For2 SMD LEDs
Changing the 509T bulbs in the Speedo, LCD and Pods is an easy job, the next step is to replace the SMD (surface mounted device) LEDs located throughout the car. this will match the colours to the speedo and will look much better overall.
Mod difficulty:
Mod Credit: Evilution
actually do it. The other bonus is that people just don't know what the
LED codes are, they don't have a size so you have to find out the full info
on them before you can even start searching for suppliers.
Each of the SMD LEDS on the safety island (shown below) are PLCC-2 (TANTAL/B)
and they are a very common fitment and should cost less than 30p each.
This is where I got mine from, clicky.
SMD Orientation
Like most LEDs, they only work one way around. Standard LEDs are marked with a single flat edge and 1 shorter leg. The SMD LEDs have a recessed triangle in the corner, these are marked as red in the pictures.
Safety Island
There are 2 styles of safety island PCB, 1 or 2 button and 3 or 4 button - the number of LEDs you will need for this will vary from 5 to 15 so it's best to take it apart and count.
The first job is to remove the existing LEDs, you have 3 ways to remove them:
1. Use two soldering irons, one on each joint and flick the LED off;
2. Use one soldering iron and a solder sucker, can be awkward because of the size;
3. Use one soldering iron and some solder wick to remove the excess.
Once the board has been purged of LEDs, clean the board up and flux the solder pads on the board and LEDs. Position one of the replacements and quickly solder each side.
The 'normal' way to solder is to touch the tip to the device and push the
solder against the tip and the device until it melts. When soldering SMDs
this isn't recommended as the heat will kill it.
It is better to melt the solder onto the tip and quickly dab the soldered tip onto the LED, this limits the heat transfer, a flux pen will help the solder flow to the LED quickly shortening the time even more.
Once they have all been done, visually check the whole thing before testing, if any of
them don't work then check the solder joint and the orientation of the LED.
The end effect is well worth the effort.
Fog Light and Boot Release Buttons
Pull the switches from the car and disconnect the plug at the back
There are 4 clips on each switch, just push them in and pull the switch apart.
Each switch will amount to 4 parts, surround, button, rear and PCB.
As you can see the fog light switch has 2 SMD LEDs whereas the boot switch only has 1.
The orientation is again noted by a red spot in the picture below.
To make it easier I clamped the PCB in a pair of pliers and sellotaped the handles together.
Using the same method as before, remove all the LEDs and replace with the new ones.
Add a quick dab of solder to each contact, reassemble the switches and test.
As you can see, the look is very effective and sets the car off nicely.
Same with the boot release button which isn't often noticed due to the position.
Standard 450 and Roadster CD Stereo
Changing the SMD LEDs in the standard stereo is exactly the
same as before, same methods, same LEDs.
The hard part is actually getting to the LEDs in the first place.
Remove the stereo using the correct radio keys,
disconnect all the wiring and bring it indoors.
On the top of the stereo you will see a plastic strip with a small catch.
Lever the catch up and slide the whole thing to the right and it will come free.
On the top and the bottom you will 4 plastic tabs, unhook them all by bending the fascia over with a screwdriver, remove the volume knob and the fascia will come off.
On the CD player you are presented with 11 LEDs, the orientation has been shown in red.
The first job is to remove the existing LEDs, you have 3 ways to remove them:
1. Use two soldering irons, one on each joint and flick the LED off;
2. Use one soldering iron and a solder sucker, can be awkward because of the size;
3. Use one soldering iron and some solder wick to remove the excess.
Melt the solder onto the tip and quickly dab the soldered tip onto the LED,
this limits the heat transfer, a flux pen will help the solder flow to the LED
quickly shortening the time even more.
As you can see I have purposely soldered them on really badly to prove that you don't have to be precise.
And despite my terrible soldering efforts you can see that they all work.
You can save yourself 1 LED by only leaving the original LED behind the word 'track'.
The LED behind the word 'tuning' over powers it and lights the whole button perfectly.
Replacing the side facing LCD LED lights
The side facing LEDs are pretty much the same LED as what we fitted before but in a different package. Voltages are the same and so are the orientation marks.
They aren't very easy to remove, you can do some serious damage to the coppor track on the radio if you try and desolder them. I found the best way way to unhook the 2 contacts from the front and carefully rock them back and forth until they snap off.
You are left with the old contact which is easy to desolder or solder over.
I placed 2 of the normal SMD LEDs face down and in the same
direction on a bit of sticky tape to hold them in place while I solder.
Flux the contacts and join the 2 LEDs with a fast dab of solder.
Also solder a few strands of wire at the ends of both.
Put the joined pair in place, wrap the wire around the original contacts left from the old LEDs, make sure the orientation marks go the same direction (facing right).
Solder both ends down and fold any excess wire out of the way.
Go and plug it in and test it out before replacing the front.
With the headlights off the screen glows a bright vivid blue,
with the headlights on, the screen dims to a nice brightness.
Thanks to David H (Hogster) for the following info
Remove the front circuit board from the headunit, remove the metal protective cover which
sits over the LCD screen. Locate the 4 solder tabs on each corner and use a soldering iron a
good solder-sucker to remove the solder from this joint, allowing the metal cover to pull free.
these all need to be desoldered! Use a fat tipped soldering iron tip and run it up and down the
length of solder joints, bringing the solder around the joints close to the point of melting. After
a while of doing this, start to pull the end of the screen you're heating upwards and the legs
will slowly start to come out. Only pull above the areas where you're melting the solder.
Test that your replacement LEDs work before reassembly. Use a solder-sucker to remove as
much of the solder from the holes in the board as possible. Fit the screen back onto the board
and solder all the legs in place, making sure none of the legs short out. Just before you finish, fit the metal cover back in place by resoldering the 4 tabs back onto the circuit board
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