DIY: Interior LED Install on the C7
06-03-2012, 12:50 PM
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DIY: Interior LED Install on the C7
Hey whats up guys, installed interior LEDS in my 2012 A6 (C7). It was somewhat fun. No instructions so I was doing everything on my own and had a bit of an adventure. [>_<]. Should take you 30 min to do everything after reading this DIY.
For this DIY you are going to need a flathead screw driver and a T15 torx screwdriver. Ok for the C7 A6 you need a total of 7 LEDS. 2 Festoons for the front visors, 1 festoon for the front dome light, and 4 wedge bulbs for the map lights in the front dome and rear dome. I actually sell LEDS you can contact me if you wish, I can piece together a kit for you at a very affordable price. (screw paying $90 for a interior led kit).
Lets start with the rear domes.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329239700/
You are going to take a small flathead and insert it in the gap where the headliner meets the dome. You are going to pry each side out, bottom left, bottom right, top left and top right. Do one corner at a time. Once half of its out you can either use some force and grab it down, or you can use the flathead again to pry the other half. Once its out let it hang.
You are going to see two tabs. (The tabs are the bulb holders). Twist them, they will pop off easily. Replace the stock bulb with the LED bulb. After the LED bulb is secure in the tab, twist it back into the dome. Test to make sure the LED is working. If its not working, switch the sides. LED are polarity sensitive, so if its not lighting up, 99% chance if its not working switch it 180 degrees and its going to work. The rear dome only has two bulbs, you are done with the rear dome. [
] Here is a picture of the bulb holder+stock bulb vs LED bulb.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329287350/
Ok for the front domes, its a little hard but once I figured it out, it was SO EASY.
Ok so I did not get any pictures of the dome before I took it off. I apologize in advance.
You are going to take the flathead and insert it around the edges of the front dome. Start at where the dome light is. Insert your flathead between the dome and the headliner and start prying it down. Make your way around the edge of the dome and keep prying down. By now you will be able to pop the plastic cover off the assembly.
Here is the plastic cover, its off the assembly.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329260872/
Dome assembly exposed.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329253854/
You will see a festoon bulb where the dome light is. Just unclip the bulb (MAKE SURE ITS NOT HOT I BADLY BURNED MY FINGERS BY ACCIDENT), clip in the new festoon. You can see my new festoon is already in there.
Ok now you have to pull the whole thing down. There is ONE T15 screw. Unscrew it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329267706/Its out.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329274066/
Now take your flathead and insert it between the headliner and the dome, use a little force to get half of it off. The best place to pry is where we first pried to get the plastic cover off. You will have a big enough gap to grab it and pull it down. Here it is hanging.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329279212/
Flip it around. You will see the SAME two black tabs as we saw in the rear dome. Same process. Twist the cap off, remove stock bulb, insert LED bulb check polarity. Do this for the other map light as well.
Everything is working!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329292332/
Now put everything back together. Put the assembly back onto the roof. Screw the T15 screw back in. Now put the plastic cover back on. The cover has tabs and the dome assembly has openings for the tabs, LINE THEM UP AND JUST SNAP IT BACK ON! YOU ARE DONE!
No pictures for the visors they were EASY. Take a credit card (old one) or a thick card (old sams club card or something like that) and pry around the bulb housing, its going to easily pop off. The procedure for replacing the bulb is THE SAME as replacing the front dome light. Its a festoon bulb, unclip it and clip in the LED, check polarity and you are done !
FINISHED PRODUCT.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329303846/http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329307976/
I was going to do a DIY for the plate LEDS but they wont fit my car since the 2012 A6 comes stock with LED (I wanted it brighter). But when I get the updated version of the LED housings I will do the DIY asap.
A few questions you might have?
1. Will using LED cause any error or problems?
Answer-No using LEDS will not cause any problems or errors.
2. Do I need canbus bulbs?
Answer-You don't need canbus bulbs because the car does not monitor any inside lights.
3. Do these LEDS fade out when the doors close?
Answer-Yes, the LEDS fade out, looks very cool, they fade out the same way the door lights fade off when the door is closed.
4. Will using LEDS void my warranty?
Answer-NO. LEDS will not void your warranty!
5. What color are the LEDS and do they match the stock LEDS?
Answer-The LEDS are pure white with a slight hue of blue. They are 6000k, they match the stock LEDs pretty well, haven't seen them at night, I will update later tonight!
Hope this helps! I hope I am clear, you can always post here and I can try my best to assist you. This was my first DIY ever!
