That's right, I used cotton to knock down the glare from the airbag indicator. Slysol has already posted a how-to for completely disabling the airbag light here. I didn't want mine to go away completely, though. I will have children in my car, so I will want to know the status of the passenger air bag from time to time. I just don't want it SHOUTING at me all day and night.
So while I was tearing into my dashboard last night I decided to look into how I could turn down the intensity a bit. It was easier than I thought it would be, once I put some thought into it.
I'm not sure if you can take the whole indicator assembly out without removing the IP trim piece. To be honest, I didn't check. If you want to try, be my guest. The bolts have 7mm heads on them. If you do have to remove the IP trim piece, be careful. It's not easy. I posted a little info on how to do that here.
Once you get the assembly out of the IP trim piece, the little printed cover pops off easily, it is just thin, soft plastic. I first experimented with coloring the backside with a sharpie, then ink, then acrylic paint. I couldn't get good-looking results with any of those methods. Then it occurred to me to stuff the little cavities that the LEDs are in with something translucent. I tried tearing two little pieces off of a cotton ball and shoving those in there. BINGO! Now the words "OFF" and "ON" are no brighter than the phrase "PASSENGER AIR BAG" when lit. The only thing I'm not sure of is if they will be visible during the day. I'll post again if there are any problems with this "mod."
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I've never met a Solstice I wouldn't autopsy.
'06 #101409 - Sold to move to Germany
'08 GXP #105359 - Bought and stored 10 months before I move back from Germany!
I considered giving the hi-beam indicator the same treatment, but I'm not sure I want to bother with pulling the needles off of the gauge cluster to get to it.
Apologies to gizmo2004, I forgot to look into making the low fuel light BRIGHTER!
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I've never met a Solstice I wouldn't autopsy.
'06 #101409 - Sold to move to Germany
'08 GXP #105359 - Bought and stored 10 months before I move back from Germany!
What would it take to move the airbag indicator to below the stereo? Did it look like it could be done?
I finally answered ya in the other thread.
But since this thread is about the light, it bears repeating. It wouldn't be easy.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 2KWK4U
I'm going to say "maybe." Anything is possible, but I don't know how easy it would be. In "dash3.jpg" (above) you can see that you would probably have to cut a web out of the dash carcass to put it there. Also you'll have to extend the wire harness, and fabricate a way to get the flat panel to fit the curved part of the IP trim (see IPtrim3.jpg).
I considered it briefly, because I thought the hole left behind from the airbag light unit would be a nice fit for a radar detector remote display. I might just eliminate the airbag light panel all together, though. Alot of GM cars put it in the rearview mirror. If I can find a self-dimming rearview mirror with map lights, compass, temp display, and passenger airbag light in a salvage yard, then I'll grab it and free up the space for my V1 remote display.
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I've never met a Solstice I wouldn't autopsy.
'06 #101409 - Sold to move to Germany
'08 GXP #105359 - Bought and stored 10 months before I move back from Germany!
Do you think, since the face comes off so easily, it would be possible to pop it off and back on without even removing it from the dash? That way people could dim the lights and not even have to take the gauge bezel apart and everything.
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Do you think, since the face comes off so easily, it would be possible to pop it off and back on without even removing it from the dash? That way people could dim the lights and not even have to take the gauge bezel apart and everything.
Appears to me like the entire thing is screwed on from the back, so popping it off wouldn't be possible. I hope I'm wrong and you're right!!
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Do you think, since the face comes off so easily, it would be possible to pop it off and back on without even removing it from the dash? That way people could dim the lights and not even have to take the gauge bezel apart and everything.
Hmmm... possible, but I don't want to be the first to try it.
__________________
I've never met a Solstice I wouldn't autopsy.
'06 #101409 - Sold to move to Germany
'08 GXP #105359 - Bought and stored 10 months before I move back from Germany!
Do you think, since the face comes off so easily, it would be possible to pop it off and back on without even removing it from the dash? That way people could dim the lights and not even have to take the gauge bezel apart and everything.
I think there's a small ridge all the way around that black face that would prevent it from coming out through the hole in the dash ... it's only about a millimeter or so, but I think it would make it next to impossible to remove that way without gouging the dash up. You can see the little recessed ridge around it in the second pic. Not saying it's impossible, but like 2KWK said, I don't think I'd try it.
Have you guys ever heard Click and Clack on Car Talk? They are on NPR radio every Saturday morning. They have a call in car question program. They say the best thing to do with an indicator light that bothers you is to cover it with black elctrical tape. I think I'll just put up with the light as is, I've never been too good with electrical tape. Now if it were duct tape...... Just kiddin'
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I think I'm gonna cover the light with.... my bluetooth car kit remote. It's gotta go somewhere, and that small panel would be a perfect place for me to run the wire through!
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I would love to see aftermarket come out with a replacement panel that is either blank, or is a remote screen for a radar detector. That would be really neat.
Have you guys ever heard Click and Clack on Car Talk? They are on NPR radio every Saturday morning. They have a call in car question program. They say the best thing to do with an indicator light that bothers you is to cover it with black elctrical tape. - Ex-Miata Man
I listen to those two Boston screwballs every Saturday and I heard that show too. I had to laugh since an obsessive carnut friend of mine mentioned black electrical tape also as the 1st choice, when I presented the dilema to him. I have to hand it to 2KWK4U, though. He's pretty darn impressive with his desire to see how things work. He must be male.
I think I'll just put up with the light as is, I've never been too good with electrical tape. Now if it were duct tape...... Just kiddin'
