I decided the little lights above the HVAC buttons on the non-navi radio were too bright for me at night. After much consideration I decided to remove and disassemble my radio and cover the offending LEDs with some window tint. I used the static type tint you buy in the store to tint the top of your windshield. Here's a link for removing your radio: Head unit removal instructions (http://www.cardomain.com/ride/561772/3)
Here's a good graphic too: Graphic (http://www.driveaccord.net/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=3748)
I've outlined the steps below...

Remove six screws, three each side to seperate the radio/cd changer from the control unit.

Radio removed, now remove ten screws to free up the gray plastic.

Two screws and a cable free up the small board for removal. Gently push the tan plastic to the left, away from the white plastic to free the cable.

The six yellow screws (already removed) free the climate and radio volume knobs. Remove the screws the flip the unit over and pull off the knobs. The temp and fan will come easily, the volume is a bit harder. Just get your finger nails under the knob and work one side then the next. Pull hard, you won't break these parts. Then remove the rest (all) of the screws left on the big board. Don't mess with the ones on the left, they don't hold the board down.

Everything removed. Put this aside and be sure to keep the screen clean. Organize your screws, they are different lengths.

A thin strip of tint backed by scotch tape. Cut little pieces as shown. I covered each of the green LEDs with four pieces of tint, the amber LEDs with three pieces to acheive the desired dimming. It makes the lights hard(ish) to see in direct sunlight but perfect for nightime. One less strip of tint may be a good compromise if you're more concerned about daytime visibility. Me, I like my dash lights as dim as can be at night. The results, the LEDs glow about as brightly as the pictograph (is that a word) on the buttons themselves. Perfect.

There are those darn LEDs. Plenty of room to attach your tint 'dots'. Just lay the 'dot' over the LED and tape it to the board. The colors of the LED's are clearly labeled. Sorry, I don't have a pic of the LED's with the tint on them, but use your imagination.

There are six LEDs to cover on the little board you removed earlier. Then you put it all back together. I'd suggest starting with three or four dots like I did, then test it out. Don't put the whole dash back together until you've determined they are dim enough for you. Don't forget your radio code!

Kinda blurry and grainy but you get the idea. The LEDs really are a lot dimmer than the pic shows.

One week and 120 views and nada? I didn't expect a sticky or anything but hoped for some feedback... :thmsup: :thumbsdow :notworthy :screwy: :confused: :scratch:

Pictures didn't do it justice + I don't think it bothered many people so :dunno:

Nicely done. Seems like a lot of work but if they bothered you that much then I guess it's worth it. I'm usually to fixated on the twisties to bother with those little lights. :yes:

Scott, it's a good job what you've done, I congratulate you. The question why so little feedback, IMHO, I think that it's a little risky (for the common people I mean) to disassemble such delicate devices. I consider myself a handy man, and I do all kind of works like that, but I have a special respect to those tiny modern electronics (better spelled, I hate them!!!), specially such plain snake connectors that usually end up broken, so in few words, I only take such risks to repair something, because I have nothing to lose, otherwise, and except it is really bothering, I tend to leave things as is, just my two cents.
Congrats again,
Julian

Good point Julian! Especially since they've had problems with these head unit lights failing :yes:

For the record, I took apart my old stereo too...never did anything just wanted to look and see what was involved in replacing everything with blue LED's.

Thanks all! Good points everyone. I saw a sig line here or else where that went something like "If it ain't broke don't fix it. I break a lot of things I fix!" That's definately applicable for me too. This time I got lucky and it works w/o problems. For the record I also did the same thing to my illuminated window switches...nice and dim now. :naughty:

Sorry for reviving an old thread, but does anybody know what kind of bulbs those are coverd by the blue/teal things that illuminate the buttons? And if so, will any of the instrumentation lights from the website below work for them?

http://www.superbrightleds.com/specs/74_t15.htm

I'm assuming the B8.5D Twist Lock lamp ones will work for places like the moon roof switch, but I don't know about the radio/HVAC controls. Any ideas?

Why would a person want to do all that work just to dim the radio like that when they can simply turn down the brightness from the dash if it bothered them that much.pro vs. Con its not worth the risk of opening my radio

Why would a person want to do all that work just to dim the radio like that when they can simply turn down the brightness from the dash if it bothered them that much.pro vs. Con its not worth the risk of opening my radio

You dug up a 2 year old thread just to say that? You never heard of the saying, if you have nothing nice to say... :thumbsdow

You dug up a 2 year old thread just to say that? You never heard of the saying, if you have nothing nice to say... :thumbsdow

:lmao:

Benji, I like your idea of making all of the LEDs blue

Maybe I can find a 08 coupe radio in a junkyard to see how feasible it is ...

Way tooo much work for really nothing...

You dug up a 2 year old thread just to say that? You never heard of the saying, if you have nothing nice to say... :thumbsdow
HOW MUCH DID YOU ACCOMPLISH BY SAYING THAT.YOU MUST BE AS BORED AS I WAS HA HA HA HA HA HA :thmsup::thmsup:

HONESTLY WHY DO THIS MOD IF THERE IS A BUTTON BY SPEEDO TO DIM ALL OF THAT