Dashboard Lighting

Hi One of my dashboard gauge lights have blown and I'm curious to know if anyone has ever changed their tungsten gauge lamps to LED...? Given the lifespan of LED elements and the brightness/colour options, it seems to make sense, but will it play nice with the CANBUS? Rgd's Timlin

Same thing just happened to me. All of the numbers light up. All of the gauges work properly. The backlights in the gauge cluster are dead. Is this the same that happened to you? How did you fix it if so? Ron

https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...or-change.html

You need to remove and partially disassemble the gauge cluster to replace the bulbs. Pelican sells the replacement bulbs. The bulbs are fairly easy to replace, but the LCD display wells are not really configured to install a different bulb type. You can't just wire in a different bulb flavor - the circuitry is a flexible printed circuit board. The LCD wells are really deep, and you can't just hog out the hole without damaging the flexible PCB. I tried positioning a programmable (multi-color) LED behind the speedo LCD well, but the results were terrible; I went back to the factory bulbs. It's not impossible to do an LED conversion, but it is definitely not a casual undertaking. Inside the gauge cluster looks like the guts of a 70's calculator - it's pretty archaic in there. I put together a rudimentary DIY for removing the gauge cluster: https://996outpost.com/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=358

www.sportscarleds.com I got the kit from these guys and changed out not just the cluster lights, but all the backlit buttons as well.

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Thanks for the write up on how to remove the cluster - within my level of expertise 🙂. Most of the responses refer to replacing the bulbs. Would all of the bulbs �blow� at the same time or should I be tracking down a cause for the backlights in the cluster to be out. Other than that, the cluster works perfectly. I would hate to replace the bulbs and that�s not the real issue.

For what it is worth, But, when i bought the car the radio was all sorts of messed up and the cluster lights would go out after about 5 seconds of turning on the light switch. I replaced the radio and low and behold the dash lights all worked again. It was the original radio which I believe had a short that was somehow feeding back and stopping the dash lights from working. like you the cluster was fine apart from the lights. Not sure if this is of any use. Just what happened to me.

The bulb for my speedo LCD well burned out; all the other bulbs in the cluster were fine. It could also be that the bulb is fine but some oxidation has built up between the bulb and the PCB. The LCDs in the gauge cluster are just as fragile as those in the HVAC controls - be careful if you decide to disassemble.

Has sportscarleds.com gone out of business? I have a 2003 Carreras cabriolet, and instrument lights are hard to read w/ top down and sunglasses on, would love to switch them out to led’s if I could find out what “twist-in” bulbs to buy. Any suggestions? Maybe superbrights have the twist in’s or do I need to make them up myself. What bulb numbers do I need? Thanks in advance for any help. I’ve had my instrument pod off before cleaning it, so that’s not too hard.

Only 996.1 use the actual “bulbs” for the dash lights. For the 996.2 you will have LEDs soldered on a PCB. There are a couple of how-to’s on this and 6speed forum of how to update the 996.2 LEDs if you are brave enough.

Forgot to mention I have a 996.2 and would like too, maybe in stages, start with the twist out bulbs to led’s first, and see how that looks, then upgrade to other led ‘s as I like. To maybe either warm white or bright white. I’m 80, so unless I get very s ecif pointers, I tend to go slower than in past years. I can solder, and have a new solder gun, but haven’t used it much. Need to practice w/ small tip and little jobs before I tackle a circuit board. Thanks

So, I’ve got my cluster out, and I haven’t opened the back circuit board yet, as I see there aren’t any bulbs at the bottom where the warning lights are. I can lift up the thin plastic piece that has the printed warning signs on it at the far right corner, and look does the tube and see the telltail look of yellow square LED light. So, my car was built on Dec. 2, 2002, and it looks like I’m cluster has all LEDs. So, I still need directions as to how to replace the main led’s as they’re not very bright at all and orange. I’d like to put in a brighter LED and make them warm, or bright white. The warning lights at the bottom are fine, and I don’t need to change them. Would anyone be able to help on directions and LEDs to buy?, to just make the gauges brighter? I would appreciate it very much. I contacted a couple of shops in Ca., and most won’t work on anything newer than 1990, but one, Ikarz, would, but it would be about $5-800. So, that lets that one out. Thanks for any help anyone can give, Dave

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See Post #3 which links to a DIY on updating 996.1 dash LEDs. In that thread there is a link to a very thorough DIY on updating 996.2 LEDs on the 6speed forum. https://www.6speedonline.com/forums/...or-change.html

So, I’ve discovered that my 996 was made in Dec.2, 2002, and may have been among the first to ha e all LEDsin the instrument cluster. Now being about 19 yrs. old, I’m thinking the LEDs could be getting tired, as they’re not as bright as I would like. And the orange color was good back then, I would prefer a warm or bright whit controlled by the dimmer. In my case I really only need my gauges, the two windows below the gauges, and the turn indicators to be brighter minus the orange color. And at 80 now, I would like to find someone or service that would be better adapted to change the one’s out for me. So, I’m wondering if you or anyone else, or service you could recommend to me for making this upgrade possible. I’ve contacted some in Palo Alto and LA, but they only work on 1990 and earlier, and one in Bakersville that does this, but price was $5-800. Much more than I can do. If you might know a service that could,would help for a more reasonable price, I would appreciate the help. Thanks, Dave