ACHTUNING! - 425.895.0000

The more Lexus’ I see driving around at night, the more jealous I am of their LED license plate lights. The LED’s definitely update the car’s dated, halogen look. Call me superficial, but it’s the little things in life that count, right?

Lots of people have reported problems with eBay LED replacement bulbs, but many have had great success with these bulbs. I think the problem is that many LED bulbs are 12V, while these are 14.5V.

We were able to pick up a set of LED’s to replace the stock lighting on my B6 S4. If this modification interests you, two bulbs can be purchased from 42 Draft Designs. You’ll want the 14.5v 39mm "fuse style LED".

Tools for LED lighting replacement

• phillips screw drivers of different sizes
• WD-40
• 14.5v 39mm fuse style LEDs

The install is pretty straight forward, you will encounter the most difficulty removing the screws that retain the lighting hardware. Anyway’s, here’s everything you’ll need to get it done.

• First, remove your license plate; there are two to four screws holding it in. Trust me, it makes it much easier in the end.
• Next, take a small phillips screwdriver, apply force using one hand to seat the head of the screwdriver with the head of the screw then attempt to use your other hand to twist the screwdriver.
• If you have difficulty removing the screw, as did everybody before you, try to apply a little WD-40 to break the screw loose.
• Still no luck? I had success in tightening the screw, then trying to loosen it.
• After you remove the screw, the lighting hardware should just drop out.
• Once you have the light housing in your hand, remove the old bulb.
• Examine the LED replacements, if you look closely you will see there are solder points inside of the bulb. If you twist the bulb you will break these points…so DO NOT TWIST THE BULB ONCE YOU REPLACE IT.
• Notice that one side of the bulb has LEDs, and the other side has nothing. Make sure you insert the bulb to correctly illuminate your license plate.
• When you replace the existing bulb, you will need to bend the mounting tabs a little because the LED replacement is slightly larger. Don’t get too crazy, you only need to bend the tabs a little.
• The LED bulbs will only illuminate if installed in the proper direction, if the LEDs do not illuminate, rotate the bulb 180 degrees.
• Reassemble in reverse order.
• Bask in the glory that is LED!

The LEDs

Remove the screws.

The lighting hardware should just drop down.

Remove the bulb and replace with the LED bulb. DO NOT TWIST the bulb, you may damage the internal soldering points.

Out with the old, in with the new!

Recently, I completed a carbon fiber trim installation in my 2004 B6 S4. If this is your first time installing the trim, put aside about an hour. If I were to do this again, I could do it in 30 minutes or so. Carbon fiber trim was provided courtesy of Carbon Copy Designs. Here is my write up of the installation. We cannot be held liable if you break anything. Use this as a guide, and at your own risk.

I’ll write this tutorial the way I think is easiest, and most rewarding…and by rewarding, I mean, “Seeing the most carbon fiber on your car, in the least amount of time!”

The tool list!

These are just suggestions, but you will likely use all of them.

1. flat head screw-driver
2. a piece of paper
3. 8mm socket
4. extension
5. ratchet
6. 8mm ratcheting wrench
7. needle-nose pliers
8. magical magnetic stick

Rear ashtray

No photos because it’s just too easy. Grab the tray, and pull up. Repeat in reverse order to reassemble. Done.

Shifter surround

Grab the shifter surround from the center, where the leather boot is. Pull up with a firm, but gentle force. It should pop out without a problem. The leather boot is just clipped into the shifter surround.

Door panel trim pieces

The doors are painfully easy, total installation time for the doors combined was five minutes…maybe. The photo below was taken after the carbon piece was already installed, but the same concept applies.

1. Find a flat head, putty knife, or similarly thin but strong object.
2. Wrap the end in a piece of paper.
3. Slowly wedge your tool between the trim and the door panel.
4. Apply pressure and the existing trim piece should pop right out.
5. To complete the removal, you will notice the end opposite of where you started prying may not want to come out. This is because the final tab on the trim slides out and will not pop. Slide the trim towards the direction where you first started prying. For example, with the driver front panel you would have started prying near the door hinge; to complete the trim removal, slide the trim towards the door hinge.

Wedge tool here.

Detail of initial pry location.

Door panel completed

Before and after comparison!

Driver side headlight switch

This is the most time consuming piece. Overall assembly and reassembly took me approximately 20 minutes.

1. Start by removing the fuse box cover, do this by placing a flat head in the notch at the bottom.
2. Remove the the first of three, 8mm (5/16th if you’re that guy) bolts holding the lower dash together.
3. Remove the remaining two 8mm bolts under the dash. Since the dash has wires attached to it, your best bet is to gently drop the dash onto the floor mat and leave the wires intact.
4. You can remove the headlight switch by doing the following:
   1. turn the switch to the 12:00 off position
   2. push the switch in, while pushing in, turn the switch right and pull out (the switch should just slide out, it may take a few tries)
   3. unplug the headlight switch and remove it
5. Proceed to remove the three 8mm bolts holding the headlight switch trim in place
6. Repeat in reverse to assemble!
7. DO NOT reattach the lower dash, you need it off to remove the passenger side trim piece

Remove the fuse box

This is an 8mm bolt

Approximate locations of the three 8mm bolts holding the dash up

Approximate locations of three additional 8mm bolts

Viola!

Passenger front trim piece

The final forward piece is not difficult to remove, I estimate approximately 20 minutes. The only tricky part is not losing the two 8mm bolts above the radio during removal. There are four 8mm bolts total holding this trim piece in place. Make sure you remove ALL of them before you get too excited and break something.

1. Locate the plastic trim piece directly above the radio.
2. Remove the trim piece by gently wedging a flat head in either corner and prying.
3. There is another panel on the passenger side that is similar to the driver side fuse box, locate this and remove it.
4. You will see that there are two 8mm bolts on the passenger side after you remove the panel. Look at your after market trim piece and determine which screw you need to remove. I removed the wrong screw during my installation, it won’t hurt anything, but you’ll probably cuss at yourself
5. Begin removal of the passenger side trim piece by prying with a wrapped flat tool. Use the same method you used to remove door panel pieces.
6. Locate and remove the 8mm bolt located near the ignition…  a 8mm wrench with ratchet built in works wonders here.
7. Locate the final two 8mm bolts above the radio…  you will need to remove the remaining bolts individually.
8. Use a magnet or a pair of needle nose pliers to “catch” the 8mm bolt you are removing…  otherwise you’re going to lose it behind the radio, and I hope you have a set of radio keys.
9. Repeat in reverse order to reassemble.
10. Reassemble the driver side lower dash panel.

Use a thin flat head to pop out the plastic cowl above the radio. Be gentle!

Passenger side “fuse” cover removed and approximate location of 8mm bolt holding trim piece in.
Don’t unscrew the wrong bolt, there are two!

Pry location for final forward trim piece

One of three 8 mm bolts holding left forward trim piece in

Location of remaining two 8mm bolts holding trim piece in

Removal of 8mm bolt above radio, note the use of a magnet to catch the bolt