• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Issue changing dash light bulbs to LED's

Do not use the speed nuts. Use the screws with the slotted head. The speed nuts are on the gauge itself. The other screws are grounds. If you hook it to the speed nuts you could fry your fuel or temp gauge.


1182122-21c6cdcaefaf13981b1d7ee78b544dce.jpg
 
Thank you for the help. Will do that, extra grounds never hurt. Looking through electrical prints, how does the dash circuit board get to ground?
Have to ask. Is this cluster bolted in place when you are testing the light operation?
 
No. I could be that dog chasing his tail. Yesterday I thought instrument housing was a gray molded plastic, but further inspection it sounds like metal. I see thin metal band straddling top of instrument cluster that would be pinched between plastic instrument surround and metal dash panel. Oh boy, is that how the dash gauges get there ground? But still why would LED’s stay on continuously with key in off position and flash in on position. I’ll still run auxiliary ground mentioned in previous posts.
 
No. I could be that dog chasing his tail. Yesterday I thought instrument housing was a gray molded plastic, but further inspection it sounds like metal. I see thin metal band straddling top of instrument cluster that would be pinched between plastic instrument surround and metal dash panel. Oh boy, is that how the dash gauges get there ground? But still why would LED’s stay on continuously with key in off position and flash in on position. I’ll still run auxiliary ground mentioned in previous posts.
Change one bulb back to the old incandescent style and see if it still does the same thing. It could be the LED's themselves. I got mine from SuperBrightLEDs.com and I punched in the car info they sent me a pack with everything for the gauge cluster.
 
Good evening FBBO'rs. It would seem pnora and Don Frelier and RJRenton got this one. After correcting polarities on the led's, there was still one bulb that would flash when key was turned on. Noticed it would flash after gas gauge would rise and settle at tank level. The flashing bulb socket shared the same ground tracer on the dash circuit board with the gauge voltage regulator. Flashing issue went away after adding a pigtail ground directly to the shared tracer ground of the voltage reg and the offending flashing bulb. I can only figure the volt reg was affecting the shared ground after bringing fuel gauge to operating position.
Many thanks go to you all for the help.
 
Last edited:
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top