CX-5 Sport and Touring AC Knob Replacement
- Thread starter mentalcase
- Start date
mentalcase
Member
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- Meteor Gray 2014 Touring CX-5
Aluminum.
mentalcase
Member
- :
- Meteor Gray 2014 Touring CX-5
Removal is easier then the initial application as the stock knobs require pliers and a towel to take off.
Some grease might, but it's not worth it INHO. The resistance is just not that bad.
Some grease might, but it's not worth it INHO. The resistance is just not that bad.
undergrad.
Member
Thanks for the update! I just ordered them myself.
mentalcase
Member
- :
- Meteor Gray 2014 Touring CX-5
Its because the glow behind the other two is orange. Behind the temp its white as not to effect with the blue and red. Easy fix.
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- 23 CX-5 Premium
So I pulled all three knobs and found the light behind the other two is orange, as you said, but there is an orange plastic disk in front of the white light on the temp knob so all three knob indicators appear orange. Why wouldn't the indicators (assuming they're clear or white) on the replacement knobs appear the same as they do the OE knobs?
mentalcase
Member
- :
- Meteor Gray 2014 Touring CX-5
Because it's orange where the factory knob is translucent white. The replacement knobs magnify the light from the center a bit.
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- 23 CX-5 Premium
So I got a set of these today and have a few comments to add to mentalcase's. First off, the knobs can be made to fit better than the pics shown in post #17 above. It just takes a little work. If you don't go the extra mile, the backlight shows behind the knobs when the dash lights are on (because the knobs don't fit close enough to the dash bezel) which looks kinda' tacky. What's involved is removing what appear to be 2 little clear plastic tensioner strips inside the female receivers on the back side of each knob and cutting away the knob stops on the male portion of the left and right switch controls just inside the dash. For some reason, the fan control switch in the middle doesn't have these stops. Do all that and you can then shove the knobs further in and they will actually engage the perimeter channels that help align them properly and turn smoother (in addition to blocking out the backlight so it only shines through the perimeter ring). I also applied a bead of petroleum jelly on the perimeter of the knobs to make them operate a little easier. As for the color of the light coming through the three rings, it looks all the same to me.
Another minor drawback with these knobs is that when the dash lights are off, you have no reference indicator as you do with the white line on the original knobs. So glancing down it's difficult to see which position the switches are in. I solved that by painting a thin silver line around the perimeter of the notch where the back light shines through. Being a modeler when I was a kid came in handy here! Now when I look at them during daylight, I can see what position they're in.
Finally, because the knobs are much deeper than the originals, you can't see the final two setting markers on the right hand (position indicator) knob. Again, a minor problem, but a drawback nonetheless. The knobs do look good and their quality is better than the originals (though not stellar-we are talking China here!), but don't expect them to make your CX-5's HVAC controls feel like you're suddenly driving a Lexus. If anything, they kinda' highlight the cheapness of the whole setup as they look like they should be connected to smoother mechanicals than they actually are. I guess that's why I only paid around 25 grand!
Another minor drawback with these knobs is that when the dash lights are off, you have no reference indicator as you do with the white line on the original knobs. So glancing down it's difficult to see which position the switches are in. I solved that by painting a thin silver line around the perimeter of the notch where the back light shines through. Being a modeler when I was a kid came in handy here! Now when I look at them during daylight, I can see what position they're in.
Finally, because the knobs are much deeper than the originals, you can't see the final two setting markers on the right hand (position indicator) knob. Again, a minor problem, but a drawback nonetheless. The knobs do look good and their quality is better than the originals (though not stellar-we are talking China here!), but don't expect them to make your CX-5's HVAC controls feel like you're suddenly driving a Lexus. If anything, they kinda' highlight the cheapness of the whole setup as they look like they should be connected to smoother mechanicals than they actually are. I guess that's why I only paid around 25 grand!
mentalcase
Member
- :
- Meteor Gray 2014 Touring CX-5
I thought it was those pieces keeping them from going all the way in! I'm going to take some needle-nose pliers to em tomorrow.
You're right about them not looking like a Lexus. I have another plan in mind once I can find manual HVAC controls from a 2014 6 that if pulled off should satisfy me. I should have just got a GT lol.
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undergrad.
Member
Any luck? My third knob is sticking out a fair amount.
undergrad.
Member
Here are a few additional images of the automobile knobs...
Hopefully you can see the orange hue to the backlight on the 2nd and 3rd knobs.
Hopefully you can see the orange hue to the backlight on the 2nd and 3rd knobs.
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- CX5
Agree! Pry the skinny piece of plastic and they fit real nice! Now to fix the color...
undergrad.
Member
Not yet. I actually just messaged you asking if you could take a picture of the back of one of your knobs. I'm worried I'm going to break something 
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- 23 CX-5 Premium
What's wrong with the color? Mine look fine.
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- 23 CX-5 Premium
There's no way I could capture the two little clear plastic "tangs" that need to be removed in a photo. They're inside the hollow clear plastic shaft on the back side of the knob. You really can't screw up anything. Just push the blade of a small, skinny flat-blade screwdriver down the outside of each tang and gently force the base towards the center of the shaft until the plastic in the tang fails and breaks off. This leaves you with a completely hollow shaft that then fits over the white post in the dash. Keep in mind that you may have to cut back the two stops on either side of the white post. I did that first prior to removing the clear tangs, so I'm not sure if it was necessary. All I know is that what I did worked.Not yet. I actually just messaged you asking if you could take a picture of the back of one of your knobs. I'm worried I'm going to break something
undergrad.
Member
Thanks for the advice. I managed to get it in after making the change you suggested. As you can see in the picture the right and middle knobs look orange, but the far left one looks red. Sadly my camera was having a hard time adjusting the brightness so the hue is out of whack.
It's because the plastic part around the knob is red on the far left knob while the other two are transparent as you can see in this photo
It's because the plastic part around the knob is red on the far left knob while the other two are transparent as you can see in this photo
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- 23 CX-5 Premium
Good job, but something is weird here. Your earlier pics show the temp knob reflecting the amber color in the ring when the dash lights are not on. However this recent pic shows it white with the dash lights on. I believe this was the same complaint mentalcase had after installing his. However mine reflects the amber with the dash lights on or off. So all three are identical. What's wrong with this picture?
