Radio Light bulb replacement

One of the bulbs in the AM/FM Cassette unit in my 1998 Dodge Stratus
has burned out.

Can a do-it-yourselfer change it, or should I take it to a consumer
electroncs repair facility?

I changed one of the bulbs in the HVAC control panel. It wasn't bad
once I figured out how to take it apart.

Thanks,

KM

 

You probably could get a really nice replacement unit with a CD player
off Ebay pretty cheaply.

Ted

 

It's not designed to be replaced by you, or a consumer electronics
shop, either. Bulb is not a standard part, and is not available under
a Dodge part number, since it's not designed to ever be replaced.

If it really bothers you, a used replacement radio is probably your
best bet.

 

I recently performed a multi burnt out radio bulb repai
on my 2000 Durango that you might find useful. It took me severa
weeks of searching and ordering the incorrect parts before I foun
the correct ones and want to save other the trouble, so I am postin
this where I can. These bulbs should fit most of the Chrysler rasio
as well as fit other componants in the dash such as switches and i
the instrument cluster

My radio is in a 2000 Dodge Durango - radio model PO4704382AC
CHRYLSER AM/FM/CASS/CD WITH STEERING CONTROLS MOUNT 1 MODEL RAZ

The replacement bulbs are available at Mouser Electronics on th
following page

http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?qs=6YhTptf0WO1dQPp6ZqLy%2bw=%3

The bulbs are $0.65 for 1-9 or $0.59 for 10-50, to replace all of th
bulbs in the above radio, 9 are required. Shipping is approximatel
$7.0

A technical description of the bulbs are available on this page

http://www.jkllamps.com/files/CNW1 MULTI LISTING.pd

The bulbs are 3mm size, 14.0V, 40mA and are installed in a twist loc
base which is 8mm in diameter and 9mm in height. These are als
known as 3mm T-1 Neo-Wedge base bulbs. There are some companies wh
sell LED's that use the same base, but I have not used and therefor
cannot vouch for them. Note that LED's do not have the sam
dispursion of light as incadecent bulbs, so they may not light th
radio display properly anyway

To replace them, remove the dash trim around the radio and remove th
2 x 10mm bolts securing the radio. The radio does not neen to b
removed entirely fron the dash, but enough to have access to the 2
phillips screws on each side of the faceplate. Remove the screws (
total, 2 on each side) and then remove the volume knob and EQ knob
if your radio has them. Next remove the faceplate by prying unde
the plastic sides of the faceplate where it snaps over the meta
bumps on the radio. Once the faceplate is removed, remove 2
phillips head screws holding the display to the front of the radi
and pull it off from the left side. You will notice that there is
notch on the right side that forces you ro remove the left side firs
and it will automatically unplg itself from the rest of the radi
chassis. With the display removed, you can see the grey bulbs on th
back with a regular screwdriver indent in them. Simply turn 1/4 tur
to remove. The new bulbs do not come with the green filters that th
OEM radio has, so you will need to pull off the blue/green filter
from the burnt-out OEM bulbs and slide them on to the replacemen
bulbs. Reverse the procedure to reasseblre everything. Take car
when reinstalling the display as there is the notch on the left sid
you must slide the display under first and a pin that inserts throug
the display on the left side that must be aligned for the display t
install correctly and the display plugs to mate correctly. This i
actually a fairly easy job for anyone who is mechanically incline
and is cheaper than a new or rebuilt OEM radio. If you replace th
OEM radio with an aftermarket radio you lose the steering whee
controls, so this is a way to get more life from your factory radio

Note that some of the neo-wedge base bulbs in the dash use a longe
base. I found one of these in my rear defroster switch that wa
burnt out. The base was the same 8mm, but the height was 20mm.
suspect mouser sells these also but used the bare baseless bulb
below from Allelectronics instead. and simply unwound the bulb wire
from the OEM base, removed it and replaced it with one of the bulb
below since I already had them on hand

http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/LP-23/14V-40MA-T-1-3MM-LAMP/-/1.htm

One final note, Allelectronics does sell a Neo-Wedge bulb with gree
filters at the link below, but they are 4mm bulbs with a 10mm base
and 12mm height and will not work for the radio application because
they are too large.

http://www.allelectronics.com/make-a-store/item/LP-70/14V-NEO-WEDGE-BASE-LAMP/1.html

Please let me know if you have any other questions and hope this helps
a fellow Durango or other Chrysler/Dodge/Plymouth owner.

Here are a few other useful links I found during this ordeal if you
want to post them:

OEM new and refurbished factory radios:

http://oem-auto-accessory.com/factory_oem_chrysler___jeep_radios.html

Neo-Wedge and other LED auto bulbs, note as stated earlier I did not
try these and cannot vouch for them:

http://www.superbrightleds.com/instrument.html

Thanks