Glove box LED light bulb
 

What is everyone using for LED bulb for their glove box? All the LED (I tried 4 different ones) bulbs that I have bought don't work. My glove box light does work with a incandescent bulb but I want to replace it with a LED bulb since all my other interior lights are LED bulbs.

I think the polarity may be wrong for LED? Can't recall the bulb type but it was nothing unusual.
The fitting is extremely fragile anyway, I found it much easier to remove the whole glovebox to access it.
Memory might be fading, but I think that having done that it was simple to swap the wires over.

Thanks for the info. I'll take a look at removing the glove box and switching the wires around.

I found my very old (2013) post on this subject which confirms polarity WAS an issue on PF and as I've also subsequently upgraded my FL I'm sure it's the same: http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showpost....4&postcount=29
(That post was shortly after acquiring my current PF D2 S8)

Hopefully this coming up weekend will be warm enough outside so I can take a look at removing my glove box and switching the wires around to get the LED bulb to work. Thanks again for your help.

Update. I finally got around to remove the glove box to get better access to the light assembly and found that the rear mounting tabs broke. Also when I tried to switch the wires around one of the wires broke :mad: from the wire connector. I had to use a lot of force to pull the wires as they were very tight and which is why one wire broke. It looks like a special connector because the tab is fairly thick for the connector. Anyone know what type of connector I need to buy to repair the wire so I can reconnect it to the fixture?

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1604970585

I think they are just 2.8mm female spade terminals. 4.8mm would work too.

Same thing happened to mine a while ago. I found it hanging inside the glove box with broken tabs and a broken wire. I soldered new spade connectors onto the wires but couldn't find a replacement assembly/lens so I just repaired the existing one. The tabs are pretty flimsy so I figured it would only be a matter of time before the tabs on any replacement broke. So instead I used a thin piece of steel to repair it. I just cut a piece of steel the right size to slip down the back of the lens and folded it at the top to form a lip that would effectively work like one long tab. After checking that it fitted/inserted correctly, I glued the steel to the lens.

This might be another job for 3d printing actually - a replacement housing with a built in LED which would never need changing, and tabs that don't break off.

For the job it does, it's way over-complicated. Do you think it was just reused from an older vehicle?

I think, like most things on the D2, it was hand-tooled by someone who knew they weren't going to make a lot of them, who didn't look in the parts bin or talk to other design teams, and who had no budget constraints. Thus we end up with something peculiar, bespoke, and over-complicated. The glovebox itself is a lesson in over-complication with no budget constraint.

Other models of the era used the same clip-in light as used in the D2 for the footwell lights, door puddle lights etc. There is no practical reason why the glovebox couldn't have used this same light too, in fact I may design something to do that instead.

With almost anything specific to the D2 you can point to the same component on later models and see how it was simplified for easier production & assembly and reduced cost. See A4 & A6 door cards for example - removable in literally 2 minutes and nothing breaks. The problem is though, none of those cars feel like a D2. Thus we end up with this peculiar dichotomy where the very attributes that make the D2 so special also make it a complete pain in the arse :D

No art without suffering right? :rolleyes:

Is there a way to fix this glovebox light assembly by adding some kind of L shape bracket to replicate the original tabs?

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1604970665

That's precisely what I did to fix mine. I took a thin rectangular piece of steel and bent it in the vice at the correct angle, such that it would slip down the back (behind the positive connection) and stick out over the back like one long tab. Then (after taking the glove box out and doing a test fit) I glued the bracket to the back of the lens.

I looked around to see what I have that I could use for a L bracket.


I found a metal L bracket but I have a feeling this might not work?
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1604970804



I did find a plastic L bracket that I can cut off and use. Just not sure if this angle will work?
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1604970804

I can't really tell the dimensions from the photo, but that metal bracket looks to be too thick. You need something thick enough to be rigid and hold the lens in place but thin enough to slide down the (inside) back of the lens.

If I remember correctly, the steel I used was from a computer expansion port blanking plate, which was not much thicker than that from a tin can -- in fact a piece of tin can steel might do it. What I did was cut the steel into a rectangle, the full (internal) width of the lens then slid it down the back. I then marked where it needed to bend at the top of the lens and bent it to the required angle (which is probably something like 100-120 degrees) to make the overhang parallel with the top of the lens. Then I just cut the overhang down such that it protruded like a single (full-width) tab. After a test fit (with the glove box out of the car), I glued the bracket to the lens. I'll take a photo sometime when I get chance (my S8 is in storage these days, several miles away).

Sorry I don't have a micrometer on hand to take measurements of the metal bracket. I kinda had a feeling that it was too thick to use.


