This is a tutorial to replace the stock red LED back lit colors on the different parts of your 2012 MK6 GTI i.e. climate controls, door locks, dome light blue tooth push buttons and window switches and light switch for head lights. (You can also do this to the traction control button and light dimmer.) This tutorial is ONLY for 2012 gti's. I dont know if this will work for other makes and models.

Tools you will need:]

Soldering iron w/needle tip
Solder
De-Soldering tool (either iron or sucker)
Flux
Small Flat tip screw driver's (Id say atleast 2, makes it easier to pry open the plastic pieces)
Tweezers
Surface mount LED's as follows
PLCC-2 LED's x about 37 in total
0805 LED's x 6
1206 LEDs x 5
( I'd recommend these ammounts and maybe a few extras just in case you melt them. They can be very tricky to handle)

Im not going to go into detail about how to remove these different components because there are plenty of tutorials on how to get to these different pieces of equiptment. If there is something that you cant find on how to remove it, message me and ill try to help you the best I can.

In this tutorial I'll show you how to open the headlight and fog light switch. All the other components are very simular and with patience can be opened in the same way with a little common sense.

Step 1:

First you need a flat tip screw driver.

and insert in between the tabs that hold the back on and gently pry it apart. once all the tabs are loose pull the bottom off and youll see the main circuit board.

Step 2:

(the LED's are in the yellow circles in the picture below.)
before you remove the LEDs, be sure to mark the polarity - + on the circuit board with a needle tip permenant marker so when you remove the led you dont screw your self. ( i did this before removing all the LED's so i wouldnt forget)
see picture below to tell the polarity.

Step 3:

to remove the LED's from the CB you need to heat up one side and gently push when the solder is liquidized. that side of the led will lift up from the CB (Circuit board). then do the same on the opposite side and the LED will fall off. be sure you clean the contacts with flux before attaching the new LED so it will stick.

Step 4:

once you have removed the LEDs you really need to be patient when trying to solder the new LEDs on. it took me a few different trys and a few ruined LEDs to master it. i found that if i dabbed a tiny ammount of flux to the CB to hold the led it helped. i used a flat tip screwdriver or forceps to hold the LED down to the CB, depending on how annoying the position of the LED was to be mounted.

Step 5:

once you have the LED soldered to your liking be sure you test it before you go and do the whole board. i used 2 AAA batteries in a harness that i got from radio shack to test the led. be sure to test the LED farther down the circuit path and not directly on the LED to make sure youve soldered it properly.

Finished product!!

basically after that its just rinse and repeat. again if you have any issues or questions, email me @ wldfr1985@gmail.com and ill do my best to help. thanks for check out my LED tutorial

PS: if theres anyway this can be improved upon dont hesitate to email me also.

please do not copy and paste this and claim it to be your own.

Thanks!!!