lexusk8

I'm really getting tired of the look of my instrument gauge cluster in my '96 ES. My needles are fine, it's the backlighting that bothers me. Right now, it's looking very yellow everywhere (it only sees nice at nighttime).



I'm wondering if it's possible to utilize backlighting bulbs out of a 2nd-gen SC or '98+, which give off a bright whitish look like this one:



If anyone knows anything about this kind of "conversion", please let me know and/or post on this thread. Thanks

Oh, and FYI, the bulbs from '97+ ES don't fit into the 1st-gen ES because of the socket size; the white-looking gauges on the 2nd-gen ES are an eye-catcher!

skperformance

iTrader: (6)

do you have problems with a dead battery ever?
if so the problem is related to the alternator
i know it make no sense but the starting voltage is a predetermined factor to the power over that period

don't know why
if i have a low batt at start mine are just as yellow if i hook up a charger and let it have a nice 14.4vdc at start they will be like new
i thought it was the bulbs so i changed all mine 2 years ago

you can buy the bulbs from the dealer they are small and about 3 bucks a piece
comes with a new base and a blue condom over it to filter yellow light
also your bulbs may be a bit old and being a filament bulb they do yello after a while

my alternator work perfect when it wants to but never when hot and at idle it just doesn't keep the power up at 14.4 vdc it drops to 11.2vdc when hot
this is a problem with the 1mz-fe alternator as i know a few people with the same problem

to prove it open the windows when at idle and see how slow it is
give it gas a bit and they go back to normal

hope this round about answer helps

Baby Lex

I've heard of people taking the gauges off to reach the bulbs that illuminate the speedo, and replacing them with a better bulb, such as hyper white or whatever. I think they are the 194 type bulb or smaller. But I could be wrong.

skperformance

iTrader: (6)

well if you want to use silicone and sut wires sure you could butcher up the back actually it might look nice and white but they are too big even to fit in the holes back there i had never seen such tu=iny bulbs before and the 194 (peanut ones already are small)

jdoballer

the bulb for the instrument panel is a 194 i checked it out on sylvania's web site they give you a complete run down of any bulb you want to replace.

D

lexusk8

I got my battery and alternator tested today, and they both came out good, 14.35V and 13.9V respectively. So I'm pretty sure the low dimming of my instrument lights have nothing to do with the condition of the battery or the alternator. I guess there's no choice except to replace all the bulbs. The SC bulbs look like they should work on my ES though, I'll have to look more into that. FYI, the P/N of the 1st-gen ES instrument bulbs is 83119-24570 (priced from $4 to $6 per bulb). I'm not sure about the 194 P/N for the instrument panel you guys are talking about, but I would think that's for what's behind the climate control and stereo system.

At any rate, here's some related eye candy of the interior of a fellow CL member's SC400 (picture taken from a previous CL meet in NYC). His instrument gauge cluster contains the original lights on the left side, and LS lights on the right side.

skperformance

iTrader: (6)

i am not sure which year you are looking at but the 94 dash is 100% not a 194 bulb
i am pretty sure also all 92-96 have the same dash

the bulbs used are much smaller than them
not sure why it lists them as the only ones i can remember is the rear license plate bulbs
they are also not just bulbs they are made with a screw lock base

it is actually really easy to change them

to me the pic of the sc one has lots of dead spots or dark areas
so the colour is nice but doesn't work
kinda like blue headlight bulbs
look great but don't work worth a damn

later

lexusk8

Actually, the rear license plate lights are the 168 type, not 194. The 194 goes with the step/courtesy lights, and the trunk light. These parts are for the 1st-gen ES.

spdwyvette

I concur, the bulb is NOT a 194.... the site, and book are WRONG. It isn't a 74, and it isn't a 24 either. It's some wierd size, that I'm guessing will have to be purchased through Lexus-san! I was visiting the Lexus dealership this week, and inquired about the bulb carrier. The cost is $2.61 each for the socket, and I'm not sure it comes w/ a bulb. The part number is a generic Toyota # (83101-24010). I'm heading over to Toyota tomorrow to see what they have and find out the real size on this bulb.

spdwyvette
(2001 Corvette, 1993 E300)

skperformance

iTrader: (6)

ok call it what you will
i replaced mine with a 194 super white

and it fit fine