I have a 2005 Pontiac Bonneville SLE. It has the am/fm/cd/cassette with built in xm satelite radio. I purchased a alarm and remote start and when they installed it, they did something that burned out hald of my display. you can still see it but its not lit up like it used to be. I called them on it and of course they denied it even though the car was checked prior to installation and the employee that checked it said it was working. but of course the arrogant manager did not agree, basically he called both of us liars...any way I take care of my cars and this is really bothering me about that display. I was told that its part of the circuit board and that it would have to be replaced. well its just the lights not the display that dont work. isnt there bulbs i could replace. can someone please let me know. ....Thanks for all your help!!!!

Try this:

http://www.bonnevilleclub.com/forum/...ic.php?t=50300

Usually what happens is the vibration from taking the radio out and putting it back in will cause the bulb to burn out. The filaments get weak and break with the vibration. So, you may have a display bulb out but when you replace it and get everything back together you very well may have one or more other bulbs out now.

Happened to me. So, suggest you replace all the bulbs if you can. The 2000-2005 radios have 7 bulbs. 3 are for the LCD display, 3 are for the lower 6 buttons on the radio and the final bulb is for the volume and select ****. These bulbs are unique as well. In other words, the 3 LCD bulbs, the 3 lower button bulbs, and the 1 Volume/Select bulb are all different bulbs.

Xenawise

If you look at the link posted above by hawkjet, you will see there are 25 bulbs in the radio. Not sure where 7 comes from. Also, most of the bulbs are LED'* with a few incandescents (again with the mixing LED'* and incandescents). The display is also an LED display. There'* no LCD display on this radio. LED bulbs do not have filaments like incandescent bulbs, so vibrations and such will not harm the bulbs. However, the main reason LED bulbs fail is that their solder gets weak. Most of the time, repairing or redoing the solder will make them work again.

So, before replacing bulbs, it'* best to check the solder on the bulbs and possibly redo the solder. That would be the cheapest and easiest way to go.

There are seven incandescent light bulbs. The rest are LEDs.

YES the display IS an LCD. It is NOT an LED display. It is back lit with three of the afore mentioned light bulbs behind a red filter. An LED is a light source and therefore would NOT need bulbs behind it. Shown here:



The solder joint will actually crack and loose electrical contact. As stated reheating the joints with a small amount of solder or rosin flux will solve this.

Almost nobody has had problems with LEDs failing. All I have seen have been incandescent bulb failures. Occasionally the failure is with the solder joint. However after some time, these bulbs seem to get fragile. I replaced one bulb only to find upon reassembly, others were not working. BE VERY CAREFUL!

Well thanks for all your help....I called my extended warranty and they covered my stereo, so the dealer sent it off to get repaired, I bet they went ahead and put all new lights (hopefully). It came and and will be installed and reprogrammed to the car tomorrow. will let you know how it looks after its installed. I ended up turning that guy and his business over to the Better Business Bureau. I am going after reimbursement for my trouble. Teach him to mess with a Bonneville owner...lol...Thanks again Guys!!!

It'* nice to have that warranty when you need it!

If the radio is your original, it shouldn't need any reprogramming (unless I misunderstand what you mean).

Well the dealer said it had to be reprogrammed at re installing it, but i dont see why it should if it was in my car already. I took it out once and put it back in fine. I thin they just want more money. they said it was like 85.00 to reprogram. Glad i only have a 50.00 ded.

both of my bonnevilles advertised "theft-lock" which is supposed to somehow prevent taking out the radio and putting it back in (maybe only to another car) but i have uninstalled and reinstalled mine multiple times with no reprogram and it works fine.

Earlier models required reprogramming with each removal, later models don't. There'* no way a 2005 does.