Red Bulbs in gauge cluster
10-15-2003, 10:58 PM
#1
Red Bulbs in gauge cluster
I was thinking of possibly changing the bulbs in my gauge cluster to red, to give it a little more of a sporty look (BMWish). Does anyone have any pictures of the gauges illuminated so I can see how it looks? Also, what is everyone's opinion on changing the bulbs to red?
10-16-2003, 12:33 AM
#2
The bulbs behind the 99 Maxima gauges are non standard and only available from Nissan. Don't let anyone tell you that they are 194 bulbs back there cause that is only for the 4th Gens prior to 99.
Here is an exampe of what you can get if you color the bulbs behind your dash.
There are 5 bulbs that light the gauges. All you have to do is take the bulbs out and sand them so that they become "diffused" bulbs. Next, take a permanent marker color of your choosing and color the bulb. The diffusing process will allow the bulb to evenly light your gauges and it will allow the color not to fade as quickly. I have done this to my bulbs about 4 months ago and the color is still the same as day one. Hope this helps you.
Here is an exampe of what you can get if you color the bulbs behind your dash.
There are 5 bulbs that light the gauges. All you have to do is take the bulbs out and sand them so that they become "diffused" bulbs. Next, take a permanent marker color of your choosing and color the bulb. The diffusing process will allow the bulb to evenly light your gauges and it will allow the color not to fade as quickly. I have done this to my bulbs about 4 months ago and the color is still the same as day one. Hope this helps you.
10-16-2003, 12:37 AM
#3
Originally Posted by meanbean
The bulbs behind the 99 Maxima gauges are non standard and only available from Nissan. Don't let anyone tell you that they are 194 bulbs back there cause that is only for the 4th Gens prior to 99.
Here is an exampe of what you can get if you color the bulbs behind your dash.
There are 5 bulbs that light the gauges. All you have to do is take the bulbs out and sand them so that they become "diffused" bulbs. Next, take a permanent marker color of your choosing and color the bulb. The diffusing process will allow the bulb to evenly light your gauges and it will allow the color not to fade as quickly. I have done this to my bulbs about 4 months ago and the color is still the same as day one. Hope this helps you.
Here is an exampe of what you can get if you color the bulbs behind your dash.
There are 5 bulbs that light the gauges. All you have to do is take the bulbs out and sand them so that they become "diffused" bulbs. Next, take a permanent marker color of your choosing and color the bulb. The diffusing process will allow the bulb to evenly light your gauges and it will allow the color not to fade as quickly. I have done this to my bulbs about 4 months ago and the color is still the same as day one. Hope this helps you.
that helps out a lot, thanks! Now another question about the same thing basically.. I see that your odometer is a pinkish/red.. any way to keep that from going pinkish/red? or does it not have it's own bulb?
10-16-2003, 12:49 AM
#4
It has its own bulb. You can get a darker color effect by doing more coats on your bulb...I just happen to like the light red look and only did 1 coat. It's a unique color that you don't see on dash gauges. This mod is also super easy/cheap and has none of worries of when you swap to reverse glow gauges (eg. stuck or uncalibrated needles ).
11-15-2003, 10:08 PM
#5
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 88
98's don't use 194's either.
I took tried to do this mod just today. The bulbs on the 98's are not 194's. They are much narrower in the base and they are much narrower at the crown as well. I did find that Sylvania #24 bulbs are an exact fit, and you can get them at any decent auto shop. I am still searching for the brightest hyper whites that will fit. I want that Lexus look on my gauges.
11-15-2003, 10:53 PM
#6
those bulbs CAN be found at most auto parts stores (Autozone, Advance Auto, etc.)...i can't remember the exact number, but it's either 68, 70, or 72; finding them in colors is another matter.
11-13-2004, 11:34 AM
#8
I'm pretty sure only 95/96 uses 194s in the guages.
Has anyone painted bulbs? I know those (in dash) cant get extrememly hot...so I dont think that would be an issue. The problem w/ paint would be how it looks when lit up.
Has anyone painted bulbs? I know those (in dash) cant get extrememly hot...so I dont think that would be an issue. The problem w/ paint would be how it looks when lit up.
