Change colour of your dash lights

Change colour of your dash lights

Postby iamkwijibo on Sun, 18 Nov 2012 9:58 +0000

Now that I'm finished I thought I'd show you all how I changed all my green dash lights to blue.
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You need a total of 8 LED bulbs, 3xT3 neo wedge, 2xT4 neo wedge, 2xT5 wide angle wedge and one T4 neo wedge with the plastic housing removed. This will do the 2 HVAC, 1 a/c, 1 ash tray, 1 cig socket, 1 de-mister, 1 power heat and the auto gear selecter light.
I got all my LED's from eBay as no one local sold any smaller than a T5 and the T5 I did try was too much of a spot light and not enough spread. I also tried using the silicone covers but they were no good the end result was more of a white light than blue.
To change the instrument cluster to another colour you will need cellophane or a similar translucent plastic in the colour of your choice.

- Start by pulling off the HVAC knobs and remove the screw from behind the middle one, then pull the stereo/HVAC surround off, and unclip all the wires .
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- Remove the white HVAC control board by pressing down on the tabs on either side of it.
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- To make it easier I then removed the "fresh/recirc" slider by pushing in on the tabs on either side, you can get to the other one by changing it from fresh to recirc etc.
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- You can then remove the 2 bulbs and swap them for the T4 LED's.
- While you have the surround off remove the A/C switch and swap over that bulb.
You may need to drill out the hole a bit deeper like I did if your bulbs are a bit longer than the originals like mine were.
Don't try and force it as they are quite fragile and will break the internal soldering.
The LED's are also polarity sensitive so test if you have it in the right way round before you put everthing back together.
But whatever you do, DO NOT try and change the bulb around while the lights are on as you WILL do serious damage to your switches, as stupid me found out :shock: :oops:
- Reach in above the ash tray and pull out the light and swap this for a T5 wide angle bulb you can also remove the green lens, it just pops out.
- Put your A/C switch back in, clip on the fresh/recirc and put the HVAC back in place and put the stereo surround on.
- To change the cig socket light and the rear demister, reach behind and push the whole panel out, it's only held in by clips.
- Change the demister bulb the same way as the A/C switch
- Remove the bulb holder from the cig socket and push the bulb up and out of the holder
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- De-solder the bulb from the pins, remove the T4 LED bulb from its holder and solder in your T4 LED bulb to the pins and place back in the holder and reassemble everthing
- The power heat can be accessed by reaching behind and pushing the whole switch panel forward and out, you can then use the last T3 bulb in the same way as for the A/C switch.
- Now for the Auto gear light (if you have an auto that is) remove the small cover under the handbrake by pulling it up, unscrew the gear knobs, remove the centre consol by pulling it up from just in front of the lid for the centre box thingy and it should pop out. Gently pry off the cover from around the auto stick and remove the bulb holder and swap the bulb over for a T5 wide angle, then put it all back together.
- Now for the instrument cluster, it's probably a good idea to disconnect the battery before starting this bit to protect the ECU, there is one screw in the middle at the top to remove then the whole thing can be pulled out exposing the console.
- Remove the screws and pull the console out and unplug the wires. Take off the tinted cover by gently prying at the tabs.
- Remove the covers from the instrument gauges by lifting from the tip being carefull to only lift the cover not the needle.
- Remove the needles from the black dials by prying the tabs.
- Gently pry the dial straight up off the console.
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- Take the face off the console and cover the console with your cellophane I used 3 layers of blue but will probably switch back to 2 layers as it is a bit dark during the day. Make sure it is tight and smooth over the odometer, the rest is not so important
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- Use tape to hold it in place as you go
- Put the face back on and trim the cellophane from the edges and the holes in the middle using the face as a guide for the holes.
- Put the dials back on making sure the needles are pointing the right way by aiming them slightly above the "zero" mark and turning them to back to zero.
- Reassemble the console and put your dash back together and enjoy the blue glow :D
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Obviously this takes some level of skill so attempt this is all at your own risk.
If you need more pics or more info I'm happy to help :)
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby Dave on Sun, 18 Nov 2012 10:09 +0000

Nice one, thanks for sharing that howto, top work :)
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby Loosey on Sun, 18 Nov 2012 10:27 +0000

Awesome write up mate! Top stuff!

Would love to do this in an amber/orange colour!
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby Mason85 on Mon, 19 Nov 2012 5:20 +0000

That looks awesome. Gonna definitely do this mod!!

