Jonny
12-22-2017, 02:39 PM
TVT appears to have a bunch of threads on dash bulb stuff for the Vanwagon, but only a few for the Previa, and those are somewhat specific so I thought I would start another one. Forgive me if somehow I missed things with my searches involving common words such as Previa dash dashboard lights bulbs.
My thought is that it would be an informational base for people doing standard stuff - replacing blown bulbs, where to get them cheap, part numbers, bulb specs, how to make LED upgrades work without unintended consequences, etc. rather than specific problems with particular circuits (but whatever, contributors will add valuable information regardless).
I just replaced some switch backlight bulbs on my '91 and was unwilling to pay $10 each for the dealer replacements, and couldn't find reliable info for standard incandescent alternatives which had been successfully used, so this is where I'll start.
First, check out this thread for disassembling the dash... "How to disassemble the dash on a previa" by timsrv.
http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/showthread.php?145-How-to-disassemble-the-dash-on-a-Previa&highlight=disassemble+dash+previa
When you put it all back together DO NOT reinstall the two bolts which hold the radio from underneath. That way you can subsequently take the radio out as the very first step, leaving everything below intact, and get to the upper dash a lot quicker without the fiddle and without chancing breaking some of that lower stuff....
6406
The switches I had to replace the backlight bulbs on were the Hazard and Rear Defogger switch.
Both take the Toyota part # 84999-10320 which is a 14V, .84W incandescent and costs a whopping $10.
The bulb is the one which has been removed from the defogger switch in the photo below (AC switch in background)
Incidentally the red bulb is the one which illuminates when the switch is turned on, part # 84999-10470 14V 1.4W ...
6407
After searching for a while I decided to use a standard two wire terminal "7219 miniature bulb" for replacement. It was the closest wattage I could find in an incandescent (14V, .72W). Just unwind the legs of the old bulb from the base to remove it, insert new bulb and rewind the wires. Done. I found these at an electronics shop for $1 each.
Old bulb vs new bulb....
6423
6408
You can see that the bulb itself is physically smaller ~3mm in diameter and shorter in length too (I think the Toyota one is 4mm in diameter) but it still works fine. If you do use this smaller bulb the next detail is important...
To make sure that the bulb does not sit too low in the base and hide some of those photons I stripped two pieces of cable sheathing, 3mm long, from some small diameter wire and slipped them over the wire legs before inserting the bulb. That way the bulb sits up higher and the filament isn't obstructed by the base.
The bottom line - happy wallet and the switches are illuminated almost exactly the same as the stock bulbs, which is what I wanted.
My thought is that it would be an informational base for people doing standard stuff - replacing blown bulbs, where to get them cheap, part numbers, bulb specs, how to make LED upgrades work without unintended consequences, etc. rather than specific problems with particular circuits (but whatever, contributors will add valuable information regardless).
I just replaced some switch backlight bulbs on my '91 and was unwilling to pay $10 each for the dealer replacements, and couldn't find reliable info for standard incandescent alternatives which had been successfully used, so this is where I'll start.
First, check out this thread for disassembling the dash... "How to disassemble the dash on a previa" by timsrv.
http://www.toyotavantech.com/forum/showthread.php?145-How-to-disassemble-the-dash-on-a-Previa&highlight=disassemble+dash+previa
When you put it all back together DO NOT reinstall the two bolts which hold the radio from underneath. That way you can subsequently take the radio out as the very first step, leaving everything below intact, and get to the upper dash a lot quicker without the fiddle and without chancing breaking some of that lower stuff....
6406
The switches I had to replace the backlight bulbs on were the Hazard and Rear Defogger switch.
Both take the Toyota part # 84999-10320 which is a 14V, .84W incandescent and costs a whopping $10.
The bulb is the one which has been removed from the defogger switch in the photo below (AC switch in background)
Incidentally the red bulb is the one which illuminates when the switch is turned on, part # 84999-10470 14V 1.4W ...
6407
After searching for a while I decided to use a standard two wire terminal "7219 miniature bulb" for replacement. It was the closest wattage I could find in an incandescent (14V, .72W). Just unwind the legs of the old bulb from the base to remove it, insert new bulb and rewind the wires. Done. I found these at an electronics shop for $1 each.
Old bulb vs new bulb....
6423
6408
You can see that the bulb itself is physically smaller ~3mm in diameter and shorter in length too (I think the Toyota one is 4mm in diameter) but it still works fine. If you do use this smaller bulb the next detail is important...
To make sure that the bulb does not sit too low in the base and hide some of those photons I stripped two pieces of cable sheathing, 3mm long, from some small diameter wire and slipped them over the wire legs before inserting the bulb. That way the bulb sits up higher and the filament isn't obstructed by the base.
The bottom line - happy wallet and the switches are illuminated almost exactly the same as the stock bulbs, which is what I wanted.