Heater Vent Icon illumination - How To DIY!

[Woorlord]

I have been asked how I retrofitted "Heater Vent Icon illumination" which I did back in August 2008.
This is what I did then..........

For easy access I took the glove box out (6 bolts), and cover between the steering wheel and pedals (2 bolts).

The Dash illumination uses a +12v variable voltage (dimmable) feed, I sourced this off the main light switch, pin 10 (brown) is 0v and pin 17 (grey/blue) is the var. 12v fedding all dash led lights.

The vents have a 2 pin male pin connector located on them which are 0.1" pitch. Now I could have sourced the correct polarised connector from Audi but this did seem a little bit unnecessary. I actually used a computer type connector typically used on PC motherboards which was very small and would fit in the existing Audi vent connector. The only caution was that it was not polarised - i.e. if connected the the wrong way round the illumination led would not light - remedy change the connector to the correct orientation - leds should not be damaged.

I sourced parts from http://www.farnell.com
The connector housings (10x part no. 865606) and female pin inserts (100x part no, 1022219)
Approx. £6.60 plus P&P
I soldered the wires to the crimp pins.
1 housing per vent and 2 pins per vent.

Then it was just a simple case of feeding the wires to the 3 vent connection points, passenger side, twin vents above radio and drivers side and back to the light switch.

Now the centre vent connection when I did it was easier since I did this when I had the complete centre console out - I was doing a single to double din change at that time. Take a look first from the glovebox aperture as I seem to recall you can see the wires to the left side vent icon? The connector may have been above the radio between the two vents??

At each vent, I checked each connection as I made it for correct polarisation - lights on/off. If no illumination turn connector through 180 degrees. Best to use colour wires for connector to gauge orientation, i.e. black = 0v, Blue = +12v(var.)

I would recommend putting in a couple of spare illumination wires behind the coin holder and cup holder - you may have the illumination there ready to connect should you come across a replacement part off fleabay at a later date - that's what I did for these two later items.
​

Hope this helps.

 

[mattyboyc]

excellent thank you very much, now as the search function now seems to be u/s does anybody know how i can save this thread to a document as copy and paste dose not work.
Thanks again Woorlord,

Matt

 

[Woorlord]

excellent thank you very much, now as the search function now seems to be u/s does anybody know how i can save this thread to a document as copy and paste dose not work.
Thanks again Woorlord,

Matt

Search is now working for a couple of days.

Ways to save a copy of the thread....
1. Copy the thread "http" link to your browser bookmarks
or
2. Just drag over the text with left mouse button, [CTRL][C] to copy and then paste, [CTRL][V] into Wordpad or Word - works with IE8 or Mozilla Firefox browsers - just checked them.
or
3. Get yourself a PDF maker printer driver, like CutePDF Download Here and just print from whatever program to thisvirtual printer and it will turn the document into a pdf.

 

[1210tech]

nice one woorlord :icon_thumright:

 

[simon.m]

with out sounding too stupied what part are you guys talking about making light up.

 

[1210tech]

with out sounding too stupied what part are you guys talking about making light up.

the little dials at the side of the each vent on the dashboard

 

[simon.m]

oh right mine light up red do they not all do that

 

[1210tech]

oh right mine light up red do they not all do that

nah, for some reason they didn't fit the option to all cars, how you can call it an option is beyond me though!!!

 

[simon.m]

wel thats not right glad i dont have to fit it to mine though

 

[quattrojames]

I didn't know they didn't all come with this, did you actually have to specify it as an option? How bizarre.....

 

[simon.m]

wonder how much that would have cost. any one no how i can find out what extras my car has as its got me thinking

 

[quattrojames]

Try IGORWEB

 

[1210tech]

I didn't know they didn't all come with this, did you actually have to specify it as an option? How bizarre.....

I know, its weird isn't it. My car is an ex-demo that came with loads of extras including RNS-D, Tv Tuner, CD Changer but no flippin' vent illumination!!!!! its just daft

 

[simon.m]

where do i find the codes mate

 

[quattrojames]

On the data sticker, spare wheel well and manual normally.

