Defroster button relocation [Text View]

View Full Version : Defroster button relocation

Ruflyf

04/18/2006, 04:50 PM

Decided to do a minor mod at work yesterday. I decided to swap the locations for the hazard light switch and the mirror defroster light switch. I have always had this thing about forgetting the defrosters on, making them wear much sooner than normal. And since the mirror defroster is in a place not easily seen, i forget to turn it off. (I know it probably has a timer or something). Plus it just seemed more at home next to the other defroster switch and I dont have that big red triangle staring at me anymore. Enough of my reasoning, and sorry for no during the process pics, but like I said I was at work and forgot to bring the camera.

It was overall very simple to do, although to this day I cant figure out why a hazard light switch has to have 8 wires.

Step 1
was taking the pars off, instr. panel cover, center console compartment. The gear shifter molding was just lifted up to run the wiring underneath.

Step 2
Figure out how long the wire needs to be, run 1 wire through, cut, then remove it. Then take 13 wires the same length and run them through from one end to the other (thats 8 for the hazard switch and 5 for the defroster switch.)

Option
You could trace the defroster wires back up to the dash and splice into them there, but I didnt really want to take anything else apart.

Step 3
Cut the plugs that go to the switches making sure you have enough room for soldering, etc. Now if you dont use 13 different colored wires like I didnt, you must have a volt meter to measure continuity. This gets a little tedious and is much easier with a helper. I found both ends of 1 wire at a time, and wired it to the corresponding switch. If your going to solder these, I suggest not stripping them all since they are switches, meaning some will be hot, or disconnect your battery. And of course either heat shrink or electrical tape all your connections as you go.

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/defrosters.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/defrosters.jpg)

VehiGAZ

04/19/2006, 07:47 AM

Great mod! I was thinking about this quirk myself over the winter - why the hell are the window and mirror defroster switches so far away from each other?!

Actually, the mirror defroster is not on a timer (in mine, anyway) - it will stay on day afetr day until you turn the switch off.

I will do this mod when I fix a similar quirk - I mounted my rear hatch popper in the dash panel blank, and every now and then when fiddling with the stereo I accidently hit the hatch release button. I've gotten pretty good at using throttle and brake to get it closed again while moving, but still - I should move the s-o-b.

Btw, I think (but am far from sure) that the hazard light switch has its own relay and on-off timer built into it, which is why it has so many wires.

Nazrat

04/21/2006, 03:42 PM

Good job. I'm sorry about those wiring connectors behind the added switches. I spent hours wiring the new switches to those connectors so that the dash could still be removed. When I tried to connect them I was pissed at how horrible they went together.

Good job on the relocation.

-Tad

Tobert

04/21/2006, 08:06 PM

Weird, mine doesn't have the "4wd" and "4wd Auto" buttons. Should I have those? Mine are just blanks - one has what I think is an (defunct) alarm LED in it.

mbeach

04/21/2006, 09:33 PM

The alarm LED is correct (factory, despite its wack appearance).

Those buttons -4wd and 4wd auto- were added by Tad in one of the earliest 4hi TOD conversions. Search Planetisuzoo for Tad's work.

Good job on the relocation -it bugs me that the mirror defroster has no automatic shutoff AND it's located outside of my field of view. I'll be moving mine soon too.

VX4EJR

09/27/2012, 05:59 AM

Older thread, I know. I did this same kinda mod just recently, put the mirror and rear window defrost buttons next to eachother...except on the center console. Strange though, when side by side...the mirror defrost illumination, when parking lights are on, is brighter than the rear window defrost button...not sure why? Not the powered on light, just the illlumination. Also, I don't think the hazard button has any illumination, correct me if I'm wrong?

tom4bren

09/27/2012, 06:50 AM

VX4EJR

09/27/2012, 07:11 AM

Mirror defrost button was probably placed there for proximity to the adjustment controls.

Hey, they had a 50-50 chance of getting it right (position it close to the adjustment controls or position it near the other defrost switch) ... guess which 50% of the human population YOU are in???

Matter of personal preference, I guess. My take, they are both defrost functions; mirror defrost button seemed fine where it was, the rear window is in the back...why not put the button for it on the center console in the blank right next to the mirror defrost...maybe I'm the minority in this thinking, story of my life and I'm fine with that! :p

Just was weird how the two buttons now mounted side by side in the center console had different illuminated brightnesses...perhaps a quirk or downside of moving a button? Was wondering if anyone who had both defrost buttons on the front dash noticed the same thing?

tom4bren

09/27/2012, 07:14 AM

VX4EJR

09/27/2012, 07:25 AM

Well, the rear window defrost button was on the dash & the mirror defrost was on the console. It makes sense to me that the rear window defrost wouldn't be illuminated as bright since it would be "in your face". IIRC, it's illumination should change with your dash light intensity (control at your left knee) while the mirror switch should not.

BTW, I've left my mirror defrost on for days at a time too (just because "out of sight - out of mind). I'd probably move mine to the dash but I'm not through procrastinating yet.

The dimmer knob effects dimming both buttons, but at its highest setting...the mirror defrost button is still brighter than the rear window defrost. I get that the front dash is more "in your face" than the center console though, makes sense to have controls where you can easily see them. However, isn't that why we all here have a VX...challenging the norm and being different? :yesgray:

No matter where you put the buttons, it is a slighly involved task for sure...not a five minute deal. Not to push you more into procrastination...the end result is well worth it.

tom4bren

09/27/2012, 07:42 AM

Not to push you more into procrastination...the end result is well worth it.

:)

It's more of a priority thang. Gotta pull the SRS bulb so I can get through inspection FIRST ... then ...

VX4EJR

09/27/2012, 07:57 AM

:)

It's more of a priority thang. Gotta pull the SRS bulb so I can get through inspection FIRST ... then ...

When I had the dash apart, which took some time, I pulled the cluster out but the longest amount of time spent with the whole freakin thing was sitting there deciding whether or not to pull the ABS bulb...the pro's and con's, ABS don't work, dash light was on, blah, blah......seems like it took forever just thinking it through. Finally did it, said screw it.

etlsport

09/27/2012, 08:00 AM

Its because they are different switch styles. The rear defroster button is momentary and had a timer built in, so it sticks out further from the "base" if you watch closely as you push the rear defroster button, it gets brighter once its pushed in, then dims again when you release it.

my hazard light button lights up about 50% of the time.. Its weird

tom4bren

09/27/2012, 08:00 AM

Yah, my ABS bulb went the way of the DoDo bird last year. Now the airbag bulb will follow suit.

Mile High VX

09/27/2012, 04:54 PM

Nice work.

I want to move my mirror defrost switch to the center of my added switch holder (where the fuzzy pocket was on the left side of the dash) and then use the two switch areas on the console for seat heater switches.

I now have no excuse to not make that happen before winter arrives in CO again.