Changing dash lights

**verbal** · 10-28-2002 06:06 PM

A friend just changed all his dash lights (including radio) to blue. I haven't seen it yet, but I'm sure it looks sweet. He soldered most of the LEDs. He said that the all dash lights, except radio of course, have a socket. He said he ordered lights that should fit in the sockets.

Anybody do anything like this?

**tekan** · 10-29-2002 10:52 AM

I used the bulb condoms availabe at partsxpress.com in the red variet. I did the AC control bulbs (2x) and the blubs on the circuit board under the radio controls (possibly 4 or 6x). There was no soldering involved there, just removing the green cover and slipping on the red.
The color under the radio controls is a very nice red. The color under the AC controls is less appealing, almost a blurred and faded red, bordering on a cream red due to the plastic that it shines through.
What soldering did your friend do? Replacing the bulbs on the radio board?

**verbal** · 10-30-2002 07:15 AM

He actually soldered most of the bulbs in place. He says the dash looks dark blue.

He said that most, if not all, of the bulbs in the dash, excluding the radio, are just sockets with a blub. And a condom over the bulb. He sent me a site that sells blubs that should fit in those sockets. I just need to find out how many there are, and what voltage(s) I need. Then I think I'm going to pay him to do my radio.

Anybody know of a site that sells blue clock LCDs? The green clock LCD slightly throws off the whole blue scheme. I would like to find one thats blue. Would be very nice.

**tekan** · 10-30-2002 07:33 AM

What are you doing (or what has he done) about the green LCD panel for the radio and the green odometer in the main cluster? I've heard rumor of being able to change those colors, but I would think its even more involved than just a little soldering and wire clipping. Same thing goes for the clock I guess. Maybe you could find blue 7-segment displays... hmm... that might actually work. I plan on ditching that panel anyway, so I'll dig in there and figure that out.

**verbal** · 10-30-2002 08:07 AM

The odometer and radio panels just have lights behind them. He just changed the lights.

**02WRX82** · 11-01-2002 07:52 AM

do you know what led's were used? i did the bulb condom blues but it looks like a teal color and i would like to have it Dark blue like the leds.

**Malico** · 11-01-2002 08:35 AM

I am Verbal's Friend who did the mod...

I am still putting the finishing touches on it but will post the results here when complete. Also I plan to make a complete detailed write-up with pics when I am done, if you want me to email it to you, send an email to me ( email in profile ) with LED MOD in subject line. I will save your email and send it to you when I complete it. Will be 3-4 weeks most likely

Here is a quick summary of the mod though

Difficulty - High ( Depends on your electronics knowledge )
Approx Time - 3-4 hours
Approx Cost - $120

The Fog/Cruise lights & Radio are done with solidering new LED's and resistors in place of the old incandesent bulbs.

The HVAC can be done with either plug-in LED's or solider LED's in.

The Gauges I am currently working on, the bulbs I am using are burning out and I am waiting on a different type of LED to come in. The downfall to that is a 4-6 week delivery time ( 2 weeks already ). I am going to attempt something this weekend that may be more viable and look better than the ones I am waiting for.

To the person asking about the LCD's in the Radio and Odo, they are EASILY changable. The best way to describe the total look of the car interior now at night is that of the Jetta's interior lights. The similar electric blue.

Here is a pic of the Radio portion from someone I have been working with on this mod. Note he has not done his dash yet...

**cranium** · 11-02-2002 10:19 PM

So the ones for the AC, are they bulbs or LED's? If they are bulbs, do you happen to know the size?

**verbal** · 11-03-2002 10:33 AM

http://www.netdisty.net/ds/WF150/

Supposedly those will fit in the gauges and HVAC.

**206WRX_GDA** · 11-05-2002 11:50 PM

let's get some instructions and pics! I wanna go all red or super white...

**GTIWRX** · 11-07-2002 05:39 PM

if its worth anything to anyone...i changed my bulbs in the back of my autometer gauges to just those super cobalt blue leds....its real easy to do..just fiund out what your leds are rated for then use ohms law to determine the resistors needed.

**chobits** · 11-19-2002 01:06 PM

Originally posted by verbal
http://www.netdisty.net/ds/WF150/

Supposedly those will fit in the gauges and HVAC.

u sure right?
i wanna buy one, but ..... how many bulb i need if i wanna change all green in the interior to cool white?

**verbal** · 11-19-2002 04:09 PM

6 for the gauges, 2 for the HVAC.

**MrKeg** · 11-21-2002 12:17 PM

I am in the middle of the exact same mod so I'm looking forward to Malico's writeup.

Has anyone found LED replacements for the dome and map lights? I couldn't find anything and had to improvise.

-MK