How do I install LED lights?

Thanks Caleb

Parts list from www.autolumination.com (no affiliation, just found everything in one spot that works with very fast and reasonably priced shipping):
  • 4-44mm 9 LED Festoons
  • 2-9 LED Rigid Loop Festoons
  • 2-5 LED Matrix 194 bulbs
  • 2-Superstar 194 bulbs
  • 2-6 LED bulbs
  • 2-25 LED Matrix 3157 Bulbs

    General notes:

    LED's have polarity, so they will work one way, but not the other. If it doesn't light up when you put it in, turn the bulb 180* and try again. These directions will make a lot more sense when you get in there. Most are not too complicated and really pretty easy to change. Apologies for lack of pictures, I was too eager to get the bulbs in and didn't take the time to take pictures.

    Under Front Door Lights (44mm Festoon Style):

    Using a flat head screwdriver, push in on the lens cover in the little slot and push down. The slot is directly in the center of the cover facing the interior of the car. The bulbs are pulled down and out. They are held in by tension clips. Replace the bulb and put the lens cover back in. It will snap back in place without using the screwdriver.

    Map Lights (194 size. SuperStar bulbs are bright, but expensive):

    The map light housing is held on by 4 clips in each corner. Take a *clean* flat head screwdriver and pry down on the passenger side. It will make a HORRENDOUS cracking noise, but it's just the clip letting go. (I opened mine up about 4 times and didn't break anything.) The bulbs are held in little plastic housings. The housings unscrew with a quarter turn and then pull up and out. The bulb and the housing will come out as one piece, and the bulbs will come out with a gentle pull. Put in the new bulbs, put the housing back in place, another quarter turn in the opposite direction and it will be complete. Push the housing back up and get the clips seated.

    Under Dash Lights (44mm Rigid Loop Festoon):

    This is a slightly more complicated install that needs some plastic removed forcefully. The bulbs are held in with just a little bit of tension from some metal clips on either end of the bulb. You might have to bend the ends of the metal retaining clip a bit to get the stock bulbs out. After the stock bulbs are out, you will see a bunch of white plastic that helped to keep the stock bulb in place. Most of that plastic has to come out. Use some end nippers (example: http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=end+nippers&hl=en&btnG=Search ) to take the plastic off. Start with a small set of nippers, and go larger if necessary. You can't put the plastic back after you take it off (at least very easily). Nip some plastic out, try the new LED bulb, if you need more space, take some more plastic out and try again. You will probably need to bend the ends of the retainer clips back out (the opposite way you bent them in to remove stock bulb) to keep the bulb from falling down.

    Trunk light (44mm festoon style):

    This one is easy. Remove the light lens, pop out the old bulb and put in the new one (very similar to the under front door lights). Put the cover back on, and you're done.

    Rear dome light (44mm festoon style):

    Another one similar to the under front door lights. Use a screwdriver to slip between the light lens and the housing to remove the light lens. Remove the old bulb, put in the new one, replace the lens, and you're done.

    Back up lights (25 LED 3157 Bulbs):

    Remove the lining on the inside of the trunk lid, this is held on by some plastic pop rivets that hold all GM cars together. There are 8-10 bolts on the inside of the trunk lid that hold the rear license plate bezel in place. Unscrew these bolts and the bezel will be loose. Put a large towel down on top of your trunk and pull the bezel off. Unwind the electrical cords to give you some more space to work with. Take the bezel off and flip it upside down on top of the towel. Remove the bulbs by twisting the bulb sockets a quarter turn (similar to map light install), take out the stock bulbs, put in the new ones, and reverse the steps.

    License plate lights (194 size 6 LED straight bulbs, SuperStars would also work):

    While the rear bezel is off, just remove the bulb housings on top of the license plate lights, put in the new ones, and put the bezel and the trunk liner back together.

    Headlamp Corner Bulbs (194 size 5 LED Matrix bulb):

    This was by far the most complicated install. This whole install is nearly blind and done by feel. Jack up the front of the car; turn the wheel all the way to lock on the right. Remove the wheel well portion nearest the front bumper by removing several of the pop rivets in the wheel well and under the front bumper. Reach up inside behind the front bumper and search for something that feels a little like an oversized gas cap. Twist this a quarter turn to remove it. The bulb is right inside this little space where you removed the "gas cap". The bulb housing has tension clips that need to be pinched to remove the bulb from the headlight housing. Simply pinch the metal retainer clips and pull back to remove the bulb from the housing. Put in the new bulb and *make sure it works* before you put the bulb back in and put the "gas cap" back on and the wheel well back in. After completing one side, turn the wheel to the other lock and repeat the steps.






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