The definitive guide to Gen3 S-series instrument cluster bulb replacement

[Sidneyaks]

Originally Posted by green onion

Great post on replacing lights. Can anyone share with me how to replace the lights for the hvac unit esp. the lower one which lights up the three switches, a/c,rear defogger and recycle air switches. thanks

I pulled it apart and they're all incandescent bulbs that are hard soldered into the board. 4 four the backlights, and four for the buttons you mentioned. The little indicator lights above them are orange leds. Is there some special way to make the ones you mented light up, or do they light with the rest of them? All four of mine are non-functional.

I'm gonna try and stick some cool white leds in there when I get them. Promise I'll post pics. =D

[Sidneyaks]

Well, I've got all my bulbs in EXCEPT the hvac controls. A little accident resulted in a cracked circuit board, and no AC until I can get another one. I found that commercial resistor leads are almost universally to big to go into the holes left by the old incandescent bulbs, so I ordered some 3mm neowedge bulbs from superbrightleds. They look like they are constructed in such a way that I can pull the leads back through the circuit board. Will post pics when possible. Also, the leds that indicate when the AC, Defrost, and Recirculation are active seem to be completely replacable with the component leds from SBL.

But as far as the other lights go, there are just a few things that I feel aren't made exactly clear in this thread

1- Use the b8.4 bulbs for best results BUT you still need to bend the tabs down so they make contact with the board. It takes a little bit of fiddling.

2- You will be able to see light and dark areas in your instrument cluster. Not as bad as if you had a burned out bulb, but they are noticeable if your are looking for them.

3- You CAN change the bulb in the automatic transmission indicator. Use WLED-xHP15-TAC bulb from superbright leds. It should be noted though that you will probably have to take the center console completely out because that bulb is almost too long. It takes some serious tinkering to get it back in.

[Dj AEon]

GREAT POST, but...

I have a 2001 Saturn SL1 and dont know the bulb number.

My bulbs that light up the odometer burned out, they are very small bulbs. I have replaced them once before (got them at a pick-your part junkyard for about $1.00 for 10 pieces) anyways they burnt out again and I want to buy colored LED ones this time. I have taken the bulb to auto stores and they cant help(literally). What is the `name of the bulb!! some bulbs have names like t5 and what not. Everyone tells me too look on the bulb or on stickers. Only thing the bulb says is 12v 1.5w as well as a sticker that says; saturn p'n#21025257 and with that I cant get the proper bulb.

A simple answer would be very helpful!
Thanks

[Dj AEon]

great thread, but...

I have a 2001 Saturn SL1 and have a problem.

My bulbs that light up the whole odometer burned out, they are very small bulbs. I have replaced them once before (got them at a pick-your part junkyard for about $1.00 for 10 pieces) anyways they burnt out again and I want to buy colored LED ones this time. I have taken the bulb to auto stores and they cant help(literally) What is the `name of the bulb!! some bulbs have names like t5 and what not. Everyone tells me too look on the bulb or on stickers. Only thing the bulb says is 12v 1.5w as well as a sticker that says; saturn p'n#21025257 and with that I cant get the proper bulb.
ALSO THEY LOOK EXACTLY like the blue one your holding in your hand.
A simple answer would be very helpful!
Thanks

[silvergagt04]

I know forums are to forward and discuss information, but why can't anyone do any research for themselves?

In one hour I found the info your looking for. Found a place online that sells them and found the part number. It wasn't hard at all.

Here is a link. https://www.belmetric.com/ob2452mfx6...ath=18_156_189
Your welcome.

[caveeagle]

Yo silver....

I don't understand people that get angry over this type of question on a forum.

If you really feel that way about it, then just move on to the next thread, dude!

Spending your time answering the question, and them making someone feel cr@PPy about it, is just NOT cool.

I have spent time on several other forums over years. I spend most of my time here, ......because this is a safe environment ,(relatively) free from people with bad attitudes. Notice my avitar? I drive an 04 svt cobra on most days. I will not spend any amount of time on any of the modern mustang forums I have found. You can get flamed over there, for even the smallest indescretion. If you ask a question that had been answered 2 years ago, and you could not find after 10m of searching, you get flamed with all sorts of negativity.

Be cool! ...be kind.