 

[quattrojames]

Start a new thread mate, lets not hijack Woorlord's guide

 

[simon.m]

dude so sorry i will get the hang of this site soon my bad Woorlord sorry ;-) ill delete it right now hehehe

 

[V6 Quatt]

Any chance of doing mine PM me please.

 

[Turkster]

I'm sure the loom would be like this, I'm not sure on the switch design but this is my best guess on how it would be designed, well how I'm going to design it next week,

any comments please?

 

[Turkster]

can any of you advise on my diagram and the switch please?

 

[marktdisport]

james your the man !!! it's brill to log on and find new data every day like this....... this is what makes this forum the biz !!!

 

[stu_m]

I know, its weird isn't it. My car is an ex-demo that came with loads of extras including RNS-D, Tv Tuner, CD Changer but no flippin' vent illumination!!!!! its just daft

yet mines a low spec 52 plate 1.9tdi 100bhp model that has illumination on the dials!!

 

[Woorlord]

I'm sure the loom would be like this, I'm not sure on the switch design but this is my best guess on how it would be designed, well how I'm going to design it next week,

any comments please?

Yes that is correct - pin numbers to splice into switch is in my original post - thread #1.

 

[Turkster]

im half way into this MOD, all the wires are now in place, but my 2 outer vents already seem to have gotten wires going to them, Im yet to folloow them backwards as iv not taken the glove box out, but my question is are there air temp sensors in there too ?

 

[crazy88]

So the led's are already there just not connected? Think this is a project to stick on the list. Would look nice with them illuminated, and more practical too.

Thanks for the guide!

 

[stu_m]

I can't see why these aren't already done on all cars!

Most cars out there have these lit up so why can't audi do it as standard!

 

[Turkster]

finally getting around to finishing this one, lol

 

[Turkster]

I finally finished this mod today, I managed to wire it in without cutting into any of the OEM wires, I just simply pushed them into the back of the old ones in the plug with square connectors on my new wires that seemed to just fit very snug in with the OEM connectors, as im the photo, I made my own loom up as to my post in this thread (look up), I did secure the wires in place after this photo was taken,

All in all i feel this is a mod that is a must for anyone who has not got the extra lights, Why Audi did not just do this to ever car like even VW has managed i'd never know, anyway enjoy, oh and before i forget, i got my new cup and card holder out of a Audi i broke last year some time,

 

[Mollygoogle]

Have just finished this mod, very simple job and the extra lighting makes a difference. I also did red footwell lights at the same time. I'll get pics when it gets a bit darker.

For anyone planning to do this mod, with the glovebox out you can easily reach behind the centre vents to push them out. The connection sits between the two centre vents. No need to take the console or head unit out.

 

[choimaloy]

So I'm right in thinking the lights are already there they just need connecting to a voltage.

 

[Mollygoogle]

yes they are

 

[choimaloy]

Is there anywhere you can get the right connectors to wire these up properly ie TPS and is there part numbers for them.

 

[Mollygoogle]

Its a very easy job to swap the connectors over to an alternative, each connector is at the end of a shjort loom so you have plenty of room to play with, then its just a case of tapping in to the light feed. A very quick job all told

 

[choimaloy]

I don't want to be splitting wires so was hoping there is an OEM option to do it.

 

[Slinepete]

Mine already has this woo

 

[choimaloy]

I've been reading through this thread again so I'm the car now and took one off the vents out and it has the blue/black wires running from it so this will be for the illumination,my question is where do these wires run to so I can connect them to the right source to power them instead of making a new loom.

 

[choimaloy]

I've found that there is socket on each vent,just wondering is the a loom available from Tps.

 

[Turkster]

there is no OEM loom, i tried to get one, I also want to make note that i did not cut into the OEM loom that I already have in the car, i just pushed the clips in behind the OEM wires at the switch unit, they just took and held tight, and many months later all is well still,

 

[andy.l]

Excellent read,just changed my centre vents and found the wiring so shall be wiring in this mod

 

[swarcup]

i did it a while back, it looks a lot better when its dark, i also have put in illuminated door handles, red ambient lighting in the footwells and footwell lights when the doors open and the red marker lights in the doors aswell as the overhead ambient led's in the front and rear lights. All adds to the look