T-10 Inverted LED lit gauge cluster

[PappaSmurf]

First you have to order the T-10 Inverted LEDs. I bought mine from keyrazyleds.com.

Once you obtain them then do the following to the "T" and there will be no mistakes and/or questions, (unless you are aleroracing).

First remove these two screws with a 7mm socket (all of the screws that need to be removed are with a 7mm socket):


Then unclip the trip-ometer thingy:


Remove the following four screws:


At this time, reach in with both hands and grab a hold of your gauge cluster, and pull it on towards you, and then unclip the following:


After removing the clip you should have your cluster in your hands. Flip it on its front to where the back is facing you. Remove the black cover by unclipping the holders that are in place:


Look for the FIVE big lights and twist them to where you are able to pull them out. They are located by the red arrows:


You should then remove the original bulb and its "legs" if possible. I used a pocket knife and scraped the legs off the sides of the holder before trying to pull the bulb out. The bent legs are soldered in place. HINT HINT.

This is a shot of a T-10 inverted cone LED. Take the "legs" of the LED and straighten them out. DO NOT REMOVE them!


This is what your LED should look like when you straightened your "legs." NO DIRTY THOUGHTS!!!!


Put the straightened leg LED back through the original bulb holder and bend then "legs" as to look like the original bulb.


Take a pair of needle nose pliers and smoosh the "legs" down to the sides of the tabs to make the contact once installed on the electrical board.


Replace the bulbs into their holes on the electrical board and reconnect the BIG clip to the gauge cluster. DO NOT RE-INSTALL THE GAUGE CLUSTER!!! You are only doing this to make sure that the bulbs are working. I found it easier to do one bulb at a time. You might have a different method that works for you, Great. If one of the lights does not light up, simply remove it and turn it around (180 degrees) and then put it back in and see if it works. As with most LEDs, (and some people I wish I didn't know) these are what I refer to as Bi-polar. If they dont work one way, turn them around and they work perfectly.

Once you are satisfied now that all of your lights work, reinstall everything using the reverse method of taking things off.

Then sit back and enjoy the new glow of your gauge cluster with LEDs.


I would like to thank Cherryington as he was the most helpful (and doubtful of the T-10 LEDs) as to what to do and the Idea behind me modding my gauge cluster with NO HOTSPOTS!!!
-Smurf-

[cherrington17]

looks good. nice write up!

thanks for the contribution!

(btw... i'm skeptical of EVERYTHING at first. )

[PappaSmurf]

I know what you mean! I am the "I'll believe it when I see it" kind. Luckily the inverted bulbs look good in the gauge cluster. I will show you what I mean about the HOTSPOT in the shifter area at ASS 09.
-Smurf-

Superbrightleds.com has them too, thats where I got mine.

[hok666]

Wow! the T-10s are huge... great job

[hok666]

oh and it looks like you used 5 t-10s?? is that correct?

yep there are 5 t10s/194s.

[AbHeLlRaZoR]

sweet, it's cheaper than getting reverse halo gages I might do this but in red.
Edit: I assume the shifter lights in your mod thread was simple to do true or false?

[PappaSmurf]

Abhellrazor,
TRUE, all you do is pry up on the shifter area until the left side (side closest to the drivers leg) is up enough for you to stick your hand in and twist the bulb out. Once the bulb is out, just replace the original bulb with the LED bulb and replace the whole thing. It is deffinitely easier than you think it is.
Seriously, go outside RIGHT NOW (take a small flat head screwdriver with you) and try prying up (slowly) on the shifter area, it'll pop right up and you'll see what I mean about the rest. If you want turn your lights on while doing this to help you find the original bulb.
-Smurf-

Edit:
The only thing that I really dont care for is that this mod will turn your needles the same as your numbers. It doesnt bother me too much because I love the look of blue LEDs. Hence all the lights on my car, LOL.
I am looking into maybe getting some of those purple or red glowing needle kits.
-Smurf-

[Nate's Alero]

Im just trying to figure this out,

how many 194 Bulbs In the entire car?

5 For the gauge cluster

2 for footwells

3 for dome light

2 for mirror accent lights

3 for PRND321 Shifter

so 15 total?

and will you get the fade out accent lighting with LED's as you do with traditonal bulbs

[cherrington17]

yes, they will fade out.

[Nate's Alero]

Originally Posted by cherrington17

yes, they will fade out.

ok, then ima be the next yellow spotlight

[02AleroEco]

The leds f$^@&* my interior lights up. Now my dash lights dont work, the PNDR123 dont work. the lights on the HVAC dont work. fuse is fine. ive checked it all.

[Nate's Alero]

Originally Posted by 02AleroEco

The leds f$^@&* my interior lights up. Now my dash lights dont work, the PNDR123 dont work. the lights on the HVAC dont work. fuse is fine. ive checked it all.

et 12V ones?

[cherrington17]

Originally Posted by 02AleroEco

The leds f$^@&* my interior lights up. Now my dash lights dont work, the PNDR123 dont work. the lights on the HVAC dont work. fuse is fine. ive checked it all.

clearly.. you screwed something up. Leds can't ruin anything, on the account that its a diode. It allows electricity to flow one way. if its in the wrong way, you get no light. If its in the right way, you get light. If you put the wrong one in the wrong spot, it blows, and you don't get light outta that one spot.

YOU did something wrong. retrace your steps and figure it out. And which fuse did you check? theres one in the passanger side vent, and another under the hood.

[jrim]

Nice write up smurf

[PappaSmurf]

Nate,
Not so fast, There are no LEDs in the mirror accent lights or the dome light, Those bulbs are 291 type. I have a 3" LED strip in my dome light that looks as 3 individual bulbs, if that is what you are referring to.
Also, there is only 1 LED in the PRND321 Shifter.
Here is the location and total of 194 bulbs inside our cars.

2 in the footwell
5 in the gauge cluster
1 in the shifter area

for a total of 8 194 bulbs. If you are planning on doing the LED mod, i would suggest only getting the amount you need. Or buy a crap load and send the rest to Cherry, so he can out shine the sun. LOL
-Smurf-

[PappaSmurf]

Jrim,
Thanks.

[Atmosphere]

Great guide. Do you have any pictures in a darker setting?

Also, what does "fading out" mean?

[PappaSmurf]

Atmosphere,
Yes I have other pictures. Go to the apperance thread and check out the thread titled NEWBies mods.

Fading out means that the LEDs will act as your original bulbs do now and fade out (go from bright to dark) without just shutting off. In other words they get dimmer until they shut off.
-Smurf-