Got the dash cluster out...should I replace all the bulbs?

Thought I would clean all the contacts and replace the bulbs. Dash lights are very dim. Maybe replace the voltage regulator too?

I would replace them with LED bulbs except for the turn signal ones. There a lot brighter.

John J

Yes with LED'S

Don't forget, it's the best idea to remove the old blue pods (or diffusers) as well as installing new led lights, for the brightest illumination.

Greg.

+1 on the blue domes. Take them out. Replace the bulbs with LED except the blinkers. You will not be disappointed. I don't need a flash light when I drive anymore. Just remember the LED are polarity specific. So bench test each bulb to find the positive side. If you can follow a schematic or understand wiring pretty well it is fairly easy to determine which is positive and which is neg on the back of the cluster.

Gosh I have owned one of these since new and never had the dim light issue. Wonder if the dimmer in the light switch looses contact over time and just dims out?

Gosh I have owned one of these since new and never had the dim light issue. Wonder if the dimmer in the light switch looses contact over time and just dims out?

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That certainly can happen, as can corrosion on any of the contacts (that raises the resistance and thus lowers the voltage). The fuse clips may not make the best of contacts. The blue diffusers also go dark with age. Our eyes degrade with time, requiring more light. Have you noticed that women always look better in darken bars? It's only when you take them home that you notice your eyesight is so much better....

Don't forget, it's the best idea to remove the old blue pods as well as installing new led lights, for the brightest illumination.

Greg.

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Uh, pardon my ignorance ... But what is the blue pod part? I don't see anything blue and not sure what a pod is....

The lens was filthy inside and out. I was planning to clean the headlight switch. It's helped in other cars - just wondering if bulbs and regulator might help.

I didn't hear 'beware of those circuit board contacts', but a lot of comments on LEDs. Where would I get LED replacement bulbs?

there is a lot of posts on the led cluster bulb swap ,the blue defusers are in side of the cluster it is well worth the time to read about the led swap they are a vast improvement worth the time to do it

Don't forget, it's the best idea to remove the old blue pods as well as installing new led lights, for the brightest illumination.

Greg.

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Uh, pardon my ignorance ... But what is the blue pod part? I don't see anything blue and not sure what a pod is....

The lens was filthy inside and out. I was planning to clean the headlight switch. It's helped in other cars - just wondering if bulbs and regulator might help.

I didn't hear 'beware of those circuit board contacts', but a lot of comments on LEDs. Where would I get LED replacement bulbs?

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There's a few places people will recommend to purchase bulbs. I got mine from a seller on Ebay and haven't had any issues other than one bulb had an SMD which didn't light when tested. I contacted the seller (showed him the pic below) and he sent me another one, no problem.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-PCS-T10-Vivid-Green-Car-5050-5-SMD-Wedge-Map-Interior-License-Light-168-194-/251704403950?hash=item3a9ac067ee

How many does SMDs does one need for the replacement all of the old ones in the cluster?

Depends. Do you have a tach and gauges or do you have idiot lights? I have 8 left out of 20 and I have the idiot lights which I replaced with the leds.

Tach n gauges. Thx.

This may help. I did switch to LED's, but I bought (from NPD) HiPo Parts 'Extreme LED' set. They include all the bulbs as a kit. I also found that the turn signals did not work until I replaced the original bulbs. I also replaced the headlight switch, but for other reasons. Still was not satisfied with the brightness of that set, I bought the Elite series kit, but yet to be put back in the car. There is another issue I was not aware of. The Elite series seemed to have 1 red bulb short for my idiot light cluster. I questioned this with HiPo Parts techs and was told NOT to use an LED in the ALT. socket. This MUST BE an incandescent bulb or it could damage the circuit. The packaging does indicate this, but could be written better. Google HiPo Parts for more info.

As a side bar, I purchased the tach / idiot light upgrade from our friend Rocketman. Looking forward to seeing it all working soon.

Geoff.

www.superbrightleds.com is where I went last week. Quite please with the results.

I also used medium steel wool to clean up all the contacts. I used double sided tape to get the contacts where the harness goes back in place.