Just bought all the globes. Think it cost me around $25 delivered.
Last edited by Mason85 on Mon, 19 Nov 2012 7:08 +0000, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby Dandan_72 on Mon, 19 Nov 2012 7:07 +0000

Nice work. I have done the same ting with the dash lights but instead of using sellophane I used a plastic see through blue folder pocket, if that makes any sense. I got it from the local newsagent and it was like $3.00 or so. Real cheap and effective little mod.
Anyway I chose this so i didnt have to remove the needle dial things on the dash. I was able to cut it out with sissors and slide it between the face and the housing, which can be a little tricky, and then just so it doesnt move use some sticky tape to hold it. Worked a treat.
I was just a bit skeptical of removing the needles and then trying to line them back up were they were as I have already tried that.
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby Dandan_72 on Mon, 19 Nov 2012 7:18 +0000

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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby Mason85 on Mon, 19 Nov 2012 7:21 +0000

What sort of timeframe to get the instrument cluster done??
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby Dandan_72 on Mon, 19 Nov 2012 7:26 +0000

I would say not much over half hour if you know how to pull everything apart. At least allow an hour or so to be sure tho
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby Mason85 on Mon, 19 Nov 2012 8:41 +0000

Sweet. Shouldn't be too hard. Little worried bout taking the dials off but from your instructions doesn't look that difficult....
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby iamkwijibo on Mon, 19 Nov 2012 10:54 +0000

Thanks guys

It probably took me longer to figure out exactly what to do than it did to do it

Good idea dandan that looks great. I think I like your way better as it is a lot more sturdy.
Did it add much bulk or slip in easy enough?
I was hesitant to use the cellophane as it is a bit flimsy but it all worked out in the end, plus there is a huge range of colours.

The hardest part of getting the dial off is that it feels stuck but if you pull it nice and straight it will come off.
I did find a guy on eBay that can fully customize your whole dial face to just about any colour or pattern you can think of, but not cheap

When you are putting the dials back on if you spin them you can feel them stop at zero and that is how I lined them back up.
You could even take a photo before you start to make sure you put them back exactly as before ie with the fuel mine usually goes a bit bellow the "E"
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby Dandan_72 on Tue, 20 Nov 2012 7:06 +0000

Na didnt add any bulk and yeah it sliped in pretty easily. It worked for me.
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby cruizzee on Sat, 02 Feb 2013 7:47 +0000

Hey great write up with lots of pics
Thanks heaps as it made it easier.
With the a/c switch I hit a snag in a big way..... First I Poped out globe and changed it, tested it and I couldn't see blue light but still a green one as my aircon was on at the time
I crapped myself thinking been sent green ones then relished there's still a globe in there soldered to the circuit board of switch which activates when switch on, me being me thinking I would just pop it of and it would be sweet......not lol
Managed to get it working but still got green light when switch is on
Any one else's switch the same..and have you just left it green.
Thanks again for write up..
2009 hilux SR5 stock as with a huge wish list and no money tree.....
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby iamkwijibo on Sun, 03 Feb 2013 5:42 +0000

cruizzee wrote:Hey great write up with lots of pics
Thanks heaps as it made it easier.
With the a/c switch I hit a snag in a big way..... First I Poped out globe and changed it, tested it and I couldn't see blue light but still a green one as my aircon was on at the time
I crapped myself thinking been sent green ones then relished there's still a globe in there soldered to the circuit board of switch which activates when switch on, me being me thinking I would just pop it of and it would be sweet......not lol
Managed to get it working but still got green light when switch is on
Any one else's switch the same..and have you just left it green.
Thanks again for write up..

Happy to help:)
I only changed the light that comes on with the lights switch so only the "A/C" is blue and the light to say its on is still green, same as the demister and power heat, only the logo is blue, the light to show they ON is still orange
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby cruizzee on Wed, 06 Feb 2013 5:45 +0000

Thanks for clearing that up for me, at least now I can do the other two switches and not break them lol
2009 hilux SR5 stock as with a huge wish list and no money tree.....
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby kixx on Mon, 15 Apr 2013 11:45 +0000

Credit where credit is due, absolutely brilliant write up - plenty of detail, pictures and where to get the parts.
Keep it up as its things like this that make this forum worth being a member.

Cheers!

*EDIT*
Today my partner and I had a go at this mod (instrument cluster only) and happy to say only took 1hr flat to do, pretty straight forward though a bit fiddly. I had my partner draw up the cluster stencil and cut the template with sections I wanted to remain standard colours (oil warning, 4x4 icon, odo meter etc).
At first I was quite hesitant to remove the needles as I didnt wanna screw up my cluster accuracy, resorted to the photo technique to ensure I had them back correctly.
Will post photos of my progress/results later tonight.
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby Blownv6lux on Thu, 06 Jun 2013 6:35 +0000

ive done this minus the taco face. when I get around to it. nice and easy to do :) thanks
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby Moiv on Sat, 25 Jan 2014 9:53 +0000

Can someone confirm the size of the lights behind the HVAC controls is T4?
What is neo wedge?

I know the ones behind there are a tiny bulb in some kind of plastic holder
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby fubar on Sat, 25 Jan 2014 10:21 +0000

http://youtu.be/pKq1zZxsX3w

http://youtu.be/PNX8mn_BFKE

Also look at other nice helping vids from same youtube user
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby Xdfrightener1993 on Thu, 10 Sep 2015 10:37 +0000

Is there another way to change the cluster lights other then cellophane? There has to be a changeable bulb Iin there somewhere right?
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Re: Change colour of your dash lights

Postby TOYZX on Thu, 10 Sep 2015 11:16 +0000

Not in less you want to strip it down to the board, unsold error and solder in new leds! Can be do if ya track down the correct leds, very fiddley prick of a job! Cellophane works well!
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