11-13-2004, 04:39 PM
#11
1 of few unmodded 4G Maxs
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Commerce Twp., MI
Posts: 2,828
Originally Posted by Maxima99SEbose
wow bringing up an old school thread of mine.. lol
i definitely don't want red anymore, i want the bright-*** white of lexus gauges.
i definitely don't want red anymore, i want the bright-*** white of lexus gauges.
lol .. i'd thought I'd give ppl the idea of what a gauge cluster looks like w/ red lighting. I too would like to have the lexus lighting on my gauges, but we'll see what happens in "brother vs. brother" on the Max.
11-13-2004, 05:19 PM
#12
Originally Posted by Wht98SE
Maxima99SEbose -
lol .. i'd thought I'd give ppl the idea of what a gauge cluster looks like w/ red lighting. I too would like to have the lexus lighting on my gauges, but we'll see what happens in "brother vs. brother" on the Max.
lol .. i'd thought I'd give ppl the idea of what a gauge cluster looks like w/ red lighting. I too would like to have the lexus lighting on my gauges, but we'll see what happens in "brother vs. brother" on the Max.
11-13-2004, 10:52 PM
#14
95-97 have 194's direct swap.
98-99 went digital and thus the bulbs changed to #74 available as LED's from superbrightleds.com so you can direct swap also. Below is a pic, they come in white, blue, green, red, amber and UV-blacklight.
98-99 went digital and thus the bulbs changed to #74 available as LED's from superbrightleds.com so you can direct swap also. Below is a pic, they come in white, blue, green, red, amber and UV-blacklight.
11-14-2004, 08:26 PM
#15
1 of few unmodded 4G Maxs
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Commerce Twp., MI
Posts: 2,828
Originally Posted by Maxima99SEbose
absolutely... i hope you keep the max!!!!
11-14-2004, 08:28 PM
#16
1 of few unmodded 4G Maxs
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Commerce Twp., MI
Posts: 2,828
Originally Posted by Igobuk
95-97 have 194's direct swap.
98-99 went digital and thus the bulbs changed to #74 available as LED's from superbrightleds.com so you can direct swap also. Below is a pic, they come in white, blue, green, red, amber and UV-blacklight.
98-99 went digital and thus the bulbs changed to #74 available as LED's from superbrightleds.com so you can direct swap also. Below is a pic, they come in white, blue, green, red, amber and UV-blacklight.
11-14-2004, 08:48 PM
#17
yes 98-99 have #74. justin get led #74. if you get reglular bulb it will fade to pink and look like ***. make sure you get inverted led's. if you need help **** we could change then in the fellini's parking lot.
you should do your window switched as well.
you should do your window switched as well.
11-14-2004, 08:49 PM
#18
Originally Posted by ManualMaxima
yes 98-99 have #74. justin get led #74. if you get reglular bulb it will fade to pink and look like ***. make sure you get inverted led's. if you need help **** we could change then in the fellini's parking lot.
you should do your window switched as well.
you should do your window switched as well.
11-14-2004, 08:58 PM
#19
yea they come in white, but form what i have heard the white give a purpleish outlike glow. i think red would look awsome in your car since you are doing with a gunmetal exteirior accent color. that or go blue. i had white door switched at one time, and they looked awsome
o get the bulbs look up #74 from a seller called ctlumination i have always had great expericence with him....i have done 2 maxima's and 2 altim's with his stuff and it wlways come out good. make sure you get inverted led bulbs to spread the light around.
o get the bulbs look up #74 from a seller called ctlumination i have always had great expericence with him....i have done 2 maxima's and 2 altim's with his stuff and it wlways come out good. make sure you get inverted led bulbs to spread the light around.
11-15-2004, 03:46 AM
#20
Originally Posted by meanbean
The bulbs behind the 99 Maxima gauges are non standard and only available from Nissan. Don't let anyone tell you that they are 194 bulbs back there cause that is only for the 4th Gens prior to 99.
Here is an exampe of what you can get if you color the bulbs behind your dash.
