LED Shift Knob "How-to"

My Nissan Leaf Forum

Help Support My Nissan Leaf Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

mwalsh

Well-known member
Leaf Supporting Member
Joined
Apr 22, 2010
Messages
9,781
Location
Garden Grove, CA
Long time readers will know that we've seen 3 people so far disassemble their shift-knobs intending to fit LEDs. From the previous threads, two of those people appear to have been successful, but neither has been willing to share how they did it with the group, which has kept others from giving it a shot. After all, replacement knobs are ~$100, a not inconsiderable sum, so goofing it up will cost ya.

But, since it's been a mod I've been aching to do for ages, I decided to give it a go all by myself. I figure that I've followed others' lead plenty with other mods, which has saved me a good few bucks AND a lot of heartache, so it was time to give back. Hopefully, my missteps will make your attempt a bit easier. But I'm also willing to learn what others would have done differently. Or even what those before me did to make theirs look so appealing, because I'm not sure what I've done is as good as what they did (especially Ingineer, who always seems to have his stuff together on the engineering front).

While I'm sure it's possible to do much of this mod in the car, it is FAR easier to remove the shifter assembly. And that's the way I chose to do it. So here is my humble effort for your approval:

First step is to remove the console cover. As you can see, I've employed one of my favorite trim removal tools - the putty knife wrapped in masking tape. I like this tool because it's skinny enough to get into most joints between parts but wide enough that it doesn't mar plastic parts. I also like feeler gauges wrapped the same way for very tightly joined parts, but I digress:

Img_7637.jpg


It's best to get the cover out of the way entirely, or you'll run the risk of scratching it or the console plastic. To do that, you'll need to disconnect the drive mode indicator and parking brake wiring:

Img_7638.jpg


Once the cover is out of the way, you can get the shifter assembly out. You first need to remove the bezel that sits between the knob and the top of the shifter tower. As you can see, it clips into place in four spots.

Img_7589.jpg


Once that's out of the way, simply remove the three bolts holding the tower in place using a 10mm socket. You may find it easier if you move the shifter back and forth, like you're selecting Drive and Reverse.

Img_7592.jpg


From here though, things start to get a bit tricky - you really need to get underneath the tower to disconnect the wiring . This may be possible for someone with small hands, or someone who can figure out the ideal tool, by getting in through the hole behind it in the console substructure. But for me the easiest way seemed to be further disassembly of the shifter tower so I could rotate the electronics box and get at the connection. You do this by removing the three Phillips head screws joining the tower to the electronics box.

Img_7594.jpg


Img_7648.jpg


If you do it this way, note that little spring in the one picture - MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT LOOSE THAT SPRING. Also, you'll need to remove the wiring for the park button switch, but access to this isn't so bad. Just be sure to note how it's routed around and underneath the tower (there is a prong on the underneath that the wiring loops through). Also BE SURE NOT TO START YOUR CAR WITH THE SHIFTER DISASSEMBLED - you'll get several errors (Shift and Smart Key, if memory serves) and a "Visit Dealer" prompt. I cleared these after I had the car back together by disconnecting the 12v battery, so not a big deal. Also, if you follow my lead on this you MUST reassemble before putting the shifter back in the car - it is IMPOSSIBLE to screw the tower to the electronics box without being able to view them from the side to make sure the ball at the end of the shifter shaft connects the socket on the electronics box properly. IMPOSSIBLE I tells ya. But on the plus side, getting the wiring loom connected again isn't anywhere near as bad as getting it disconnected. Also, and this is probably the most important one - THE NUTS HOLDING THE SHIFTER ASSEMBLY IN THE CAR ARE NOT CAPTURED BE CERTAIN YOU DON'T LOSE THEM WHEN YOU TAKE THE ASSEMBLY OUT:

Img_7646.jpg


So now you have your shifter assembly out, your best bet is to remove the knob from the shaft it sits on. In other threads we've talked about removing the top of the knob by getting between it and the blue Lexan piece with a thin instrument (a feeler gauge, for example). But as you see from the picture showing the underneath of the knob, once you've removed the clip holding it to it's shaft, it's quite easy to get at the prongs holding the top in place. Removing the knob will also require disconnecting the Park switch wiring from the electronics box, if you haven't already done it. Make sure to note how the wiring is routed around the shifter tower:

Img_7653.jpg


Img_7591.jpg


Img_7661.jpg



Once the shift knob is free, you can remove the top in either of the ways outlined (from underneath or by inserting a thin instrument between it and the blue Lexan) and put it to one side. Then it's time to remove the blue Lexan section.

