2003 GV 3.8

I posted before about the replacing the lights in the light switch on the ES
model. The dealer says they are not sold separately and you'd need to
purchase the light switch assembly to get them. I've thought of going to a
junk yard to get another switch. That's one idea. But some manufacturer
had to produce these bulbs for Chrysler. Anyone know how to find out what
company. I thought I might be able to write to them and ask about
replacements.
thanks

 

Can you remove one of the bad bulbs to get the number from the base?

When I needed a new bulb for the ashtray light on my Voyager, I took
the old one to NAPA, and they had it in stock. When it burned out
before, I went to the dealer and they had to special order it.

-KM

 

The bulbs are made by wagner. But they do not sell these ones aftermarket.
They are bulbs with integrated holders. Chrysler does not stock them
seperately as well, as they are available only in the top of the line
models, of the Minivans. So base through sport models and low line T&C do
not have the bulbs in the light switch at all. The only thing you can do in
your case is remove the bulb and solder in a new one. Do what I did and
solder in an led.

 

Hi...

Just a respectful reminder from the old retired electrical guy...

If you do go the led route, be sure to include a resistor in
series with it.

And another, just in case. Be aware that led's (unlike light bulbs)
are polarity dependent devices.

Take care.

Ken

 

As a follow-up to Ken,

Make sure you get the data sheet for the LED you intend to use. Look
up the "Forward Bias" Voltage. If your forward bias is 2.0 Volts, then
10 Volts will be dropped across the resistor. Make sure you select a
value of resistor that will give you the brightness that you want from
the LED. There should be a graph of LED Intensity as a function of
current in the data sheet. And, having calculated the resistor value,
don't forget to calculate the POWER that will be dissapated by the
resistor, and make sure that the resistor you use has a sufficient
power rating! You may have to trade-off the brightness of the LED
against the physical size and power rating of the resistor based on
the physical space available for the resistor to fit in.

So much for a "simple" solution. This stuff is not rocket science, but
ya gotta remeber to "do the math"

 

Or you can just temporairly put a potentiometer in series with the LED,
adjust brightness to suit, then take the pot out and measure it's
resistance
with a DVM.

Ted

 

Hi Ted...

I hope I can respectfully suggest that nobody do that!

Way way back, when led's were invented (or at least when we
could first get ahold of one) I got one to experiment with.

No idea why, but I put it in series with a pot across a
9 volt battery. (can't remember how long ago it really was,
but it was the days of the round 9 volt - the ones with a
terminal on each end)

Anyway, the durned thing triggered on, got brighter, and
then exploded violently. Tiny shards of (epoxy? plastic?)
flew everywhere. Hard enough to sting where they hit.
Could have just as easily been into an eye. Virtually nothing
left of the led.

And this was with a 9 volt battery; not a car battery.

Please don't do it.

Take care.

Ken