[jsevinsk]

Originally Posted by silvergagt04

Found a place online that sells them and found the part number. It wasn't hard at all.

Here is a link. https://www.belmetric.com/ob2452mfx6...ath=18_156_189
Your welcome.

Hmm, those are beige. The bulbs in my instrument cluster are blue. That same web site sells blue bulbs too, here:

https://www.belmetric.com/ob2351mfx6...ath=18_156_189

But these say 1.2W. I think the blue bulbs in my cluster say 1.5W from what I remember. I guess the beige bulbs are the right bulbs?

[jsevinsk]

Holy cow, that place wants almost $10 shipping whether I buy 1 or 100 bulbs. I'm thinking of ordering a bunch of them and then reselling them with reasonable shipping prices.

[Sidneyaks]

Ok, I've got about half the bulbs in my HVAC cluster, and they look good, but I only have half because I managed to mangle the other half trying to figure out how to get them out of the plastic housing. Will have tut's with videos soon.

[jsevinsk]

Originally Posted by silvergagt04

In one hour I found the info your looking for. Found a place online that sells them and found the part number. It wasn't hard at all.

Here is a link. https://www.belmetric.com/ob2452mfx6...ath=18_156_189
Your welcome.

I just picked up ten of these. They worked great! Thanks for the tip.

[silvergagt04]

Your welcome. Now we have a link for those that are interested in just replacing the bulbs. And they are cheaper then the dealer.

[ahkistler]

I didn't read a mention of it in the thread: Do the LEDs flicker? Seems like they might if the dimmer is PWM (maybe it's a cap?)

[Z440mx]

Originally Posted by caveeagle

Yo silver....

I don't understand people that get angry over this type of question on a forum.

If you really feel that way about it, then just move on to the next thread, dude!

Spending your time answering the question, and them making someone feel cr@PPy about it, is just NOT cool.

I have spent time on several other forums over years. I spend most of my time here, ......because this is a safe environment ,(relatively) free from people with bad attitudes. Notice my avitar? I drive an 04 svt cobra on most days. I will not spend any amount of time on any of the modern mustang forums I have found. You can get flamed over there, for even the smallest indescretion. If you ask a question that had been answered 2 years ago, and you could not find after 10m of searching, you get flamed with all sorts of negativity.

Be cool! ...be kind.

nicely said

[Z440mx]

in regards to bulb #s..... I'm in the process of swapping gauge clusters in my 99 Saturn sc2. Before everyone says "do a search, their are posts everywhere about this" lol, Ive looked atthem. But they are for the 95s or the 02+ Sc2. My question is what are the LED bulb numbers my 99 sc2 needs for the instrument cluster bulbs? And also anyway to change the odometer mileage? Thank you in advance for the expertise.

[blackforest]

I dont own an S series but i do own a nice L series. the gauges from what i can see are pretty much the same. heres what ive done with the two opera lights "two blue LEDs" and a 2004 L gauge in an 02 l series

the first two pics are the final product im satisfied with.
the rest are my experiments and trials with other colors/options

[ahkistler]

Just swapped mine, as my opera lights were dead. Just a thought, it looks like the opera lights are accessible by just pulling the top cushion off. No need to pull everything if all you're need is to see your needles again .

I forgot to put the cardboard back in, and don't really intend to pull apart the dash again unless I have to. I'm I correct in assuming it's not particularly important? (seems to just be a dust cover)

[ahkistler]

Well shiat. I tried looking at the lights before I put it together, but it was too light outside. "It's prob fine" I thought. I go look at it once it gets dark, and I now ONLY have opera lights. I suppose this is better than what I had before, but I don't much like it.

I ripped it apart again, and tried both orientations, wiggled it around while I had my lights switched on. I tried putting the old bulbs back in, but they don't work anymore.

Thoughts?

[ahkistler]

Ripped apart the cluster, turns out that the legs weren't touching the pad.

Also found out that with my car, at least, I can pull the cluster out with only removing the top cushion pad and the two screws in the cluster. No need to pull apart the rest of the dash.

[FullNelson13]

yea all you have to do is take off the front bezel...

[gelleee]

when replacing the DRL bulb does it have to be green as well? or is the plastic face tinted green?