Radio Display Fix

[dexterthedog]

I just repaired the display in the CD/Radio. As suggested in another forum here - It is lightbulbs soldered onto the circuit board. The whole thing start to finish took an hour (including a drive to buy light bulbs) and has ended a year of frustration over not knowing what's on the radio or what track the CD is playing.
In a nutshell:
I've got a 2000 Montana.
Open the ashtray - (drinktray on later models)
Remove the two 7mm bolts on either side of the ashtray slider
Pull the console faceplate out at the bottom. The top hooks to the dask with tabs.
Remove the three 7mm bolts that hold the radio in. Unplug the wire harness and the antenna wire. (Ignore the Theftlock) - I suspect that's just a flashing light!!!
Remove the bottom plate of the radio with a flat screwdriver. (No screws -just snap on tabs around the edges.
Remove the plastic faceplate - snap on tabs around perimeter.
Unplug the two wire ribbons that connect the faceplate inside the unit. (Remember which is which as they look like the same plugs...)
Remove the circuit board from the inside of the faceplate. (5 tiny bolts)
Don't let all the control buttons fall on the floor like I did...
The control display is a metal box attached with metal tabs through the board and bent over on the backside. Flatten out the tabs and remove this display. You'll see three lighbulbs that resemble LED's. Go to Radio Shack or somewhere that sells electronics, and match them up the best you can with something 12volt.
Re and Re the bulbs with a pencil soldering iron, and put the whole thing back together the way it came apart.
I bought clear bulbs and wasn't sure about colour. The display came up red to match the rest of the dash - Just like new!
One of the more annoying things crossed off the Montana to do list.
Next is power window switches and the gas guage...
Thanks to everyone here for the advice I've received and I hope this helps someone else out.
For such an annoying problem, this was a really easy fix.

[1999montana]

Originally Posted by dexterthedog

...Re and Re the bulbs with a pencil soldering iron...

The type of soldering iron is very important.

We're talking about surrounding electronics here and the silicone in these things can be cooked real quick
without the right tools.

DO NOT use one of those 140 watt Weller guns!

Get an electronics soldering iron that puts out about 25 to 40 watts max. and use the thin coils of 50/50 solder
and a small amount of flux paste (all available at Radio Shack) DO NOT use ACID CORE solder either.

The pencil type soldering iron may also be OK if it isn't too hot.
.

[GMCritic]

Thanks for posting this! My 2000 Montana has only one light left that hasn't burned out (the middle one)... I'll definately use this to get it fixed. How much did the lights cost?

[dexterthedog]

[quote]
How much did the lights cost?

Radio Shack (The source it's called now) - pkg of two was around $3.00
- that's Canadian. Probably $.30 in the states... LOL

[dexterthedog]

The pencil type soldering iron may also be OK if it isn't too hot.
.[/quote]


After a few weeks of running this fix - the lights are still working but I've noticed the skip forward on the CD player and the minute button for the clock don't work anymore - I may have cooked something in there but it's still better than it was...

Like the other post says - be careful. I can;t be bothered to dig back into this thing for awhile so if I find anything more out - I'll post it.

[catesja]

I repaired mine last year. I used the same Radio Shack fix. Mine still works great. The one thing that is weird about it is the volume knob. Sometimes when I turn it up it turns down and when I turn it down, it turns up. I am just attributing that to the fact that it is all electronic. I tend to use the steering wheel switches anyway!

[34ISO9]

My display on 97 burned out within a year of new. Volume control knob usually didn't work either. I used the steering wheel control. Replaced that cassette with a used CD player. Display works but has the same unpredictable volume control knob. Sounds like these radios had some common design flaws. I wonder if GM has learned anything at our expense. Hope they appreciate us.

[chris_eitniear]

I did this fix in my 2000 Montana. All three lights had burned out. It was a fairly easy fix, but the display is too dim to read in the daylight. In 12 volt leds, all I could find was red, and I went to three different Radio Shack stores to do that. I'm wondering if it takes 12 volt leds or something that requires less voltage? I don't have a problem with pulling the radio out to do it again, but I'd like to put the right ones in if I haven't already.

[catesja]

Here is the link to the ones you want from Radio Shack:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...entPage=family
They are actually a miniature bulb and not LED. LED's shine light straight ahead, and not flood it. If you install LED's and they are on thier side you won't see anything, if they are straight out (hard to do in a small space) then you will only see spots.


Hope that helps.

Jeff

[hazeldell]

Does anyone know how to fix a radio that fades from rear to front, mute doesn't work and the minute button is also inoperable? I just replaced the bulb and this is the result.

[catesja]

I just re-did my radio display lights, this time I found a different bulb at Radioshack, and I must say it now looks stock and the display is great.

Here is the link and the part number with current price as of 1-10-06 in Oregon.

http://www.radioshack.com/product/in...tId=2103780&cp

272-1092 CP $1.49
You get 2 in a package, so you will be best off replacing all 3 lights so you need to packages.


I once considered repairing these radios as a hobby and charging $50 for a repair job (included return shipping, parts, and time) But figured most people with a little knowledge in electronics can figure it out and have it done in under 1 hour.

Jeff

[BIGPROFITT]

I removed the two 7mm bolts at the bottom near the drinktray (2002). I can not get the bottom to pull out. I don't want to break the entire front face. What am I not doing or doing wrong. I am sure I can fix the back lights once I get this face plate off. Only the left side (Time, etc) are lighted, the right side of the display is dark. Does that sound like the back light(s)? Thanks for the help.

[BIGPROFITT]

The display looks like liquid crystal. Just curious, how do the backlights work using a liquid crystal display?

[BIGPROFITT]

I noticed that the Radio Shack 272-1092 are considerably smaller than the original bulbs. Are they just as bright? How did you get the little white coverings to stay on with the bulbs being smaller? Thanks.

[catesja]

Mine didn't have the white covers on it. So I just put those into the display. How the display works is that the light from behind illuminates the screen. Yes it is an LCD screen. This approach is similar to a laptop screen that has a CCFL (Florescent Light) behind the screen usually on the top or one side, with a reflective surface behind it. This then lights up the screen.