Now I had real trepidation about removing this, and in my first go at modifying the knob I hadn't given it more than passing consideration, thinking it must be held in place with superglue. But it turned out that what I thought were dabs of superglue were actually dabs of white silicone sealant, and a bit of persuasion with a small jewelers screwdriver was enough to free the bond between Lexan and base:

Img_7660.jpg


From here it's time to cut away the excess material from the base, and a rotary tool is your friend. As you can see, I cut a substantial amount from the sides and cut a slot in the front (not particularly happy with the quality of the cuts on the side, but I had to work around holes I'd tried in an earlier iteration of the mod). This will allow enough light from the 3 LEDs you're going to use in the project. Note that I took the Park switch out completely. I'm not sure that this is really necessary, but I would at least tape it off to protect it from dust. If you choose to remove it, it's held in place with two plastic prongs. Remove it's button first, since it just sits in place.

Img_7657.jpg


Img_7659.jpg



Once you have this done, it's time to flat the INSIDE of the blue Lexan part with some sandpaper. This will defuse the light from the LEDs and give you a better look. It's important you also flat the BOTTOM of the Lexan part too, or you will get light "hot spots". I did mine with wet 800 grit wet-and-dry. The picture above of the Lexan part is actually post-sanding, so I'll not repost it now.

So we're down to the LEDs. As previously noted, I used 3 12-18v LEDs, in blue, purchased off eBay from a seller in China. It took about 10 days for them to arrive. These were already finished with wire and suitable resistors soldered in place. 20 cost $14 shipped. I have spares if anyone would like to get them from me instead. Originally, I had tried white LEDs, but the color wasn't quite right - more yellow in the light than I would have thought, giving a sort of green hue around the knob. I didn't care for it.

These were so small that I thought fixing them in place might be an issue. I decided to take advantage of the prongs holding the knob's top in place as a fixing point and thought superglue might be the answer. But I quickly found that superglue ate into the plastic. STAY AWAY FROM SUPERGLUE!

Plan B was clear silicone, and I did actually use that on the front LED because I wanted it to stay put in that channel you see and couldn't get my other fixing method up high enough on the prong to secure it in the spot I wanted. The other fixing method (which worked out quite well) - a band of 6mm (1/4") heat-shrink.

Now in the pictures you'll see a fairly wide band, but it became apparent that I couldn't use a band that wide because it interfered with fixing the top back in place. I ended up with bands that were 3-4mm wide. I forgot to take a revised picture, sorry.

Shrink these bands into place WITHOUT the LEDs being there - you'll melt the insulation on the tiny wires with that much heat. Once the heat-shrink is the right size, it can be slipped off the prong; the LED inserted; and then slipped back onto the prong. A little clear silicone could also be used if you are worried about the LEDs facing out. Got to be honest that I didn't care much about that - there was plenty of light coming off them things no matter where they were pointed (with the possible exception of facing completely away from the Lexan). I took the extra precaution of testing the LEDs before I affixed them - no point in getting everything back together again only to find out a LED was bad out of the box:

Img_7668.jpg


Img_7669.jpg


From here you simply have to route the wires straight down and through the holes in the base directly below the prongs. Just make sure that the wires aren't going to get trapped by the prongs and make sure you remember to replace the park switch WITH the park button in place, if you've removed it. Don't forget the Park switch button or you'll have to remove the top again.

