2004 LeSabre - Voltage

What is the system output voltage when the engine is running as reported by the Driver Information Center? Mine typically runs between 14.8 and 15.1 volts.

I am having what I think is relatively short lamp life. About 20% of the knob lamps in the radio, a/c controls, etc. have burned out at 77K miles, and all steering wheel control lamps are burned out.

Mine typically runs between 14.8 and 15.1 volts.
This normal voltage, aprox 15v

With the running & all accessories off, does the voltage drop back down to 13.2v after a few minutes?

The original dash lamps burn out like crazy on this car. It drives me nuts so I've invested a lot of effort into solving the problem. I've had tremendous luck running the dimmer a little lower than I would naturally want it. I also replace burned out bulbs by carefully dismantling the various components and desoldering the burned out lamps. Good quality replacement bulbs are readily available at radioshack in their component trays. I've never had a replacement bulb burn out. I can give you more information if you want.

Obviously taking apart switces and such is not any sort of recommended service procedure. GM would have you replace the entire component. The steering wheel switches usually cost about 30 bucks or so at the dealer. They pop out by simply prying around the edges with a large flat bladed screwdriver. It's pretty nerve racking because you usually have to pry hard enough that you'd be concerned about tearing up the steering wheel. With care you can get them out without doing any damage at all. Replacement bulbs at radioshack are about a dollar a bulb. If you have the ability to solder small components and you feel comfortable dismantling the switch units themselves, you've got a good chance of success. It just takes extreme care and patience.

The only bulbs that you can't easily replace are the ones that light up the instrument cluster itself. The cluster panel is sealed to prevent any sort of tampering with the gauges. Other than that I've successfully replaced bulbs in the radio, climate module, steering wheel switches and door switches.

You're first challenge is actually removing the particular component with dead bulbs in it (i.e. radio, climate module, heated seat switch, memory seat switch) Service procedures for all of those components are detailed in the factory shop manuals and I can provide you with instructions for anything you need to remove. You're second challenge is getting the component itself apart. You have to work on you're own intuition to accomplish that. Most of the switches have a rear panel that clips into a housing, once you separate the rear panel from the main housing, the guts of the switch come apart readily.

The bulbs are just about 3mm in diameter and they get their blue/green color from a little rubber cap that fits onto the clear bulb itself. When replacing the bulbs, you have to carefully pick that cap off the original bulb without tearing it. After soldering the replacement bulb back onto the board, you can gently press the colored cap onto the new clear bulb. Voilla, problem solved, simply snap the switch or component back together. Re-install everything and you should be able to get all your backlights working again at virtually no cost.