pastaben

Due to my color-deficient sight, the red instrument needles on black background is really a problem for me. The simple fix was to swap to LED bulbs, hoping that a brighter instrument cluster would help. The red is still hard to see. I'm thinking next of swapping out the black gauge face for the SE's white (or silver, whatever color that is). I have the faces with the two screws (speedo / rpm).

My question is this: Can I just swap the faces ONLY without dealing with calibrating needles and without changing whole cluster, thus not having to worry about the Odo?

I had thought of changing the paint of the needles to white, but my best guess is that the needles are actually "solid" red, and not just clear needles with a red side (or orange, whatever). That rules out filing off the red paint and painting it white. So, my next easiest would be to try to change the face only.

Anyone know? If not, I'll just have to buy one and see.

Related question: Are the manual faces same as the auto? I have auto. The difference in the cluster is that the manual does not have the gear indicator. Anyone know if the dial faces are identical?

DougR

How about this product? Many positive customer reviews. Orange may be the wrong color for you. Perhaps they have a different color? I Googled "needle paint for instrument cluster gauges"

pastaben

DougR - Thanks. I've seen those paints, and i would have chosen white. However, since the current needles are red through and through, painting over it would make it almost invisible at night, allowing no light to come through. These paints, I am thinking, are useful if the current needles are actually clear, with one side painted. Then, I could scrape the paint off and paint it white. However, if the needle is "solid" red then the paint would not do what I need it to do.

I'm going to find an inexpensive cluster and check out the needles and also the cheapest SE faces I can find and see if I can just swap the faces or see if I can find out how the needle is actually painted.

pastaben

Does anyone know whether i30 gauges can go into the Maxima without much issues? I notice the i30 have the needles which could solve my problem.

Easiest would be if I could replace the faces and needles as a unit if that's how they work.

Second option is if the needles were interchangeable, I could swap the needles and deal with the recalibration.

Any info would be appreciated. If hate to have to buy two different clusters just to test this option . Info includes access to i30 counterpart to the maxima FSM pages on the pins for the cluster .

DougR

Ok, after Googling this topic and looking at my car, I have a better understanding of your issue. I was misled by 'my best guess is that the needles are "solid" red'. Actually, I think your needles are translucent. I have the black gauge faces with translucent amber needles that conduct LED light through the body of the needle. You prefer the i30 gauges. Does the i30 have black gauge faces? What color are the i30 needles? Have you tried a different LED bulb color with your black gauge faces? https://www.superbrightleds.com/cat/...cluster-gauge/ has red, amber, green, blue and UV instrument cluster bulbs. They also have cool, natural and warm white bulbs. Would any of those colors work for you against a black gauge face?

pastaben

DougR,
I have the black gauge faces. The i30 faces I've seen are also black faces, but they have needles which appear white to me.

What car do you have? You have amber needles? If your needles are stock, then that's probably what I have also. In any case, they don't stand out to me, especially at night. Having higher contrast works best for me, so yes, white needle against black or dark background would work best.

My original halogen bulbs were dimming, and I replaced them with superbrightled cool whites. The combination didn't work too well, though they are brighter. The problem here is that the stock gauges have a blue tint, which makes my numbers appear to me to be a fluorescent blue. For my sight problems, the brighter blue with a red/amber needle makes me have to "search for the needles", which I eventually find. However, not as safe as my other cars which have simple white needles against a dark background.

I am waiting for warm whites from superbrightled and will see if that combination works, hoping perhaps the less intense lighting (as the "warm" implies) allows the needles to stand out. I don't really want to go through all the color combos they have. If the warm whites do not work, my next step is to purchase a couple of clusters, an i30 and another maxima cluster like mine, and tear them apart to see whether the i30 needles can be a direct replacement without mods. If they can be, I will try to keep my cluster and install the i30 needles.

DougR

I have a 2000 Nissan Maxima GLE. In daylight, the needles are amber (according to color swatches on the SuperBrightLED website). I also checked the warning light colors (key in ignition, on position, engine not running). The battery, oil, seat belt, air bag and door ajar warning lights are red. The Check Engine Soon light is amber (a little different shade as compared to the needles). The gear shift indication is Light Green (P R N D 2 1). The weather is overcast and rainy today at my location … the white gauge numbers have a bluish cast when backlighting is off. I'll check these colors again when it's dark outside.

DougR

I checked the instrument cluster colors at night on the brightest backlight setting. Interestingly, the needles now appear to be more red than amber, and closer to the red color swatch on the SuperBrightLED website. Numbers on the gauge faces are distinctly grayish with a bluish tint. All other colors are the same as before (for me). I hope this helps. Let me know if I can do anything else.

I used Google to find articles about automobile instrument clusters and color blindness. After reading a few articles, I now understand how difficult and frustrating this issue must be. There is a distinct difference in the needle color between daylight and night conditions that may make the needles and warning lights nearly invisible for 5-8% of the population with color blindness. I found a research paper with recommendations on how auto makers may accommodate color blindness. As automobiles become more autonomous, it will be ever more critical that everyone be able to clearly see warning lights and indicators. This issue should be addressed in the Americans with Disabilities Act. Have you considered writing to agencies that set policy asking them to address this issue so that automakers may improve their designs?