Once the knob is all the way back together, you'll have to tackle the wiring. I chose to bundle all the wires and enclose them in heat-shrink. The right size for 6 wires is 3mm (1/8") and you'll need to feed the wires in one pair at a time. Again, be cautious about heat and these tiny wires. If you keep away from shrinking the very ends of the heat-shrink you should be OK. You'll then need to group like wires together and solder them to standard wire. I happened to have 16 gauge wire, but I would imagine any sensible gauge between 22 and 14 would be fine. Use heat shrink on these solder joints and then use small wire ties to bundle the new wiring with the Park switch wiring, remembering to leave some strain relief.


Img_7672new.jpg



From there, I tapped into the shift indicator illumination circuit (white wire on it's connector) using a T-tap, and got ground from a bolt holding the console assembly to the floor. This way, the knob only lights up with the dash lights. I seem to remember Ingineer did his so that the knob was on with the car. I suspect he tapped into the Park switch wiring instead of the shift indicator.

And here is the end result. Hope you approve!

Img_7675.jpg


Img_7678.jpg


Img_7679.jpg


Img_7683.jpg


Well, I think that's pretty much it. If you have a better idea for doing this, I'd love to hear it. If I've missed anything, or you need any questions answered, be sure to speak up. If you want to buy a package containing the 3 LEDs, heat-shrink, and the two tiny tie-wraps you'll need from me, I can do that for $5 shipped. Otherwise, the eBay seller for the LEDs is this guy:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/L0805B-20pcs-Pre-Wired-BLUE-SMD-0805-Led-Lamp-Light-Set-12V-18V-NEW-/221271879891?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item3384d4f0d3" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
 
Beautiful! Well worth it Mike, thanks for sharing. Love how the illuminated shifter complements the classic GID meter
modsmnl
:)
 
What a fantastic tutorial! Thank you! It's something I've been thinking about doing for some time, and I may just have a little play in a few weekends' time! :)

Nikki.
 
I've just discovered that the LEDs don't dim with the rest of the dash/console lighting, which I suppose I should have expected. It's only a slight bummer though, and I'm still pretty stoked about the mod. But it's something you should expect and weigh-up in your decision to move forward.

Besides, I don't dim my Gidometer anyway. Or at least I haven't. Except that I just this weekend got Gary's firmware update to allow it.
 
Great job, and thanks a lot for sharing!

A suggestion for a mod to be done while those covers are lifted anyway would be to add 12V/USB outlet(s) inside the armrest compartment, and on the rear of the console for those passengers that want to plug in and charge their <favourite device>. :)

The geek in me thinks about how an arduino could be used for dimming the light, and perhaps somehow use it to indicate "something". Like blinking if a charging station is nearby, if the battery is running low, or something else. :idea:

I have done a few mods (and also created some tutorials myself) on my Think City, and it's always great to be able to share with others. No mods on the Leaf yet, except from insulating the water reservoir for the heater. I'll make the mod for disabling the heating element soon, though, and I think this one might be next in line! I'll probaly have to add some sort of hidden "WAF-switch" (Wife Acceptance Factor), though. :lol:
 
cra said:
No mods on the Leaf yet, except from insulating the water reservoir for the heater.

I'm going to be doing that this winter. In fact, I was just in Home Depot yesterday looking at their stock of pipe insulation. Where did you get the matting you used for the reservoir? I wasn't impressed with what HD had.
 
mwalsh said:
cra said:
No mods on the Leaf yet, except from insulating the water reservoir for the heater.

I'm going to be doing that this winter. In fact, I was just in Home Depot yesterday looking at their stock of pipe insulation. Where did you get the matting you used for the reservoir? I wasn't impressed with what HD had.

I got mine on Biltema (http://biltema.no" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), but I don't suppose you have that where you live. I'm sure you have a lot of similar shops, though. I got the kind of mats that is originally intended for sound proofing for the tank (it doesn't take much, one small plate is enough). It has an adhesive coating on one side, and a reflective aluminium coating/film on the other. It was about half an inch thinck.

