Topic: Auto shifter indicator MOD

[Gunnys GXP]

Hey all.  Been dormant for quite a while.  Wanted to add this to the DIY/how too.

As with most all Solstice owners (more so than sky's), the orange airbag indicator light is annoying.  Well the same goes for the automatics (at least for me) orange shift indicator lights.  Not to mention that in direct sun light, the orange color all but dissapears and you have to shade the area to verify where you are if your runing curved roads and downshift your auto's into the turns.

So I decided to correct the annoyance.  Here are photo's and a how to if you decide this MOD is for you also.

First the tools you'll need and the replacement surface mount LED's.  I did blue lights (of course) made by Kingbright (part number AA3528QBC/D)  They are 3.5mm long, 2.8mm wide, and sit 1.9mm high.  They come in a tape strip packaging as shown below:

***Important note.  Ensure you pay close attention to the placement of the LED and it's polarity mark on the circuit board to ensure proper current flow and opperation.  They are very small but very important. It is just a small shaved off top corner of the LED housing.






Shifter removal:
Starting at the top of the outter ring use a thin pry or (like me) your fingernails to get under the edge adn pull up.



Next, push/pull the ring forward to clear the tab at the bottom of the ring.



Now, (this step not required but I do it to protect from paint damage) remove the outter most ring by releasing the four clip tabs around it and lifting it off the inner circle.



next, reach under the assembly and remove the indicator wiring harnes.  squeeze and pull down.

[Gunnys GXP]

Continued

This next step is also not realy required but for demonstration purposes and better view of retaining tabs, I did.  There is a set screw up high under the shift boot that needs to be loosened first.  then, You will see in the pictures the super small retaining clip that locks the release button rod on the shifter handle, to the shift assembly lock release.  This is a VERY fragile piece (I've broken two of them so far).  THe factory one was silver.  Best option if removing handle is to take a small nail or punch tip.  There is a small gap at the front of this clip.  Pry the clip out just enough for it to begin to spread and lift up on the release button.  It should seperate if your out far enough.  It does not hold deeply.  I took a picture of the rod to show the ring it drops into.




When puting it back together the rod spreads it as it drops back in.

Once, removed your ready to move to the work bench (or table top in this case)  Try to avoid higher static areas as these are static sensitive.
Remove the circuit board from the shift assembly by lightly pushing on the two outter lock tabs, pull that side up and then slide out from under the two retaining tabs.




Using a soldering iron (a gun is too large to make contact with the solder) and tweezers, melt the old solder and lift the orange LEDs from the board.  After a couple, I found it easiest to remove all of one side of the LED's, then turn the board and release the other sides.



Using the tweezers and making sure the polarity marks on the LED's are in the right location, use a toothpick to put a small dab of flux on the contacts, place the LED inpossision, and while holding the LED in place with the toothpick, make a temp mount with the residual solder that was left behind from the removal. once both sides are temped down, resolder for a more secure hold and contact until all 14 LEDs are mounted.

[Gunnys GXP]

Now your ready to test and reassemble.

reatach the ciruit boadr to the shifter (whether you removed the entire assembly or not), if you did remove it, you'll need to reattach the rod in order to test the different selections.  The set screw can wait if you like.  Connect the wiring harness to the circuit board, start the car, and with your foot on the brake, run through all possitions checking to see that all LED's illuminate properly.  If not, remove the board and retest each LED's side connections and the polarity marks are in the proper placement.  IF they are you may have a bad LED.  They're cheap enough, Order extra from the get go.

If all is good, reassemble and your done. 

[Kelu]

wow, awesome mod and awesome post 

[DeepBlueGXP]

Great job!!!  Looks awesome

[JimmyBaja]

Excellent post & write up. I may have to do this mod also, I agree the orange led's suck, not sure what color I would use though. I can probably get the led's through my work for free as a sample from our components supplyer - we manufacture pcb's.

[Gunnys GXP]

I can probably get the led's through my work for free as a sample from our components supplyer - we manufacture pcb's.

Oh, sure.  NOW you tell me.  .  With your color you could pretty much go with any color.  Red, blue, green, or even a purple.

[JimmyBaja]

Well, if you would have announced what you were going to do before you did it & waited a couple of months I could have hooked you up. 

Maybe red or blue but definately not purple. Hey I wonder if they have hot pink, I could send some out to GJ/BJ in Cali...

[Gunnys GXP]

Well, if you would have announced what you were going to do before you did it & waited a couple of months I could have hooked you up. 

Maybe red or blue but definately not purple. Hey I wonder if they have hot pink, I could send some out to GJ/BJ in Cali...

It took me two months to decide to do it.  At .30 cents each plus shipping it wasn't a bank breaker.

I'd bet someone makes them in hot pink but I'd think the sun flush would be even worse then the orange.

[GXPinKC]

Gunnys GXP, man when you come back, you don't mess around.  What an awesome post!  I enjoyed it immensely. Please don't be a stranger any longer!

This post should be a "sticky".    

Ron

[Gunnys GXP]

Gunnys GXP, man when you come back, you don't mess around.  What an awesome post!  I enjoyed it immensely. Please don't be a stranger any longer!

This post should be a "sticky".    

Ron

After the winter hybernation followed by multiple trips, we got nailed with a nasty virus and lost everything on our computer including years of photo's.  Fortunatly we had recently transferd most of them to CD for the inlaws so we'll get them back.  after the reload I couldn't remember my password and finaly got around to getting it reset. 

Glad to be back and thanks all for the great reviews.

[scanner]

Very nice Post & Mod!  Now might be the time to watch for salvage parts to mod and resell for the faint of heart. 

[Gunnys GXP]

Very nice Post & Mod!  Now might be the time to watch for salvage parts to mod and resell for the faint of heart.  

Concidered that.  I do have one extra board already from when I purchased the blue stitch heritage shifter.  Would be cheaper for everyone to run the project more as a core exchange.  I'd also need to figure out a bench test so I'm not having to pop my shifter out repeatedly.  I woudn't send something out without testing it first.

[scanner]

Yes, the bench test and core exchange are good ideas!  My Celestron control updates work the same way. Clear Skys!

[Gentleman Jack]

Excellent post & write up. I may have to do this mod also, I agree the orange led's suck, not sure what color I would use though. I can probably get the led's through my work for free as a sample from our components supplyer - we manufacture pcb's.

JimmyBaja manufactures PCP?  Wow.  What a surprise.  He seemed so straight laced!
Just kidding.

Gunny- great post!  I have another addition to the automatic that will help with the visability just gotta find the photo.

GJ