For this DIY you are going to need a flathead screw driver and a T15 torx screwdriver. Ok for the C7 A6 you need a total of 7 LEDS. 2 Festoons for the front visors, 1 festoon for the front dome light, and 4 wedge bulbs for the map lights in the front dome and rear dome. I actually sell LEDS you can contact me if you wish, I can piece together a kit for you at a very affordable price. (screw paying $90 for a interior led kit).
Lets start with the rear domes.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329239700/
You are going to take a small flathead and insert it in the gap where the headliner meets the dome. You are going to pry each side out, bottom left, bottom right, top left and top right. Do one corner at a time. Once half of its out you can either use some force and grab it down, or you can use the flathead again to pry the other half. Once its out let it hang.
You are going to see two tabs. (The tabs are the bulb holders). Twist them, they will pop off easily. Replace the stock bulb with the LED bulb. After the LED bulb is secure in the tab, twist it back into the dome. Test to make sure the LED is working. If its not working, switch the sides. LED are polarity sensitive, so if its not lighting up, 99% chance if its not working switch it 180 degrees and its going to work. The rear dome only has two bulbs, you are done with the rear dome. [
] Here is a picture of the bulb holder+stock bulb vs LED bulb.http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329287350/
Ok for the front domes, its a little hard but once I figured it out, it was SO EASY.
Ok so I did not get any pictures of the dome before I took it off. I apologize in advance.
You are going to take the flathead and insert it around the edges of the front dome. Start at where the dome light is. Insert your flathead between the dome and the headliner and start prying it down. Make your way around the edge of the dome and keep prying down. By now you will be able to pop the plastic cover off the assembly.
Here is the plastic cover, its off the assembly.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329260872/
Dome assembly exposed.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329253854/
You will see a festoon bulb where the dome light is. Just unclip the bulb (MAKE SURE ITS NOT HOT I BADLY BURNED MY FINGERS BY ACCIDENT), clip in the new festoon. You can see my new festoon is already in there.
Ok now you have to pull the whole thing down. There is ONE T15 screw. Unscrew it.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329267706/Its out.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329274066/
Now take your flathead and insert it between the headliner and the dome, use a little force to get half of it off. The best place to pry is where we first pried to get the plastic cover off. You will have a big enough gap to grab it and pull it down. Here it is hanging.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329279212/
Flip it around. You will see the SAME two black tabs as we saw in the rear dome. Same process. Twist the cap off, remove stock bulb, insert LED bulb check polarity. Do this for the other map light as well.
Everything is working!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329292332/
Now put everything back together. Put the assembly back onto the roof. Screw the T15 screw back in. Now put the plastic cover back on. The cover has tabs and the dome assembly has openings for the tabs, LINE THEM UP AND JUST SNAP IT BACK ON! YOU ARE DONE!
No pictures for the visors they were EASY. Take a credit card (old one) or a thick card (old sams club card or something like that) and pry around the bulb housing, its going to easily pop off. The procedure for replacing the bulb is THE SAME as replacing the front dome light. Its a festoon bulb, unclip it and clip in the LED, check polarity and you are done !
FINISHED PRODUCT.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329303846/http://www.flickr.com/photos/54027258@N07/7329307976/
I was going to do a DIY for the plate LEDS but they wont fit my car since the 2012 A6 comes stock with LED (I wanted it brighter). But when I get the updated version of the LED housings I will do the DIY asap.
A few questions you might have?
1. Will using LED cause any error or problems?
Answer-No using LEDS will not cause any problems or errors.
2. Do I need canbus bulbs?
Answer-You don't need canbus bulbs because the car does not monitor any inside lights.
3. Do these LEDS fade out when the doors close?
Answer-Yes, the LEDS fade out, looks very cool, they fade out the same way the door lights fade off when the door is closed.
4. Will using LEDS void my warranty?
Answer-NO. LEDS will not void your warranty!
5. What color are the LEDS and do they match the stock LEDS?
Answer-The LEDS are pure white with a slight hue of blue. They are 6000k, they match the stock LEDs pretty well, haven't seen them at night, I will update later tonight!
Hope this helps! I hope I am clear, you can always post here and I can try my best to assist you. This was my first DIY ever!
06-03-2012, 09:25 PM
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Hey whats up guys, installed interior LEDS in my 2012 A6 (C7). It was somewhat fun. No instructions so I was doing everything on my own and had a bit of an adventure. [>_<]. Should take you 30 min to do everything after reading this DIY.