There are 5 bulbs that light the gauges. All you have to do is take the bulbs out and sand them so that they become "diffused" bulbs. Next, take a permanent marker color of your choosing and color the bulb. The diffusing process will allow the bulb to evenly light your gauges and it will allow the color not to fade as quickly. I have done this to my bulbs about 4 months ago and the color is still the same as day one. Hope this helps you.
Here is an exampe of what you can get if you color the bulbs behind your dash.
There are 5 bulbs that light the gauges. All you have to do is take the bulbs out and sand them so that they become "diffused" bulbs. Next, take a permanent marker color of your choosing and color the bulb. The diffusing process will allow the bulb to evenly light your gauges and it will allow the color not to fade as quickly. I have done this to my bulbs about 4 months ago and the color is still the same as day one. Hope this helps you.
11-15-2004, 05:45 AM
#23
I set my gauges up like this:
http://4drspeed.com/mycar/maxima/P1000155.JPG
I am trying to figure out how to change the color for the arrows, bright light display, without it being so dim or not lighting up at all.
http://4drspeed.com/mycar/maxima/P1000155.JPG
I am trying to figure out how to change the color for the arrows, bright light display, without it being so dim or not lighting up at all.
11-15-2004, 06:57 AM
#25
Originally Posted by ManualMaxima
yea they come in white, but form what i have heard the white give a purpleish outlike glow. i think red would look awsome in your car since you are doing with a gunmetal exteirior accent color. that or go blue. i had white door switched at one time, and they looked awsome
o get the bulbs look up #74 from a seller called ctlumination i have always had great expericence with him....i have done 2 maxima's and 2 altim's with his stuff and it wlways come out good. make sure you get inverted led bulbs to spread the light around.
o get the bulbs look up #74 from a seller called ctlumination i have always had great expericence with him....i have done 2 maxima's and 2 altim's with his stuff and it wlways come out good. make sure you get inverted led bulbs to spread the light around.
Yeah the white ones do look purpleish, but they look really nice
11-15-2004, 07:14 AM
#27
Originally Posted by enjoyincubus504
could i do the same thing to make them blue? just color over them with a blue sharpie?
11-15-2004, 07:46 AM
#28
Originally Posted by Igobuk
95-97 have 194's direct swap.
98-99 went digital and thus the bulbs changed to #74 available as LED's from superbrightleds.com so you can direct swap also. Below is a pic, they come in white, blue, green, red, amber and UV-blacklight.
98-99 went digital and thus the bulbs changed to #74 available as LED's from superbrightleds.com so you can direct swap also. Below is a pic, they come in white, blue, green, red, amber and UV-blacklight.
11-15-2004, 07:52 AM
#29
Originally Posted by Maxima99SEbose
I was thinking of possibly changing the bulbs in my gauge cluster to red, to give it a little more of a sporty look (BMWish). Does anyone have any pictures of the gauges illuminated so I can see how it looks? Also, what is everyone's opinion on changing the bulbs to red?
11-15-2004, 11:22 AM
#32
Originally Posted by meanbean
Holy cow, old post. Yes, you can do that but since you have a 95, you can just use blue 194 bulbs as direct replacements. FYI, I have since dremeled/soldered some LEDs in the back of my gauges and cleared out out the needles and solderd LEDs to give the intelliglow effect. I previously had 194 red bulbs soldered on but noted that they eventually turned pink in less than 1 year. By going LED, you will be able to keep the same bright red in the future without worry of fading.
11-15-2004, 12:28 PM
#33
Originally Posted by enjoyincubus504
i dont like how those gauges arent completely red, they are sorta yellow and orange mixed in there as well
11-16-2004, 11:27 AM
#40
i had red 194's in my 95 cluster and they looked good for a while but then they fadded to pink i also had my climate control bulbs painted to red and they started to fade too cuz they get soo hot... red leds would be your best bet i would say if you want red i have reverse indiglos now and blue leds throughout the rest of the car
i did the turn signals too they were red now they are blue
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/271158/2
i did the turn signals too they were red now they are blue
http://www.cardomain.com/memberpage/271158/2
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