Hi Guys,
I've been trying to replace the front dome light of my IS-F (basically the same as other IS) with some LED's, but I've been having a ***** of a time trying to get it off without doing any damage to the plastic. I've taken the two screws off that are hidden in the sunglass holder area but the back portion is still stuck to the headliner. Is there something I'm missing? I tried just prying the dome light cover off alone but that didn't work. What tools do I use to get this sucker off? I've tried a flathead screwdriver to a credit card. Any help would be greatly appreciated...Darshana S...

 

You dont need to take all that off, all you have to do is pop off the plastic lens with a credit card.

 

you can just pop off the dome light cover with a credit card

 

I'm not sure what credit card you guys have been using but it's a really tight squeeze and I can't get my card in there without damaging the surrounding plastic. I'll try looking around for the thinnest card I got and see what happens...

 

put the card in on the side closes to you if sitting in driver seat, it is tight but it works, the rear one is the same thing. If that doesnt work just pull the whole unit out. the back side closes to the windshield is wedged in just pull back toward you and down. goood luck

 

clothe and flat head screwdriver my friend and some force

 

if you open the eyeglass holder there is 2 screws there, unscrew them and you can pop that WHOLE console off..thats how i replaced my leds in there, didnt even kno wyou could pop off the dome plastic.

 

ah, oops well... when you remove the screws that console starts to fall off correct orno? If not it is prolly just clipped in on the sides. I really dont want to go and unscrew that thing again, not that its hard to do ... i just did it so many times that i dont want to go open it again. If you absolutely need i can go take a few pics of how i got mine off...

 

I tried taking out the whole dome area but I couldn't make it work so I used the smallest flathead screwdriver (eyeglasses size) I could find and just popped the cover out. Its not as easy as the rears but it works. However, there is minor damage to the plastic there the screwdriver was wedged, you can't see it, but you can feel it.

 

Okay got it off! MIA IS250 had the best advice. The credit card barely fits in that wedge facing the rear of the car and from there just enough prys off to where you can pull out the rest of the light cover. There is still some very minor damage to the surrounding plastic but my new LED's look pretty sweet. Thanks everyone.

 

yea i hate that about mods period, when you take something apart for the first time it is never really the same as BRAND NEW again...

i would prolly mourn that damaged plastic part on your IS-F if i had one for weeks LOL

 

you will damage the edges unless you remove the whole console and pop the lens from the back...i learn the hard way trying to pull the lens off...kinda damaged the plastic

 

taking the whole thing off is not that difficult and i would recommend doing it that way...take the screws out if the console hangs down than push down and back (toward the windshield) and it will come out....u will see three tabs that u can twist once u twist those pull them out the bulb will be inside...change bulb put the holder back and twist back to lock in place ...be sure they work before putting it back together...if bulb doesn't work take holder out and turn 180 degrees and put back in (may have put it in wrong way)........hope this helps ....

 

u shouldnt damage the lens if you use a trim pry tool, like the audio installers use. its basically a hunting knife shaped plastic tool. i took it off a couple times using that and all is well.

 

ditto...just u gotta pull pretty hard lol don't worry u wont break anything