For this DIY you are going to need a flathead screw driver and a T15 torx screwdriver. Ok for the C7 A6 you need a total of 7 LEDS. 2 Festoons for the front visors, 1 festoon for the front dome light, and 4 wedge bulbs for the map lights in the front dome and rear dome. I actually sell LEDS you can contact me if you wish, I can piece together a kit for you at a very affordable price. (screw paying $90 for a interior led kit).
Lets start with the rear domes.
You are going to take a small flathead and insert it in the gap where the headliner meets the dome. You are going to pry each side out, bottom left, bottom right, top left and top right. Do one corner at a time. Once half of its out you can either use some force and grab it down, or you can use the flathead again to pry the other half. Once its out let it hang.
You are going to see two tabs. (The tabs are the bulb holders). Twist them, they will pop off easily. Replace the stock bulb with the LED bulb. After the LED bulb is secure in the tab, twist it back into the dome. Test to make sure the LED is working. If its not working, switch the sides. LED are polarity sensitive, so if its not lighting up, 99% chance if its not working switch it 180 degrees and its going to work. The rear dome only has two bulbs, you are done with the rear dome. [] Here is a picture of the bulb holder+stock bulb vs LED bulb.
Ok for the front domes, its a little hard but once I figured it out, it was SO EASY.
Ok so I did not get any pictures of the dome before I took it off. I apologize in advance.
You are going to take the flathead and insert it around the edges of the front dome. Start at where the dome light is. Insert your flathead between the dome and the headliner and start prying it down. Make your way around the edge of the dome and keep prying down. By now you will be able to pop the plastic cover off the assembly.
Here is the plastic cover, its off the assembly.
Dome assembly exposed.
You will see a festoon bulb where the dome light is. Just unclip the bulb (MAKE SURE ITS NOT HOT I BADLY BURNED MY FINGERS BY ACCIDENT), clip in the new festoon. You can see my new festoon is already in there.
Ok now you have to pull the whole thing down. There is ONE T15 screw. Unscrew it.
Its out.
Now take your flathead and insert it between the headliner and the dome, use a little force to get half of it off. The best place to pry is where we first pried to get the plastic cover off. You will have a big enough gap to grab it and pull it down. Here it is hanging.
Flip it around. You will see the SAME two black tabs as we saw in the rear dome. Same process. Twist the cap off, remove stock bulb, insert LED bulb check polarity. Do this for the other map light as well.
Everything is working!
Now put everything back together. Put the assembly back onto the roof. Screw the T15 screw back in. Now put the plastic cover back on. The cover has tabs and the dome assembly has openings for the tabs, LINE THEM UP AND JUST SNAP IT BACK ON! YOU ARE DONE!
No pictures for the visors they were EASY. Take a credit card (old one) or a thick card (old sams club card or something like that) and pry around the bulb housing, its going to easily pop off. The procedure for replacing the bulb is THE SAME as replacing the front dome light. Its a festoon bulb, unclip it and clip in the LED, check polarity and you are done !
FINISHED PRODUCT.
I was going to do a DIY for the plate LEDS but they wont fit my car since the 2012 A6 comes stock with LED (I wanted it brighter). But when I get the updated version of the LED housings I will do the DIY asap.
A few questions you might have?
1. Will using LED cause any error or problems?
Answer-No using LEDS will not cause any problems or errors.
2. Do I need canbus bulbs?
Answer-You don't need canbus bulbs because the car does not monitor any inside lights.
3. Do these LEDS fade out when the doors close?
Answer-Yes, the LEDS fade out, looks very cool, they fade out the same way the door lights fade off when the door is closed.
4. Will using LEDS void my warranty?
Answer-NO. LEDS will not void your warranty!
5. What color are the LEDS and do they match the stock LEDS?
Answer-The LEDS are pure white with a slight hue of blue. They are 6000k, they match the stock LEDs pretty well, haven't seen them at night, I will update later tonight!
Hope this helps! I hope I am clear, you can always post here and I can try my best to assist you. This was my first DIY ever!
For this DIY you are going to need a flathead screw driver and a T15 torx screwdriver. Ok for the C7 A6 you need a total of 7 LEDS. 2 Festoons for the front visors, 1 festoon for the front dome light, and 4 wedge bulbs for the map lights in the front dome and rear dome. I actually sell LEDS you can contact me if you wish, I can piece together a kit for you at a very affordable price. (screw paying $90 for a interior led kit).
Lets start with the rear domes.
You are going to take a small flathead and insert it in the gap where the headliner meets the dome. You are going to pry each side out, bottom left, bottom right, top left and top right. Do one corner at a time. Once half of its out you can either use some force and grab it down, or you can use the flathead again to pry the other half. Once its out let it hang.
