Gauge Cluster Lights
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Gauge Cluster Lights
I have been searching on this forums and have not been able to find my answer. If someone could please help it'd be greatly appreciated!
My '99 Explorer XLT has a few lights out in the gauge cluster. It makes it hard to see my speed, gas level, and my temp. I plan on replacing all bulbs, but need to know how many bulbs there are and what sizes.
My '99 Explorer XLT has a few lights out in the gauge cluster. It makes it hard to see my speed, gas level, and my temp. I plan on replacing all bulbs, but need to know how many bulbs there are and what sizes.
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Not to sound rude, but that was my intentions. I was wanting all sizes and the numbers. My brother has an account at the auto parts store in my town, so we get great deals. I bought a pack (10) of sized 194, I believe, for only $2.11. I was wondering if those where usable and to where.
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The manual says to see dealer for these bulbs (money maker for them). I have replaced mine before, just don't remember the number, but something tells me that they are the same as the dome lights (161 or 168). Your best bet will proble take the panel apart and look at the bulb itself. I drove around to the part store with the panel in half ash and it didn't go anywhere. Then again I'm only 3 blocks from the store.
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It told me that to see dealership. I called them and they said I have to replace the whole cluster. Yeah I am not forking out how ever much money that'll be. Thanks though!
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Hmm, on my cars, not the same as yours, it actually tells me what to use.
There are various websites that can pull up the right bulb numbers, but most online catalogs cannot tell you how many are needed.
There are various websites that can pull up the right bulb numbers, but most online catalogs cannot tell you how many are needed.
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There are 6 in the gauge cluster and 2 more in the heater control panel. Ther are all 3W T10 bulbs. Why don't you replace them all with LED bulbs which use a lot less power and are brighter? You will have to plug the light switch and the dimmer control back in to make sure they light as you fit them as LEDs only work one way round. There are many LEDs avalable on ebay.
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Uhm, first off. LEDs do you less power. However they are NOT brighter. In fact, they are so much dimmer that in order to get adequate brightness, you need to color match them to your cluster (a standard white LED will not do). So if your cluster lights up green, you need to use a green LED, and if is lights up blue, you have to use a blue LED.
The primary benefits of LEDS is lower power consumption and long life. Brightness is not one of their features.
The primary benefits of LEDS is lower power consumption and long life. Brightness is not one of their features.
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Uhm, first off. LEDs do you less power. However they are NOT brighter. In fact, they are so much dimmer that in order to get adequate brightness, you need to color match them to your cluster (a standard white LED will not do). So if your cluster lights up green, you need to use a green LED, and if is lights up blue, you have to use a blue LED.
The primary benefits of LEDS is lower power consumption and long life. Brightness is not one of their features.
The primary benefits of LEDS is lower power consumption and long life. Brightness is not one of their features.
are you sure about the color issue? i believe it would be the same for reg. bulbs. I know my bulbs are clear but the dash lights up green, or red depending on the gauge there (temp hot, bat dead ect.)
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Absolutely sure about the color issue. With an incandescent bulb, they are bright enough that you can afford to filter out some of the light and still be bright enough to light up the display. But take an LED, which is much dimmer, then try filtering out all but the green light, and you will find yourself wishing you hadn't spent so much money doing it wrong.
To do it properly on an instrument cluster, you need to replace the stock bulbs with an LED strip light, the only way to compensate for the LEDS lack or brightness is you use more of them. They sell these LEDS that are mounted to a strip, which you would loop around the inside of the cluster housing to disperse light evenly from around the back. This would provide good light for all the colors.
To do it properly on an instrument cluster, you need to replace the stock bulbs with an LED strip light, the only way to compensate for the LEDS lack or brightness is you use more of them. They sell these LEDS that are mounted to a strip, which you would loop around the inside of the cluster housing to disperse light evenly from around the back. This would provide good light for all the colors.
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I will check my user manual but does anyone know if the 2001 Sport Trac has the same cluster.
I am losing lights too. I guess after 120k miles they have served their purpose.
Right now I can only see if I am going up to 15 mph, or over 90.. nothing in between.
I am losing lights too. I guess after 120k miles they have served their purpose.
Right now I can only see if I am going up to 15 mph, or over 90.. nothing in between.
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