The backlight on the LCD display of
our car radio has failed. I guess it's
the backlight -- I'm not even sure of
terminlogy. At any rate it allows you
to read the panel in the dark. When it
was working, its brightness was variable
and was controlled by the same pot
that varied the other dashboard lamps.
A search of newsgroup threads about
repairing such things suggests that
it's just an incandescent bulb or two
behind the panel that need(s) replacing.
Is there any reason to fear that the
backlight for this radio might be
more complicated and/or hard to obtain?

--
Charles Packer
http://cpacker.org/whatnews
mailboxATcpacker.org

On Dec 27, 9:09*am, Charles Packer wrote:
The backlight on the LCD display of
our car radio has failed. I guess it's
the backlight -- I'm not even sure of
terminlogy. At any rate it allows you
to read the panel in the dark. When it
was working, its brightness was variable
and was controlled by the same pot
that varied the other dashboard lamps.
A search of newsgroup threads about
repairing such things suggests that
it's just an incandescent bulb or two
behind the panel that need(s) replacing.
Is there any reason to fear that the
backlight for this radio might be
more complicated and/or hard to obtain?

--
Charles Packerhttp://cpacker.org/whatnews
mailboxATcpacker.org

Gee Charles:

There are thousands of different cars and radios out there. Could you
narrow it down a bit?

On Thu, 27 Dec 2007 06:09:56 -0800 (PST), Charles Packer
wrote:

The backlight on the LCD display of
our car radio has failed. I guess it's
the backlight -- I'm not even sure of
terminlogy. At any rate it allows you
to read the panel in the dark. When it
was working, its brightness was variable
and was controlled by the same pot
that varied the other dashboard lamps.

Check the wiring first.

A search of newsgroup threads about
repairing such things suggests that
it's just an incandescent bulb or two
behind the panel that need(s) replacing.
Is there any reason to fear that the
backlight for this radio might be
more complicated and/or hard to obtain?

Yes, it could easily be LED lighting, not incandescent.

Either getting a schematic or disassembly will answer your questions,
AFTER you check to be 100% sure that the wiring to the head unit is
still properly functioning.

Charles Packer wrote:
The backlight on the LCD display of
our car radio has failed. I guess it's
the backlight -- I'm not even sure of
terminlogy. At any rate it allows you
to read the panel in the dark. When it
was working, its brightness was variable
and was controlled by the same pot
that varied the other dashboard lamps.
A search of newsgroup threads about
repairing such things suggests that
it's just an incandescent bulb or two
behind the panel that need(s) replacing.
Is there any reason to fear that the
backlight for this radio might be
more complicated and/or hard to obtain?

--
Charles Packer
http://cpacker.org/whatnews
mailboxATcpacker.org

You'd have to include a LOT more information for anyone to comment on
your specific problem.

One rather salient point is that on many cars, actually *getting the
radio out* of the dash is more complicated than actually repairing
it...not that the actual repair would be trivial to someone with no
prior experience. If you're expecting a socket on the outside of the
box, where you simply unscrew and screw in a replacement--like a fuse,
or the lightbulb in your closet--forget it.

Any car radio backlight is deeply embedded in radio itself, and not
conducive to user replacement.

jak

"Charles Packer" wrote in message
...
The backlight on the LCD display of
our car radio has failed. I guess it's
the backlight -- I'm not even sure of
terminlogy. At any rate it allows you
to read the panel in the dark. When it
was working, its brightness was variable
and was controlled by the same pot
that varied the other dashboard lamps.
A search of newsgroup threads about
repairing such things suggests that
it's just an incandescent bulb or two
behind the panel that need(s) replacing.
Is there any reason to fear that the
backlight for this radio might be
more complicated and/or hard to obtain?



It's almost certainly incandescent. Replacing the bulbs isn't hard once you
get to them, but that can be really tricky. Finding exact replacements can
be tough tool.

Meat Plow wrote:
On Thu, 27 Dec 2007 12:45:08 -0600, jakdedert wrote:

Charles Packer wrote:
The backlight on the LCD display of
our car radio has failed. I guess it's
the backlight -- I'm not even sure of
terminlogy. At any rate it allows you
to read the panel in the dark. When it
was working, its brightness was variable
and was controlled by the same pot
that varied the other dashboard lamps.
A search of newsgroup threads about
repairing such things suggests that
it's just an incandescent bulb or two
behind the panel that need(s) replacing.
Is there any reason to fear that the
backlight for this radio might be
more complicated and/or hard to obtain?

--
Charles Packer
http://cpacker.org/whatnews
mailboxATcpacker.org
You'd have to include a LOT more information for anyone to comment on
your specific problem.

One rather salient point is that on many cars, actually *getting the
radio out* of the dash is more complicated than actually repairing
it...not that the actual repair would be trivial to someone with no
prior experience. If you're expecting a socket on the outside of the
box, where you simply unscrew and screw in a replacement--like a fuse,
or the lightbulb in your closet--forget it.

Any car radio backlight is deeply embedded in radio itself, and not
conducive to user replacement.


Keep in mind that this article was posted in a "repair" news group with
the description of "fixing electronic equipment." Personally, I usually
inquire the poster regarding their level mechanical dexterity and their
rudimentary understanding if any of electronic repairs before condemning
them to offing the repair to a pay for service. Lots of newbies come here
on a daily basis seeking this kind of advice. Some can be walked through
it, some can't.

Considering that we don't know anything about the car, the radio or the
poster (although the latter so far has not betrayed much technical
acumen)...and further understanding that this is really two jobs:
disassembling the (unknown) car to get at the radio; then disassembling
the radio itself, finding and replacing the (unknown) backlight (if
indeed the part is replaceable), reassembling the radio...and the car.

That's one long walk.

jak

On Dec 27, 3:22*pm, "James Sweet" wrote:
It's almost certainly incandescent. Replacing the bulbs isn't hard once you
get to them, but that can be really tricky. Finding exact replacements can
be tough tool.

I'm experienced at electronics work. The unit is Subaru original
equipment. Other threads
about LCD backlight problems lead me to believe that the bulbs still
might be standard ones
carried by Radio Shack, though soldering will be required to remove
and replace. I've also
removed and replaced car stereo units, and this, I know, is where most
of the time is
expended. Once you get it out, according to one thread, you just
remove the top of the
radio to get behind the LCD panel. Well, this one has the CD player on
top, so I don't
know how that will affect ease of access to the innards.

--
Charles Packer
http://cpacker.org/whatnews
mailboxATcpacker.org

James Sweet wrote:
It's almost certainly incandescent. Replacing the bulbs isn't hard once you
get to them, but that can be really tricky. Finding exact replacements can
be tough tool.

Yeah. In my experience it'll be a #9173 bulb, 0.19V @ 8.62A, which some
single store in Secaucus has for $81.72 used. Substitutes won't. You'll
have to remove three quarters of the electronics and seven eights of the
mechanics to see the bulb and then remove the rest to replace it.

--
Dec. 6 (Bloomberg) -- Government officials and activists flying to Bali,
Indonesia, for the United Nations meeting on climate change will cause
as much pollution as 20,000 cars in a year.