# gauge cluster light burned out



## gtlaw (Jun 24, 2005)

it looks like there are three and the one in the middle between the tach and speedo is burned out. 
can i replace it by taking out the cluster and taking it apart?
is it a standard bulb i can get from an auto parts store?
i guess these are stupid questions, but i just want to make sure before i waste my time taking it apart oh yeah the car is a 91 se-r don't know if that matters or not


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## SergioCR (Sep 18, 2002)

gtlaw said:


> it looks like there are three and the one in the middle between the tach and speedo is burned out.
> can i replace it by taking out the cluster and taking it apart?
> is it a standard bulb i can get from an auto parts store?
> i guess these are stupid questions, but i just want to make sure before i waste my time taking it apart oh yeah the car is a 91 se-r don't know if that matters or not


The bulbs are standard, just take the cluster apart and replace the bulb, i would recomend to replace all of them and get a fresh look to the cluster... and avoid changing another burned right after you changed the first one... 

On 91 and 92 models you have to disconnect the speedometer cable to remove the cluster, one way is to reach behind the cluster and press the lock-down of the cable to release it, but what i do is loose the cable from the transaxle housing (it's screwed to it) then pull everything out then unplug it from speedometer... (i broke one cable trying to release it by reaching behind it... ) also all the cables connected to the cluster has press-locks to keep them in place, be careful when removing them.

Also take note that all original bulbs came with some blue-plastic covering to change the light color, if you put just a bulb it will look "clearer" than the original, i prefer the clear look instead of the other but dont mix them, it looks bad... all clear or all covered.


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## gtlaw (Jun 24, 2005)

definetly going to replace all of them 
thanks :thumbup:


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## HATEnFATE (Dec 24, 2002)

without the "bulb condom" the cluster looks really yellow. I'd stick with the covers to keep the "white" appearance of the guages.


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## SC91B13 (Oct 27, 2005)

when i first got my car nothing lit up in the gauge cluster, so i replaced it and still nothing lights up. Could it be that both clusters are bad??? or is there a fuse for that or some wiring issue??


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## SergioCR (Sep 18, 2002)

SC91B13 said:


> when i first got my car nothing lit up in the gauge cluster, so i replaced it and still nothing lights up. Could it be that both clusters are bad??? or is there a fuse for that or some wiring issue??



...sounds like a fuse to me... check them.


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## RBI*04 (Sep 10, 2004)

i replaced my bulbs with red ones  theyre pretty cool looking. theyre not as bright, but i like them nonetheless.


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## SergioCR (Sep 18, 2002)

RBI*04 said:


> i replaced my bulbs with red ones  theyre pretty cool looking. theyre not as bright, but i like them nonetheless.


...what i found here is some LED bulbs adapted to fit the normal wedge type bulbs... i'll try them soon, they come in white, red, blue, purple and green


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## SC91B13 (Oct 27, 2005)

i checked all my fuses and they all look good...unless the blower fuses could affect it somehow


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## blackmaxima88 (Mar 20, 2005)

I bet you it's the dimmer switch. come on, bet me any money. dimmer switch.

anyway, it's the little wheel switch next to the cruise control button. drive somewhere when it's dark out, turn the lights on, and rotate the wheel back and forth a few times. I bet it works then. mine cuts out intermittently, and suddenly I'll have no instrument panel lights, AC panel lights, or PRND21 lights. gotta play with the knob, they work again.

you can probably get one at a graveyard but that one might be worn out too. best bet is the dealer.

dimmer switch. mark my words.


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## RBI*04 (Sep 10, 2004)

SergioCR said:


> ...what i found here is some LED bulbs adapted to fit the normal wedge type bulbs... i'll try them soon, they come in white, red, blue, purple and green


i had the same idea, but i didnt have enough patiants, cuz you need like the two lil wires so that you can put it into the lil plastic socet and make it all work.....idk but i ended up going with regular bulbs


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## blackmaxima88 (Mar 20, 2005)

it's a 168 bulb, if I remember correctly. actually, I'm about 99.9% sure it's a 168. a 194 will also fit but will be slightly brighter. 

while we're on the subject of instrument clusters, does anyone know where I can get a kit or an overlay to take the white gauges and turn them blue? I know they make them in a reverse-indiglo set somewhere but I can't find any, and the ones I do find are for 95-up which don't have the digital clock. I tried using blue 194 bulbs in there but it dimmed the cluster a LOT and didn't shine through at all.

any ideas?


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## SC91B13 (Oct 27, 2005)

like blackmaxima said the dimmer switch!!! it didnt fix it but im pretty sure its the problem. Mine has some short somewhere because my taillamps went out (???) and kept blowin fuses and i unplugged the dimmer switch and that fixed the problem. so i think its the wiring there but i cant get to it because its behind the dash all crazy what should i do.


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