Overhead console add-on?

[PonyGuy]

Gentlemen:
I have a Long Overhead Console (from a 2003 GMQ LS) in my 2004 GMQ LS. Everything works well, BUT I have a difficult time locating the garage door opener button when I'm returning home in the dark. When the button is pressed, the tiny little LED blinks red to let me know I hit the correct button; but finding that center button by the Braille method of feeling for it in the dark is a PITA.

I once heard that "You should have bought a Town Car... their garage door opener buttons are illuminated." Can anyone confirm or refute this? Is there a hack to install a small LED to locate the garage door opener button? Doesn't seem like it would be too difficult a job.

[Svashtar]

Gentlemen:
I have a Long Overhead Console (from a 2003 GMQ LS) in my 2004 GMQ LS. Everything works well, BUT I have a difficult time locating the garage door opener button when I'm returning home in the dark. When the button is pressed, the tiny little LED blinks red to let me know I hit the correct button; but finding that center button by the Braille method of feeling for it in the dark is a PITA.

I once heard that "You should have bought a Town Car... their garage door opener buttons are illuminated." Can anyone confirm or refute this? Is there a hack to install a small LED to locate the garage door opener button? Doesn't seem like it would be too difficult a job.


I ran into this in 2004. What I did was lower tech than LED’s, but works OK. I used a plastic notching tool designed to cut out small oval lanyard holes in ID badges, and cut out oval chunks of luminescent glow-in-the-dark tape.

Then I pressed the tape between the buttons. There’s enough glow not to light up the buttons, but to give your fingers a reference point.

Rustoleum also sells luminescent paint, and you could put a dab on the buttons, but it wouldn’t be as neat.

Using my method you could hand cut the tape, but using the heavy steel punch puts out symmetrical ovals that fit between the buttons perfectly.

I don’t know if anyone on the forum remembers a really nice guy, TorinoDan who used to post here back then. I met up with him in San Diego one time when I had to drive down south, along with another forumite, Navchap (Navy Chaplain) who had a blue SC’d MM with white racing stripes. Trouble is traffic was so godawful down there none of us could drive faster than 30 mph!

Dan was a Marine stationed down there, and was an avionics guy. His MM had LED’s in the cup holders and other places in the cabin. He could have lit up those opener buttons easily.

I don’t know what happened to Dan; I hope he didn’t get redeployed like so many, and is still with us.

[fastblackmerc]

I'm working on a solution with LEDs.

[FordNut]

I do remember TorinoDan. He added LEDs to both of my OH consoles. I sure would like to duplicate it on my newest one.