How-To: Blue LED lights in the gauge cluster
How-To: Blue LED lights in the gauge cluster
Disclaimer: I assume no responsibility for injury or death by following these instructions.
Tired of the green cluster lights? Changing them to blue LED's is very simple and wont cost you very much!
Tools and parts you will need:
- 8 LED lights, inverted lens wide angle, 12V 194 (6 if you dont replace the turn indicators)
- Philips screw driver, stubby and a long one.
- Pliers
- Piece of rubber hose
Overview:
We are going to remove the top dash cover, remove the gauge cluster, remove the old bulbs, and replace them blue LED’s. Simple enough eh?
Steps:
Remove all 4 screws holding the dash in place.
Remove the side pillar covers.
Remove the dash cover. Start up pushing up to release all the metal clips, then pull straight back.
Remove the plastic cover at the bottom of the gauge cluster.
Remove all 4 screws holding the gauge cluster in place.
Remove the gauge cluster by simply pulling it forward. You don’t have to worry about wires because the gauge just plugs into the dash.
Remove one of the illumination lights by twisting it. They will be the big gray ones.
Now the difficult part. You need to remove the light bulb from the socket, but it is very hard because the light bulb is actually soldered in place. CAREFULLY used some pliers and an old piece of rubber hose to remove the bulb. Don’t squeeze too hard because it will break and send glass flying everywhere.
*Update* - I've heard this only applies for 05 Neons.
Insert the LED into the socket. You need to make sure that your contact wires look like mine in the picture in order for the bulb to make contact.
Now another tricky part. LED’s are polarity sensitive. You need to make sure the positive terminal is connected to the positive power supply from the gauge cluster. This might take some trial and error to get it working. I suggest you replace 1 bulb at a time, plug the gauge cluster back in, and make sure it is working correctly. If it isn’t reverse the bulb in the socket.
Here is the finished product. I’m not quite happy with the looks. I purchased the LED’s that emit light from the end of the bulb and I think I needed the ones that emit from the side. Good enough for now but I will be changing them sometime in the near future.
*Update - Replaced the LED's with wide angle LED's. Looks so much better. Not really the best pics but you get the idea.
*Update - Here are a few places to buy the LED's
http://stores.ebay.ca/BestHongKong_Auto ... idZ2QQtZkm
http://autolumination.com/194.htm
http://www.superbrightleds.com/mini-wedge.html
Tired of the green cluster lights? Changing them to blue LED's is very simple and wont cost you very much!
Tools and parts you will need:
- 8 LED lights, inverted lens wide angle, 12V 194 (6 if you dont replace the turn indicators)
- Philips screw driver, stubby and a long one.
- Pliers
- Piece of rubber hose
Overview:
We are going to remove the top dash cover, remove the gauge cluster, remove the old bulbs, and replace them blue LED’s. Simple enough eh?
Steps:
Remove all 4 screws holding the dash in place.
Remove the side pillar covers.
Remove the dash cover. Start up pushing up to release all the metal clips, then pull straight back.
Remove the plastic cover at the bottom of the gauge cluster.
Remove all 4 screws holding the gauge cluster in place.
Remove the gauge cluster by simply pulling it forward. You don’t have to worry about wires because the gauge just plugs into the dash.
Remove one of the illumination lights by twisting it. They will be the big gray ones.
Now the difficult part. You need to remove the light bulb from the socket, but it is very hard because the light bulb is actually soldered in place. CAREFULLY used some pliers and an old piece of rubber hose to remove the bulb. Don’t squeeze too hard because it will break and send glass flying everywhere.
*Update* - I've heard this only applies for 05 Neons.
Insert the LED into the socket. You need to make sure that your contact wires look like mine in the picture in order for the bulb to make contact.
Now another tricky part. LED’s are polarity sensitive. You need to make sure the positive terminal is connected to the positive power supply from the gauge cluster. This might take some trial and error to get it working. I suggest you replace 1 bulb at a time, plug the gauge cluster back in, and make sure it is working correctly. If it isn’t reverse the bulb in the socket.
Here is the finished product. I’m not quite happy with the looks. I purchased the LED’s that emit light from the end of the bulb and I think I needed the ones that emit from the side. Good enough for now but I will be changing them sometime in the near future.
*Update - Replaced the LED's with wide angle LED's. Looks so much better. Not really the best pics but you get the idea.
*Update - Here are a few places to buy the LED's
http://stores.ebay.ca/BestHongKong_Auto ... idZ2QQtZkm
http://autolumination.com/194.htm
http://www.superbrightleds.com/mini-wedge.html
Last edited by daaboots on Fri Sep 22, 2006 7:59 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Good to know. Thank you for the correction.NiteHawk wrote:very good writeup, but just so you know, only 05's were soldered, everything below that the bulb just pops out.....
