Roger,

Interesting.  What's the current rating on these super-bright LEDs?
White?  Did the LED "bulb" fit well in the panel hole or did you have to
do some reshaping?  Do they dim adequately with the rheostat?

I just replaced one of my lights last week ('85 GL).  $2-3 at local VW
dealer.  At least they're still available, but LED sounds like the way to
go, if it's not too much trouble.  I still have the blown bulb with
holder.  I'm reasonably adept at soldering even though I'm an engineer (an
inside joke some on the list may understand).  Maybe I'll try it.

//Jack

On 12 Sep 2002, at 20:43, Roger Reynolds wrote:

> Just to update everybody.  I got around to replacing the instrument lights
> with super bright LEDs a couple of weekends ago and am very pleased with
> the results.  Much cooler (looking and temp) than the stock lights.  I
> installed the LEDs in to some old twist-in instrument light bases after
> removing the glass bulbs.  Then I added a resister in series (actually just
> goes between one lead of the LED and one "lead" on the twist-in base) that
> becomes part of the new light unit.  All I had to do then was replace the
> old lights with the new ones I made wait for night to come.
>
> Total cost is about $3.50 each and I figure they will last a long time.
> I'm going to try out a different color for the warning light symbols just
> for fun.  I'll try to get some pictures of the new lights soon and write up
> what I did. (Would anyone be interested in hosting this modification on
> their web site? I don't have one).
>
> By the way, I checked with my local VW dealer about purchasing the lights
> that are used in the new Passats (a cool purple color) and was told that
> the lights are integrated into the instrument backlight panel and there are
> no replaceable lights so you have to buy the whole thing.  You don't want
> to know what it costs, it will just make you angry.
>
> Roger
> '89 Westy