For the pipes I used pipe insulation like this http://biltema.no/no/Bygg/VVS/Ror-og-rordeler/Tilbehor/Rorisolasjon-860018/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; I didn't bother buying any bends, I just cut notches in the parts myself. Worked just fine. Fastened it with strips. I'd also recommend putting some strips or duck tape around the tank, since the insulation came loose after a while. Guess the adhesive isn't too fond of the temperature.
 
cra said:
I got mine on Biltema (http://biltema.no" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;), but I don't suppose you have that where you live. I'm sure you have a lot of similar shops, though. I got the kind of mats that is originally intended for sound proofing for the tank (it doesn't take much, one small plate is enough). It has an adhesive coating on one side, and a reflective aluminium coating/film on the other. It was about half an inch thick.


Ah, I know the kind of thing you mean. We have the brand Dynamat here. I hadn't thought of using it as an insulation.
 
Very cool! Nissan should install these themselves on the LEAF. It'd be a another neat element to add to the interior.
 
mwalsh said:
I've just discovered that the LEDs don't dim with the rest of the dash/console lighting, which I suppose I should have expected. It's only a slight bummer though, and I'm still pretty stoked about the mod. But it's something you should expect and weigh-up in your decision to move forward.

Besides, I don't dim my Gidometer anyway. Or at least I haven't. Except that I just this weekend got Gary's firmware update to allow it.

I'm guessing you could always get slightly dimmer LEDs? I have a feeling that the controls for the windows etc don't dim and brighten with the main console, although I might be wrong.

cra said:
Great job, and thanks a lot for sharing!

A suggestion for a mod to be done while those covers are lifted anyway would be to add 12V/USB outlet(s) inside the armrest compartment, and on the rear of the console for those passengers that want to plug in and charge their <favourite device>. :)

The geek in me thinks about how an arduino could be used for dimming the light, and perhaps somehow use it to indicate "something". Like blinking if a charging station is nearby, if the battery is running low, or something else. :idea:

I have done a few mods (and also created some tutorials myself) on my Think City, and it's always great to be able to share with others. No mods on the Leaf yet, except from insulating the water reservoir for the heater. I'll make the mod for disabling the heating element soon, though, and I think this one might be next in line! I'll probaly have to add some sort of hidden "WAF-switch" (Wife Acceptance Factor), though. :lol:

I quite like the idea of using the LED ring to indicate SOC.....
 
As a follow up to my first post, I wanted to add a footnote when it comes to those bolts that hold the shift tower in place. Or, more precisely, the captured nuts within the tower.

Well, it seems like they aren't so much captured as loose-ish in a slot. So be sure you don't loose one or more while you're fiddling with the tower. One of mine dropped out this time, while I had the tower out again for fitting the heated seat kit wiring. Somewhat surprised it didn't happen while I was doing my mod, considering how much more I was moving the tower around (from car to garage and back).
 
cra said:
The geek in me thinks about how an arduino could be used for dimming the light, and perhaps somehow use it to indicate "something". Like blinking if a charging station is nearby, if the battery is running low, or something else. :idea:

Different colors for different drive modes :)
 
Hmm...check this out. This is one of the autonomous LEAFs. I saw them during the day with the lights off, but it sorta looks like maybe they've come around on this idea. May be a bit bright though. ;)
 

Attachments

  • image.jpg
    image.jpg
    254.9 KB · Views: 168
mwalsh said:
One of mine dropped out this time, while I had the tower out again for fitting the heated seat kit wiring. Somewhat surprised it didn't happen while I was doing my mod, considering how much more I was moving the tower around (from car to garage and back).

Were you able to retrieve it? I tried this mod myself tonight. I did get the shift tower completely out, but I dropped one of the Phillips screws in the process :( I heard it bounce several times on its way down into the depths of the car. I found I could not resemble the shift tower without completely removing the electronics box from the wiring loom. Getting the main wiring loom plug back into the already assembled shift tower was almost impossible.. Almost.

I ran out of time and had to reassemble without putting the LEDs in - but taking that thing apart is too much like a high stakes poker game to me.

Note to anyone who tries this - you cant reassemble this the same way you got it apart!

J.
 
I didn't loose a screw. Actually I didn't loose a captured nut either (which is what you're quoting me on above), although the potential is definitely there.

I tend towards screwdrivers with magnetic tips for most jobs, especially when the potential for fastener loss exists.
 
Back
Top