didn't say "dashboard") from a Honda Odyssey, because it was the smallest bulb I could find on a Sunday that fit inside the blue bezel. I demounted (if that's a correct word) the bulb from the Honda housing and had enough exposed wire to solder it to the orange and white wires. Not a great fit, but it did work with two small pieces of duct tape to hold the bulb into the bezel. Oh, one more thing, do test the lamp FIRST so you know it's gonna work before you solder it. I tested it with a cheap ohmmeter when I used the 2000 ohm setting and touched both wires. Bingo. Had resistance in this used bulb, so I could conclude it'd work. And after patching it all together, it did. IF you really need a picture of the bulb, I can probably unwind a spare and send/post a picture. I drilled the wires with a very fine Dremel bit to preserve the integrity of the plastic...but it did work. I'm not even gonna tell you how much time I spent on this silly project (hours), but like you, if there's a bulbs out or a leak in the driveway, it drives me nuts.

In the past I've broken the door light bulbs out fromteh bulb side. The little blue cap comes of if you twist it. Then you can put it back later after replacing the bulb.

The bulbs by the way are "grain of wheat" 12-14v bulbs. One source was Radio Shack; my source now is Digi-Key. The industry code for the bulb size is "T-1." In any city with a significant industrial base I suspect you can find T-1 bulbs, 12v with wire leads at a local electrical supply house.

Anyway -- from DigiKey SKU# 7219-10PK-ND gets you 10 of them for short money.

After twisting the blue cap off the wires could be pulled out. The bulbs seem to be initially assembles by making the plastic black fitting then pushing the wires thru holes in the fitting and swaging the leads to the wires with little ferrules. Christen, you're correct there's plenty of wire so you can cut them or whatever and hollow the black fitting out with a drill or chassis reamer of the right size.

With the fitting hollowed out you can push the wires back thru from the bottom, properly solder the leads of the lights to the wires. When you join the bulb leads to the wires, make the cold joint by twisting the bulb lead in a little spiral on to each wire. Make the cold joint SKINNY. it may help to tin the bared ends of the wires first. Then solder to secure the cold joints. Then wrap a length of electrical tape to insulate the soldered connection and push it back into the fitting. The electrical tape should be enough to hold the wires in the fitting by friction. The assembly should not shake apart but should pull apart so you can relamp it again. Then pop the blue cap back on and hold it with a little glue of some sort. I have used rubber cement (it disassembles) and plastic model cement (it does not disassemble if you use too much) and epoxy putty (it does not disassemble at all). I have one lamp in which I replaced bulb 3 times already. The one I epoxied is in the drivers door, it is about time for it to burn out which is why I was looking for a replacement among the pre-assembled LED indicators.

The T-1 bulbs also are good replacements for the HVAC control unit although you will have to go to a craft store to get the paint pen to color the bulbs blue. I posted that some time ago in the HVAC thread, with instructions on how to replace the bulbs. There is another T-1 bulb, CM-8097-ND, which has a little white base and would be perfect for replacing bulbs in the HVAC control head and the radio. Although the wire lead T-1 bulbs will work for the HVAC/Radio you just have to be careful about soldering them in at the right angle and height from the PC boards.