I cut off part of the plastic L bracket and temporary placed it in the light assembly to get a picture. Ignore the metal bracket in the picture as I just used it to hold up the light assembly so I could take a picture without holding it up. I have a feeling that I need to cut the plastic bracket shorter as seen in this picture?
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1604970967

From memory, the bend needs to be level with the back of the lens (unless yours is different to mine that is), something like this ...

https://i.imgur.com/xW3d8ih.jpg


If you haven't done so already, I'd recommend popping the glovebox out. It only takes a few minutes to remove it and it makes it much easier to test-fit the lens and see what you need to fabricate. One thing that becomes apparent with the glove box out is that you don't need to replicate the original 2 tabs. A single full-width tab is a simpler and stronger solution.

Thanks for editing my picture. I will definitely cut down the plastic to get it to the same level of the back of the lens.

I finally got around to finish my glove box light assembly fix. Here is the finished result. The plastic L brackets that I used were from a used rear view mirror that I bought.
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...3&d=1604971159



And in case anyone was wondering where these light assembly install, this is what it looks like. As you can see in this picture, I need to do some trimming because the L bracket that I made is too wide and will not fit in the mounting hole.
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...4&d=1604971159



I fixed the broken wire that I had when I removed the light assembly. I actually cut both wires and added length because the original wires were too short to begin with. I also has to switch the wires around so my LED light bulb would work.
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...5&d=1604971159
Now my car has all working LED interior lights.

Glove box light fix.. It works😀
 

I got the L brackets trimmed down but ran into another problem. One of the wires that I fixed gets in the way when trying to reinstall the light assembly.


The wire that's in front as seen in this picture is too thick because of the clear terminal end cover and the heat shrink tube. I ended up breaking the repaired wire :mad:.
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...6&d=1604971528




I tried to trim the rear rectangle hole and found out that it's metal not plastic.
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...7&d=1604971528]
A simple fix is turning into a nightmare :angry2:.

I forget exactly what I did to mine to get an LED installed, but I think I added on some thin flexible extension wires with a blade connector on one end and a blade socket on the other.

I bought the correct size female spade connector but the problem is that the male end in the light assembly is fairly thick so the female connector doesn't snap together very easily.

Hmm. Should I just print a complete replacement using LEDs?

Is the glovebox still in the car at this point or have you removed it?

Ditto. The longer tails made it easy then to remove and change lamps. i also just glued plastic tabs on the rear where the originals had broken off.

I wonder if the foot well, door puddle lights would fit in the large rear rectangle hole? I'll give it a try later and report back.

I have it reinstalled but I don't have the front hinge retaining clips installed. I have it this way so I can easily drop down the front part of the glove box to have easier access to the light assembly. The rear hinges were a huge pain to get reinstalled.

It never occurred to me to take it out by just disconnecting the hinges. I always just unbolt the whole thing.

The puddle lights don't fit. That would have been a sensible and far simpler solution, but since the sadist who designed the glovebox didn't look in the parts bin we have this stupid frangible bespoke thing http://www.corradov8.com/pics/banghead.gif

My dimensional test model will be off the printer shortly...

This seems to work ok, although its a tricky one to print with the large overhang.

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1596554380

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1596554380

I will put a 2W LED chip in each flat surface underneath. Those should arrive tomorrow :)

I tried to see if the rear foot well light would fit but not even close as it's a lot longer. I pulled out the door puddle light and it wasn't even close as it's too wide and too long.
http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/attachmen...1&d=1604971977

Ditto, takes no time at all. ;)

Here's mine for reference
 

I'm just adding a photo of mine here for reference, as I'm testing the new MJ part when it arrives in the post. It looks from the photo that the 'back tab' has broken off (as expected).

**Update** - received the new improved replacement part, cheers MJ - it does look very professional and dare I say it better-looking than the original OEM white thing.
My current unit is indeed broken and when turned around 180 degrees, it revealed the previous owner's attempt at fixing with a length of black plastic tape.
I plan on trying to fit this tomorrow if the weather holds out for me.

When will this light be available¿

You must have missed the other thread updates about it in which you expressed an interest in it. Reading through it, MJ did an initial run for those who confirmed they wanted one. It's the following thread. Perhaps ask the question there:

http://forum.a8parts.co.uk/showthread.php?t=15827

I'm waiting on the LED supplier to get more stock :( Hopefully this week.

I got mine, and it looks fantastic. Granted, I haven't actually done anything with it yet. It got added to the pile of stuff to put on my car when I have time. :ROFL:

Any updates?

I can't get the warm white LEDs at the moment :( There was only one supplier of them and they can't get any more stock. I can only get the cool white.

I'll have a cool white then thanks! :)

I ended up getting the warm leds. It looks, works and feels perfect.