Dr. Jekyll

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Okay so I believe many of us MC LS460 owners have been kinda stumped as to how to remove the dome light cover. Well it turns out its super easy! I just decided to be the brave one prying away at the cover. Here is a pictorial for anyone who was curious how to achieve it. Yes it is super tight and yes you should buy a special pry tool like I did. Once you do the LED upgrade is a piece of cake. Hopefully this thread helps unravel the mystery of what's underneath and how we access it.

Tools required:
Pry bar
New 194 LED bulbs

Time required:
15 mins.

Remove the outer lens with the pry bar at the located tabs / clips
Remover inner diffuser cover
Remove and replace incandescent 194 bulbs
Personal preference: Replace or leave out the inner diffuser (I left it out)
Replace outer lens cover
Admire work

Dr. Jekyll

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Dr. Jekyll

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Scrutator

But do they dim?

Dr. Jekyll

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LEDs can't dim like a regular halogen bulb so what they do is pulse as the voltage drops. Some may say they flicker but mine never lose power so it's lit all the time until it goes out.

So does it dim? Yes. Does it do so very smoothly? No.

GR6RR

awesome stuff! Great visual for people who want to do it. I used a smooth butter knife myself. Also, if you can't pull the original bulbs out with your fingers.... use a piece of tape, wrap the bulb and pull... makes it so much easier. I used blue painters tape. Or you can use any regular tape.

Dr. Jekyll

iTrader: (1)

Good tip on the bulbs. The oil on our fingertips makes it difficult to pull these bulbs at times.

I know it seems like an elementary post but I know many have struggled with removing the cover without breaking any tabs or scratching the lens or surrounding frame. I also figured out that up front it's a pair of 194 bulbs and the rear dome consists of a 30mm festoon. Both sets of LED spot lights are of a proprietary design. I couldn't find this information before pulling it apart myself.

comotiger

Thanks, Dr. J! Great photos that are self-explanatory. It looks like these instructions should also work for changing bulbs in a 2014 LS. The dome light panel is almost identical except for the SOS button.



Can you please post similar photos for the rear dome light? This is what the 2014 dome light looks like.

R Z

Nicely done! The difference is astounding. Bet that bright white makes the cabin much lighter. I've been changing out flashlights around the house with the led bulbs or just buying new ones from China. It's impressive to see what a 1000 lumen flashlight can do.

Great job there Doc.

GR6RR

rear similar to the fronts. it has four snap locations. slide your pry tool, or a masking tape wrapped butter knife, and pry it out.

Dr. Jekyll

iTrader: (1)

Yup the rear is very similar except it takes a 31mm festoon lamp.

The cover is also extremely easy to remove. Just a light push on the prybar and you're good to go. I'll post up pics in a couple days after my new LED gets in.

SW17LS

FYI the dome light on my 2015 is LED from the factory. Interesting.

Dr. Jekyll

iTrader: (1)

Yes and oddly enough the 2013 launch stated that ALL the lights except for the HID headlights were converted to LEDs.

Are the (2) 194 bulbs in the trunk incandescent or LED for you?

SW17LS

They're incandescent I think. I'll check.

Dr. Jekyll

iTrader: (1)

Cool, and what bulb types does the 2015 take?