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Yes, i learned that the hard way i guessdblsg wrote:very nice write up...
you would want to get the wide angle l.e.d.'s next time
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I did this a couple of months ago... Did the cluster and HVAC in the blue that was from autolumination.com.
Just to let everyone know, they're kinda hard to see at night. If you want blue, just use the super bright white LEDs. It comes out a soft blue, and you can still see the redline and the needles ALOT better.
Just to let everyone know, they're kinda hard to see at night. If you want blue, just use the super bright white LEDs. It comes out a soft blue, and you can still see the redline and the needles ALOT better.
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You can try it... not too sure how well it would work though. Try it and let us all knowatom wrote:Could I just buy colored bulbs? LEDs are of course sweeter but I don't want to bother with getting the illumination correct. Bulbs are probably cheaper too :p
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you could try it, but chances are the color will burn off in a couple of weeksatom wrote:Could I just buy colored bulbs? LEDs are of course sweeter but I don't want to bother with getting the illumination correct. Bulbs are probably cheaper too :p
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just adding a comment
i had done this with the 194 bulbs from BestHongKong on ebay.. they are good but you probably want to use the 2 white ones in there somewhere because the red lines are a bit dim. other than that they are good
you can also use the same type bulb to change the bulb in the ATX gear shifting area (under the console)
i have 1 or 2 left over bulbs around if anyone wants them, $1 each
i had done this with the 194 bulbs from BestHongKong on ebay.. they are good but you probably want to use the 2 white ones in there somewhere because the red lines are a bit dim. other than that they are good
you can also use the same type bulb to change the bulb in the ATX gear shifting area (under the console)
i have 1 or 2 left over bulbs around if anyone wants them, $1 each
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I've had those bulbs in for about 5 or 6 months and two of them are already dead, so I just bought some regular 194 bulbs and I'm switching back to stock.jT wrote:just adding a comment
i had done this with the 194 bulbs from BestHongKong on ebay.. they are good but you probably want to use the 2 white ones in there somewhere because the red lines are a bit dim. other than that they are good
you can also use the same type bulb to change the bulb in the ATX gear shifting area (under the console)
i have 1 or 2 left over bulbs around if anyone wants them, $1 each
kc2002acr wrote:because if I was racing you at a 60 roll, I would have been in second for a second till I hit 3rd, then I would have called you on my cell phone and asked you if my taillights were all working.
^^ Good stuff Glad my how-to was useful
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Holy post resurrection Batman!
But I have a question... my Stratus had a special film that turned green to light up the cluster. You would have to remove the film and replace it with a homemade one out of computer paper. Do the Neon clusters have a film that needs to be removed or is it just replacing the bulbs?
Also, I want to have my guages be white with a bright red needle, is there a bulb that affects needle color? If not, I'll use importintelligence's needle kit (link).
Thanks.
-Brad
But I have a question... my Stratus had a special film that turned green to light up the cluster. You would have to remove the film and replace it with a homemade one out of computer paper. Do the Neon clusters have a film that needs to be removed or is it just replacing the bulbs?
Also, I want to have my guages be white with a bright red needle, is there a bulb that affects needle color? If not, I'll use importintelligence's needle kit (link).
Thanks.
-Brad
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if your cluster is anything like the Neon's there is a film that is blue'ish and it is not quite removable. If you are after a Blue look like the above, you just need the white/blue led's (wled is better)
without seeing your cluster, i would gather the needles are the same as the neon's and that there is a bulb near the needle that will illuminate it. By placing a white led near it - it should keep them bright red.
I have no experiance with the importintelligence so i cannot answer your question about the needles.
without seeing your cluster, i would gather the needles are the same as the neon's and that there is a bulb near the needle that will illuminate it. By placing a white led near it - it should keep them bright red.
I have no experiance with the importintelligence so i cannot answer your question about the needles.
That sucks the mileage is still green though :-/
So many neons so little time.
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FYI
When you look at an LED the part of the led that looks like a toilet (inside the bulb) is the negative side.
When you look at an LED the part of the led that looks like a toilet (inside the bulb) is the negative side.
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Any or all of the above statement(s) may be entirely fictional and a fabrication.
ram50rocket wrote: I must had been mistaken in thinking that NEONS.ORG was just for neons.
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so how many bulbs would i need if i wanted to change the cluster plus hvac bulbs?
Also there are two typed of wleds listed on superbrightleds.com the 1led bulb and the 4leds bulb which one should i get??
Also there are two typed of wleds listed on superbrightleds.com the 1led bulb and the 4leds bulb which one should i get??
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