Interior door handle LED fix

[nujon]

If like me you have one or more interior handle LEDs not working, chances are the LED socket-end of the clear plastic light track has snapped off. The fracture point will most likely be in line with the edge of the metal plate fixed to the inside of the door card - and caused by previous removal of the card with the LED not unclipped!

If you are lucky enough to find all the broken bits, you can try glueing them together - but if, as in my case, they were nowhere to be found, you can do the following:-

1. Obtain a length of 6mm OD clear plastic screen washer hose and a length of 10mm OD black plastic fuel hose (N.B. clear fuel hose is no good as it is too inflexible). Any good motor factor will sell these hoses @ about £1 / half meter)

Note that the 6mm hose will push inside the 10mm hose with a moderate interference fit

2. Cut a 40mm long piece from each hose size

3. Enter the LED into the 10mm OD piece and then firmly but carefully push the piece over the LED's black holder until the end of the hose contacts the shoulders of the D-shaped, clip-part of the holder. The result should be a nice firm fit of the hose onto the holder

4. Warm the 6mm OD piece in hot water then firmly but carefully push the piece over the remaining 'stalk' of the light track up the first welded plastic anchor of the light track. The result should be a nice firm fit of the hose onto the light track

5. Offer up the door card then tilt the card back sufficiently to allow the 10mm OD hose on the end of the LED holder to be pushed over the 6mm OD hose on the end of the light track - push until resistance is felt meaning the LED has entered the end of the 6mm OD inner. The result should be a moderate interference fit (future removable) but adequately secure for the duty in question - for belt and braces if you must, sticky tape the LED cable to the foam panel on the inside of the door

Voila 

P.S. If the light track has broken off at its first welded plastic anchor, simply cut the anchor post away to flush (junior hacksaw blade is good for this) and proceed as above - there's enough LED harness to manage 

[max]

'this post is worthless without pics' (!!!) ...... please!

[nujon]

[quote="max"]
'this post is worthless without pics' (!!!) ...... please!
[/quote]

I will try tomorrow

[nujon]

Got some JPEG piccys, saved them to my laptop - how do I upload them to this forum?

[X5Sport]

See this thread by Sanj.....

Richard

[jason1872]

Any pics of this repair?

[themoog]

My passenger side was broken from a previous door panel removal. All i did was tape it to the end although i havnt noticed if it works or not. The above fix seems to be better.