MaximaDisciple

I'm sure this question has been asked before, but I did a search and couldn't find anything that related so...

Has anyone replaced the bulb in their dash that lights up the gauges? I've go a '02 SE with the silver guages and since day one I haven't liked the dimmness of the guages when lit up even with the setting turned up all the way.

So has anyone had good experiences with switching the bulb out for a brighter one...with what and how?

Appreciate it!

FanaticMadMax

I don't think it's possible to replace a bulb since the dash is all wired into one electronic circuit board.

PoLo

iTrader: (7)

wrong, it's very much possible.
removing the dash is a tad time consuming, but if you get it all done, you can have the gauge cluster in your hand. the bulbs themselves are #74 size bulbs, VERY VERY small and provide very little power. dont' think you can slap on 18w+ bulbs because these run off 2w and 3w power. adding anymore will most likely burn your harness or melt the gauge screens themselves.

i tried doing this by replacing the gauge cluster bulbs with led gaug cluster bulbs from superbrightleds.com. they did not get better and in fact, got worse. at that point i gave up and put it all back together. someone else is trying with another type of #74bulb. let's hope he has better luck. if HE fails, then i'm asssuming that led's are not good for our gauge cluster. here are some pics for you to see what you need. the cluster itself holds 7 bulbs, 4 for the gauges, and 3 for the airbag/turn signal indicator/etc.... you would technically only need to replace 4 of them. i'm also providing a picture of the bulbs in comparison to 194 bulbs, along with the bulb pulled off it's base. hope this helps you out....

chigga

iTrader: (2)

i was thinkin the same thing but im just gonna suck it up. its not that bad to me anymore....

PoLo

iTrader: (7)

believe me, when i saw the led's light up so dim, i appreciated my stock bulbs.

chigga

iTrader: (2)

damn it was that dim huh?? too bad the indiglo gauges aren't that hot to me for our cars. its whatever im used to them now...

Igor911

iTrader: (10)

I have also thought about somehow making the lights brighter/blue. I dont like the sh!tty reverse indiglos. I dont want a white face, silver looks alot better IMHO

spirilis

iTrader: (2)

Would it be possible to mount LEDs in the side of the dash trim that shine down onto the instrument cluster? That'd be cool, a couple very bright blue or white LEDs illuminating top-down

Sam03

I was on business in another city and I had to have a rental, so I got a Mazda Millenia, (I really didn't care at all for the car, but I didn't have too much of a choice) the one striking thing I loved about that car was the gauges, very crisp and well lit, unlike my Maximas--although it no other way could compare to the Maxima

These are what their gauges look like.

Igor911

iTrader: (10)

I have a possible idea on how to accomplish this using 12v LED's that u can use in clear corners.

Take out the current lights for the gauge faces. Tap into the power from the Dimmer switch and make a custom LED and somehow silicone it to the cluster it self in the back.
Repeate this process until all the light holes have been done.

Am I going crazy or does this sound real?

MaximaDisciple

Wow! looks like you put some effort into this. I didn't think it was so complicated! Hmmmm...maybe I'll have to suck it up also.

Thanks Polo!

E55AMG2

iTrader: (4)

What you talkin about, the gauges are plenty bright. At night you dont want anything brighter, as it will affeto your nightvision. Im guessing now that you're talkin about running your lights during the day or while driving into the sun. In both cases, i advise you to leave them off as the contrast is much better that way.

spirilis

iTrader: (2)

Igor: Sounds good. LEDs aren't really that complicated, it's just a matter of understanding the characteristics of the LEDs you use, and using the right resistor for the job.

Igor911

iTrader: (10)

Maybe if Im bored over the weekend I can try it but i really don't feel like messing with my new car

spirilis

iTrader: (2)

I'm too damned lazy to even remove my instrument cluster. Not to mention, how hard is it?
...
hm, checked the manual (via alldatadiy.com)... it looks easy as hell; remove 2 screws up top, pry the plastic cover off, remove the instrument cluster, disconnect harnesses. Wow.

spirilis

iTrader: (2)

I think one of the big problems with using LEDs behind an instrument cluster is due to the fact that they have a very narrow beam of light... normal bulbs produce light in a much broader sphere pattern, which can reflect off a lot behind the cluster, while the LEDs can't. That's the main reason I'm thinking a projection-LED setup (LEDs projecting onto the cluster) may work better... but I dunno...
I personally think it's bright enough. Now if only my Alpine headunit's faceplate was brighter... (can't see sh*t in broad daylight due to glare!)

MaximaDisciple

Yeah, its bright enough, but I was just hoping for a simple way to make it a bit brighter. Its just weird how the top half of the speedo is brighter than the bottom half, at least on my Max.

spta97

iTrader: (1)

Many have had luck shaving / sanding down the top of the LED to dispurse the light at wider angles. However, it would be tricky to get the dash lights all even considering the stock ones are different sizes. I would be happy with Hyper Blue needles on my 2k3 but they don't make it for us

E55AMG2

iTrader: (4)

Thats because 4/7 lights in the cluster are at the top...

spirilis

iTrader: (2)

Ooh neat, never thought of shaving the LED (that epoxy shell is pretty thick anyway...)
Will have to try that with some spare LEDs I have lying around