Retroplay

So I popped the fuel door & Trunk button panel to work on adding white LEDs.

I found that the lamp was not present and the wires that would power the lamp were also not present.

I disassembled it further to see about adding one but unfortunately there is no lens and the buttons are completely opaque.

Are these buttons illuminated on any other model years?

Harold57

I don't believe that they are backlit on any model year. It would be nice though since those two buttons are hard to see as it is, let alone being down in the dark.

Retroplay

I might enlist my buddy to help me mold and cast some new buttons that I can then backlight. I agree, this would be very useful.

Harold57

That would be cool. (I had asked the same question a while back is the reason that I was fairly sure of the answer.) I'm not sure just why they backlit all the other buttons and not these. These two probably need it more than the others. I'm guessing that it was just an oversight.

Retroplay

It's odd how it has the socket and the contacts for it. Hmm... maybe they re-used the housing and circuit board from some other model vehicle?

I'll be re-visiting this one later.

ShawnOk

iTrader: (1)

This would be something I would also want in my SC. I hate fumbling in the dark to pop the trunk or fuel door. A serious lapse of judgement by the design crew. Why illuminate the mirror panel and not these? Doesn't make much sense. Oh well. I hope the mod goes well. If so, you've got mail Retro!! Haha.

Retroplay

Here are my options:
1. Figure out if another Toyota/Lexus model used the same part but with backlit buttons and order it
2. Make a new panel and wire in aftermarket buttons
3. Mold and cast new buttons in translucent, then mask and dye them.
4. Modify the buttons by drilling them and gluing a plexiglass light pipe.

To mold/cast new buttons, I would definitely need my buddy's help. I haven't done it in a long time.

Speaking of mail, you should be receiving your package today.

Retroplay

1. Figure out if another Toyota/Lexus model used the same part but with backlit buttons and order it

So, it appears that the Toyota Avalon uses the exact same switch and panel. However, it also appears to be unlit.
Models that appear to use the same module but different panel/buttons are:
ES350
IS250/IS350

The IS looks like it could be backlit, but I couldn't find good enough pictures.

2. Make a new panel and wire in aftermarket buttons
This is becoming a very attractive option and would probably be the simplest.

And while researching #1, I came upon this. How freaking awesome would that be?


Master control panel for the GS350. Flips down. Would require some very major re-wiring. But how bad-a is that?

Bgw70

I can only think it was designed this way because you would never use these buttons while the car is moving.
They are also difficult to locate in the seated position or standing outside of the car.
In most Japanese cars they are located on the floor and cables are connected to them.

Bgw70

Now if you can make this one work...
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hyundai-2011-SONATA-Genuine-LED-Trunk-Hatch-Fuel-Door-Release-Open-Switch-/221407923179?hash=item338cf0cbeb

ShawnOk

iTrader: (1)

So I just wanted to confirm something. So the buttons do have clear see through icons, correct? Would you be able to piggyback off the mirror control's light power and do a stand alone shallow/SMD LED behind the trunk/gas buttons to make them illuminated. As the mirror buttons only illuminate with the headlights, that should be a separate "hot" wire right? I thought maybe doing a piggyback off it, and just drilling a shallow hole in the entire unit or adding a small T3/T4 neowedge bulb (like in this thread, post #1's pdf). What do you think, Retro?

texsexlex

iTrader: (3)

...if I read it correctly, he's saying that the buttons DO NOT have the clear icons,but the connectors are located behind the buttons. This was the reasoning of the option to possibly drill a hole & add an led....i think i got that right...lol

Retroplay

No, the buttons are not translucent. Solid black plastic with icons just screen printed on.

Inside the back of the switch module is one neo-wedge socket for a light that goes to the two outer pins (which are not wired up in the harness).

IF the module would be illuminated, it would require a clear light pipe to bring the light out to the buttons and the button icons would need to be translucent.

In other words, there is no way to illuminate them without serious modification. What would be MUCH easier would be making a new panel and using aftermarket illuminated buttons (or switches from another model) and just replace the OEM panel. The panel is very simple, so fashioning a new panel wouldn't be too difficult.

When I was looking around to see what existed for other Toyota/Lexus models, I had seen some that were angled upwards which would make them much more visible in the seated position.

I'll post some pictures to eliminate some confusion.

Retroplay

This is the switch module once you remove it. You can see the neo-wdge socket from the bottom. There was a piece of tape covering the hole. No lamp was installed, of course.




The icons would be behind this plastic wall. So even if they were translucent, the light would not get to the buttons without some type of light pipe.


Below you can see that you could cut the top and bottom pieces and would be left with the bezel and the clips that hold it in the kick panel. It is also flat, so gluing a a plastic cover to fit aftermarket buttons would also not be difficult.



From the front (I repainted mine black as I am slowly converting most of my interior to black.) I would cut out the center piece, and sand down the front far enough to match the thickness of the piece of plastic I would glue on. This would pretty much just leave the clips and a bit of frame from the original part.

In the meantime, I lost a spring when I disassembled it, so I improvised, lol:

ShawnOk

iTrader: (1)

Ok, I'm on the same page now. thanks for clearing up the confusion, guys. Well, I'm excited to see where this goes. If there's anything I can do, let me know! Good luck!