You are going to see two tabs. (The tabs are the bulb holders). Twist them, they will pop off easily. Replace the stock bulb with the LED bulb. After the LED bulb is secure in the tab, twist it back into the dome. Test to make sure the LED is working. If its not working, switch the sides. LED are polarity sensitive, so if its not lighting up, 99% chance if its not working switch it 180 degrees and its going to work. The rear dome only has two bulbs, you are done with the rear dome. [
] Here is a picture of the bulb holder+stock bulb vs LED bulb.Ok for the front domes, its a little hard but once I figured it out, it was SO EASY.
Ok so I did not get any pictures of the dome before I took it off. I apologize in advance.
You are going to take the flathead and insert it around the edges of the front dome. Start at where the dome light is. Insert your flathead between the dome and the headliner and start prying it down. Make your way around the edge of the dome and keep prying down. By now you will be able to pop the plastic cover off the assembly.
Here is the plastic cover, its off the assembly.
Dome assembly exposed.
You will see a festoon bulb where the dome light is. Just unclip the bulb (MAKE SURE ITS NOT HOT I BADLY BURNED MY FINGERS BY ACCIDENT), clip in the new festoon. You can see my new festoon is already in there.
Ok now you have to pull the whole thing down. There is ONE T15 screw. Unscrew it.
Its out.
Now take your flathead and insert it between the headliner and the dome, use a little force to get half of it off. The best place to pry is where we first pried to get the plastic cover off. You will have a big enough gap to grab it and pull it down. Here it is hanging.
Flip it around. You will see the SAME two black tabs as we saw in the rear dome. Same process. Twist the cap off, remove stock bulb, insert LED bulb check polarity. Do this for the other map light as well.
Everything is working!
Now put everything back together. Put the assembly back onto the roof. Screw the T15 screw back in. Now put the plastic cover back on. The cover has tabs and the dome assembly has openings for the tabs, LINE THEM UP AND JUST SNAP IT BACK ON! YOU ARE DONE!
No pictures for the visors they were EASY. Take a credit card (old one) or a thick card (old sams club card or something like that) and pry around the bulb housing, its going to easily pop off. The procedure for replacing the bulb is THE SAME as replacing the front dome light. Its a festoon bulb, unclip it and clip in the LED, check polarity and you are done !
FINISHED PRODUCT.
I was going to do a DIY for the plate LEDS but they wont fit my car since the 2012 A6 comes stock with LED (I wanted it brighter). But when I get the updated version of the LED housings I will do the DIY asap.
A few questions you might have?
1. Will using LED cause any error or problems?
Answer-No using LEDS will not cause any problems or errors.
2. Do I need canbus bulbs?
Answer-You don't need canbus bulbs because the car does not monitor any inside lights.
3. Do these LEDS fade out when the doors close?
Answer-Yes, the LEDS fade out, looks very cool, they fade out the same way the door lights fade off when the door is closed.
4. Will using LEDS void my warranty?
Answer-NO. LEDS will not void your warranty!
5. What color are the LEDS and do they match the stock LEDS?
Answer-The LEDS are pure white with a slight hue of blue. They are 6000k, they match the stock LEDs pretty well, haven't seen them at night, I will update later tonight!
Hope this helps! I hope I am clear, you can always post here and I can try my best to assist you. This was my first DIY ever!
thanks
06-10-2012, 09:18 PM
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06-10-2012, 09:20 PM
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Ok so I tried taking a pic but my camera is having issues 
. If you can get one side off, feel around the edge you will feel the clips and just release them. Just keep prying down and it will pop off. The front was much harder when comparing it to the rear dome.
If you want PM me your number and I can DIY it on the phone or something. My camera should be fixed Wednesday in any case.
. If you can get one side off, feel around the edge you will feel the clips and just release them. Just keep prying down and it will pop off. The front was much harder when comparing it to the rear dome. If you want PM me your number and I can DIY it on the phone or something. My camera should be fixed Wednesday in any case.
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06-11-2012, 12:47 AM
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11-06-2012, 02:23 AM
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hi
i just wanted to say thanks for the instructions i just installed the led white lights following your instructions and had i not had them i would never have seen that on screw and i reckon i would have broken that cover. so thank you from aus, they look pretty cool too
i just wanted to say thanks for the instructions i just installed the led white lights following your instructions and had i not had them i would never have seen that on screw and i reckon i would have broken that cover. so thank you from aus, they look pretty cool too