’93 Volvo 850 Switch Light Replacement Notes

[Mike H. II]

I originally wrote this procedure 3 years ago after re-lighting about 5 switches on my car after reading about how to do it on the net. I didn’t even realize my seat heater switches and headlight switch were supposed to light up since they had been burned out since I bought the car. The dealer fix is to replace the switches but that would be quite expensive. Lighting all the switches (and the radio in another procedure) really dressed up the interior at night. Keeping the dash light brightness slider at about 80% or less seems to greatly extend the life of the bulbs.

This procedure covers how to replace the bulb in the large rocker switches used in the Volvo 850. The orange LED should still work, but the illumination of the switch function in the little window above the switch typically burns out. My car is a ’93 model which has soldered-in bulbs, while I’ve heard later models (possibly starting in ’95) have socketed bulbs available at the dealer.

Parts list:

1 pc/switch T-1 12V Micro lamp, Radio Shack Type 7219, P/N 272-1092C, 2 pack about $1.69

1.) The switches are pressed into cutouts in the dash and they are removed by prying out. Use a small flat-bladed screwdriver and pry the switch housing out of the dash using a small piece of cardboard under the screwdriver to keep from marking the plastic. Mine were fairly tight and I needed to pull up on the rocker switch itself as I pried the top edge. The connector on the back can be removed by prying one of the release latches of the connector and wiggling the connector enough that the latch is no longer locked to the switch. Then pry the other one as you pull on the connector to free it.

2.) The switch has 4 latches holding it together, one on each side. Using 2 small flat-bladed screwdrivers, start with the 2 latches closest to each other on the bottom and left sides of the shell. Hold the left side of the shell above the latch as you lift and pry the bottom latch away enough that the left and bottom are no longer locked. Next, lift and pry the right side until it’s no longer locked and then the top latch. When you slide it apart, pieces will begin to fall out but reassembly is not hard.

3.) The pieces you will have are as follows: the top shell with rocker attached, the little window of the switch function, 2 of the metal retaining clips, the middle section of the switch which has the contacts and bulb, a metal contact plate, and the bottom shell. The bulb is sitting in a socket with leads heading down each side. Following the leads down from the bulb, cut them just before they enter a little channel and pull the bulb out. The original bulbs are larger but the T-1 bulbs will work fine. Slide the bulb into the socket being sure the leads are separated and the filament inside the bulb is at about the same height as in the old bulb. This means that it will not sit in the bottom of the socket but it will keep the light intensity the same. Wrap the leads through the channel and if everything is positioned OK, solder the old and new leads together on both sides, then trim the excess.

4.) For reassembly, start with the bottom shell and slide in the middle section, place the 2 metal clips in their slots, place the metal plate on the contacts so the little posts fit into the little sockets on each side of the centerline, place the function window over the bulb, and snap the top shell down over everything. I held the rocker switch in the ON position as I snapped it together so it wouldn’t bump the metal plate off the contacts before it was snapped together. Listen for a little metal jingle as you are about to snap it together that might indicate the plate was knocked out of position. After the 4 latches are locked together, if the switch snaps on and off like it used to then you’re ready to reinstall. The connector simply presses on the switch and the switch presses into the dash opening.

[kshaw]

My notes on this for the SC-813 (including pictures) are at http://mywebpages.comcast.net/kentshaw/bulbsout.pdf

[Mike H. II]

Looks like you might want to repost under the other topic to keep them together, but thanks for adding the procedure for the later radios. I guess its a little easier when they socketed the bulbs in the PCB so you can leave it in place.

[JehovArob]

Nice, but do you have info on replacing the bulbs with LEDs so as to easily change the color as well as just have it illuminate again?

[Serge]

Nice, but do you have info on replacing the bulbs with LEDs so as to easily change the color as well as just have it illuminate again?

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http://volvospeed.com/vs_forum/index.php?showtopic=5153&hl=

[JehovArob]

Ok. I kept asking for all that info, but you never posted that link. Now it's kinda too late and I'm at college... Oh well. Will just have to wait until I have a decent amount of time off.

[Serge]

Ok. I kept asking for all that info, but you never posted that link. Now it's kinda too late and I'm at college... Oh well. Will just have to wait until I have a decent amount of time off.

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I'm in college as well, but I find time to do car stuff :)

[Mike H. II]

Personally I prefer the green, but thats me. The LEDs should last the life of the car. I should also mention that the earlier models, like my '93 don't have sockets for the bulbs, they are just directly soldered inside the switch.