gearbox

iTrader: (95)

Haha why am I always watchin Jerry Springer when doing this stuff? Anyway, here is how I made my dash lights red, if anyone is interested.

Materials needed:

scissors
red taillight repair tape
a black marker (fine tip)
small tool kit
screwdrivers, flat and star
electrical tape
white office paper
halogen lamp (for testing)

This is the combination that worked for me. You can't just slap tape on and expect it to look good. I had to make some adjustments to ensure the lighting was relatively the same brightness and color for each dial.

Lets start with the three buttons under the radio. Pull them off by taking the console out and unscrewing the assembly from the back side. The top buttons then pop off using a flathead screwdriver from the side. Stick two pieces (layered) of red tape inside each button and put everything back. done.


Next pull off the three control ***** to the left of the stereo. Use the flathead again to pry off the ring assemblies. Look behind the ring assembly and **** to find the stock filter. If sedan, it will be blue/green. If coupe, it will be orange/red. Pull them off of everything and save. Now for the top and bottom dials (not the middle hot/cool dial), I cut and stuck a single layer of red tape using the stock pieces as template. I then cut an additional layer of white paper. This is where the marker helps to trace the filter shape onto the red tape. Put back the dial pieces. Now take off the middle hot/cool dial. You have a choice here. I decided to keep the red and blue color here. In order to do so, carefully remove the stock filter and VERY slowly cut out the blue portion. Put the blue back behind the dial and use e-tape to secure it from one side. Now using the remaining stock red scrap, cut an identical piece from red tape. Stick the tape next to the stock blue strip on the back. This is necessary because the stock red filter is too dark compared to the rest. If you want just red showing for the middle dial, just black out the blue part from the back using a marker. done.

Now for the cruise, moonroof, mirror. I did these a bit more advanced than usual. But the basics involves sticking two pieces of red tape on the back of each switch. You just have to remove the screw in the coin tray and pull the whole thing out. Then push out the switches and unplug. You'll have to figure out how to take each one apart, but it simply involves prying pieces off with the screwdriver again. Now here is where I made adjustments. The cruise and moonroof lights are just too dim compared to the mirror. So I carefully swapped the stock bulbs with a larger one I found from an old gauge cluster. I just unwrapped the wire ends from the holder and wrapped in the new bulb. Just be careful when opening up the mirror cause there are small pieces that could come loose. okay that's all!

Final pics

Al Gore FTW

iTrader: (19)

looks good, what were your stock dash light colors? mine are orangish red, im thinking the sedans are white? cant remember, i drove a sedan for a week though.

scrimp

iTrader: (2)

Sweet thanx gearbox...im gonna have to try it this weekend

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

sedans have the nasty green/yellow lights and are very dim. Even the coupe lights look more pink than red to me.

eddiechaps

iTrader: (10)

the red looks nice. but it got too dull looking for me at night.