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Instrument / gauge cluster: bulb replacement / color change / LED conversion

339K views 344 replies 94 participants last post by  Jabikal13 
#1 ·
I was wondering if there's an easy way to change the color of the light bulbs that illuminate the instrument cluster.

After removing the cluster, I see a ton of small bulbs that are in removable "Toshiba V2" housings (or something like that).

Is there a simple way to make these say, blue?
Or replace them with LEDs?

Also, does anyone know where to find these housings / replacement bulbs (other than my neighborhood honda dealer)?
 
#245 ·
changed odometer bulbs

Noticed the 'trip' side of the odometer was dimmer than the 'mileage' side a couple of weeks ago. Then two days ago I noticed the odometer went completely black. I purchased some #74 Sylvania light bulbs from Walmart. Today I removed the instrument cluster and replaced the two bulbs. The #74s fit just fine and both now light up. Thank you RamblerDan for the write-up on how to do it.
 
#247 ·
I posted in my resto thread, but if anyone's still looking for plug & play instrument LEDs, I bought these Amazon, cheap. Usual hot spots but much better than before imo.

"White" LEDs - Changed all the instrument bulbs with these.

$7 for 10 bulbs, free shipping.

$7 White LEDs - 10 bulbs.
.
are these the lights for the shifter, HVAC and airbag, or just the speedo/tach
 
#256 ·
Remember the color you are getting is weird because you are shining led white through a green filter. Its supposed to be led green through green filter. The filter is only filtering certain parts of it, so the others are brighter.

Also, you can just buy less powerful leds.

You are so close...
 
#261 ·
Jim, it depends, cluster uses 1 kind, hvac uses 2 other kinds/sizes (the way i did it at least). It also depends what color/s you want per kind. On the cluster, a good fitting quality bulb is hard to find. I recommend using the same exact seller/bulb if possible just to avoid doing all the hard work over again to find one that works. I tried to use EWW-AN-E's for the same reason, but they were no longer in stock from that seller. Or copy how OD 2004 did his. My guess is you will be limited depending on what color/s you want to use.
 
#262 ·
Hey Gang,
I did the LED dashlight conversion last year.
I noticed some of my lights flickering now.
After investigating further, I determined that I have a couple of bad base sockets.
Does anyone know the correct base sockets for a 2006 Element?
These are the black ones for the instrument cluster.. not the 2 grey ones for the odometer.

I ordered these, but they don't fit into the back of the light cluster. They can't twist into place.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/182177221679

Thanks!
Rob
 
#263 ·
Are you sure it's the Honda socket? How would you even get 2 of the wrong ones? And they DID work before???

Ive had bad experiences with those LED bulbs before. I know it depends on manufacturer, but I avoid them like the plague.

If you read through the whole thread, there are lots of people that used different bulbs and had gauge/bulb problems. Mine are still going. I think Eww's are still going or he would have posted. Anybody else still going fine? Post your bulb info.
 
#264 ·
Pretty sure.. I have two bulbs that keep flickering.
I changed them out for new bulbs.. same thing happens.
I decided to move those into a different opening and then they start flickering in that opening.. conclusion, bad sockets.

Does anyone know which sockets are the correct ones? I can't find the parts number anywhere on line.

Thanks!
 
#270 ·
I know this seems to be an old topic but Ive been searching all night and I cant find which bulbs you guys are using for the HVAC led blue bulbs that you guys are using. I can find the original bulb that's in there but I cant cross it over to led. Is there a direct replacement for them like the gauge cluster? I want to be like Element Don!
 
#278 ·
Well, I have been following this thread since a week before I bought my beloved E.

By now, every color and type of lamp has been tried, various mechanical problems with the lamp designs and base fixtures have been ingeniously addressed, dozens of beautiful comparison photos have been shared.

And still, although 12 years has now passed, I haven't seen a clear answer to this question: Is there any lamp which will make my instrument cluster visible in daylight?
 
#279 ·
Mine have always been visible in daytime, even with the original OEM bulbs. Have you tried adjusting the dimmer function (in the post)?

If that doesn't work, then I would go LED white (not blue-white or yellow-white, but clear-white).
 
#281 · (Edited)
Welcome to the forums!

You can twist a knob somewhere... that does a little bit. (it's the cluster dimmer? I just max it out.)

Otherwise, I'd highly suggest incandescent #74 replacements. I did red because I missed the inside of my Audi (and how much of a spaceship it felt like in there.) I had to pry up the bottom to pull out the blue gel on the ODO display because it was cancelling out the red (BLUE+RED=DARK GREY) in decent daylight.

People with LEDs love them, but I don't like how focused the light is near the bulbs.

This is how you would do the bulb replacement...
 
#282 ·
upgrade to LED's, i just installed a set i got on eBay and
holy cow what a huge difference they made. the stock ones
even at the brightest setting were lousy, these new LED's
are incredible, easily 5 times brighter than stock and they
were only $20. they are a direct swap, just pull out the old
ones and put these in, they twist lock just like the stock bulbs.
no messing around with trying to pull out the bulbs and wires.
comes with 9 LED's.

best and cheapest mod so far !!!




http://www.ebay.com/itm/LED-Package...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m2749.l2649
 

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#283 ·
wow. They also have interior light kits for $7 (which I recommend. I paid $26 for mine piecemeal.) It makes the inside of your car shine like a spaceship.

I did use a red LED for the drivers side map light for some high vis light while driving, but I don't recall that one bulb being a $20 purchase.
 
#286 ·
I went to Super Bright LEDs and bought bayonets bulbs in bright white. The ends were weird and I had to bend the contacts together a bit. I picked up 44mm.

I was just saying that the eBay seller with dash LEDs also has an interior light kit. Looks like SMDs. Should do the trick.
 
#287 ·
ParishM, thanks for posting the link for the instrument panel leds. I already had blue bulbs but was unhappy that they were a bit dim. Got the ones from the link and bingo, Just what I wanted. Very simple to install.
 
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