Repair Backlighting on a Gold Bose?

[Tom Mieczkowski]

Friends, I've got a 96 Collector Edition with the stock Bose Gold CD/radio unit. The other day I noticed I have lost some of the backlighting, specifically the backlighting on the panel which shows either radio frequency/time or CD track info (the sort of long, rectangular display smack in the middle of the faceplate). This is annoying, because I can't see the display at night. All the other backlighting, on the controls, etc. is working. How is this thing lit? Are there little incandescent bulbs or diodes or something in there I can replace or repair? Is getting the unit taken out a big PITA or not? Any advice I could get on this would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for your help.

[92TripleBlack]

Never took one apart. It is easy to remove and disassemble so you may want to open it up and see what you have.

[jwg2]

I just took a receiver apart for a different purpose, but this should be a doable task. You'll have to pop the receiver out of the dash, which isn;t as hard as it sounds. Once you get the receiver out, it comes apart pretty easy. The bulb in question is in the face plate. I'm not sure if the bulb is removable or if it is soldered to its wires, but it would be easy to snip and replace.

I would guess radio shack would have the bulbs. Other then the quest for the new bulb, I think you could do this in an hour or two.

[XTRME 94]

I replaced mine in my '94. I think the units are about the same. There are 3 bulbs you can get from Radio Shack. They are soldered to the board and one is very difficult to get at. It's a do able job if you have the experience in this kind of thing. That being said, I wish I hadn't bothered. I replaced mine and it all worked for a few months till the whole radio died. I'm sure you've seen plenty of posts telling of the quality of the BLOWS :mad system. I've gone completely aftermarket in mine. What you decide is up to you. I just wish I hadn't wasted the time doing mine.