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LED instrument lights

11K views 22 replies 7 participants last post by  Razel 
#1 ·
I had an instrument bulb go out early this year, but pretty much ignored it, despite the fact that I couldn't read the speedometer at night. The combination of decreasing daylight and getting a couple tickets in August have raised the importance of this gauge, and thus I decided to get the bulb repaired.

I always liked the red glow of the instrument cluster from our old 325Ci, and so I decided that I would replace all the bulbs with red LEDs. The effort required to just change one or all is the same, the cost of the LEDs is quite reasonable, and the reliability of the lights much improved.

The original instrument cluster illumination, taken in October 2005, prior to the bulb burning out:


After the replacement:


The replacement bulbs:


Accessing the bulbs during the swap:



Details and photos of the bulb swap are available at:
http://rhhall.smugmug.com/gallery/6155171_Af4vd//388400507_rD3JN
 
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#3 ·
I don't find these too bright, but if its a concern, they make a LED bulb that is lower power than the model I used. They also make one that's even brighter than the ones I installed, and I'm glad I didn't buy them. I wouldn't want them any brighter than this.

The red color also minimizes night blindness. If you chose to go another color (blue, green, amber, or white), you might want the lower power LED's.
 
#5 ·
rhhall said:
I don't find these too bright, but if its a concern, they make a LED bulb that is lower power than the model I used. They also make one that's even brighter than the ones I installed, and I'm glad I didn't buy them. I wouldn't want them any brighter than this.

The red color also minimizes night blindness. If you chose to go another color (blue, green, amber, or white), you might want the lower power LED's.
What was the part number(using Ray's index, if you can) of the lamp that you ordered??
 
#9 ·
LED's

WOW! This is very cool! Thanks for the idea and giving me another winter project.
BTW, the bright yellow "cruise" control and "low fuel" indicator lights are very bright for me at night and here's what I did. Cut, very meticulously, a neat littler square from 3M electrical tape to the exact square surrounding the indicator lights. Then take a rotary hole punch and punch the tape square dead center, size of hole depends on you. When the light comes on, especially at night, you only get the glare of whatever size hole you punched. This reduces the brightness and the reflection on the backside of the windscreen. :teeth If you like, then you can dim the other indicators as well. I can provide some pics if necessary.
 
#10 · (Edited)
Got the leds, and started the replacement project Saturday. Timing couldn't have been better. Three of the existing bulbs, all original equipment (5½ years, 130k miles), failed just from being pulled out of the dash panel. Replaced one to check, and naturally, it didn't light. Rotated it 180° and voila! Red light. So, with that little check out of the way, took the rest of the originals out (all were slightly back inside the glass), tossed 'em, and put in the LEDs in the other four light holders. You'd figure with 4 more, at least half would light up. Nope. Had to rotate every last one of them.

It's enough light to read the gauges in normal traffic, so they're not too dim in traffic with all the head lights and tail lights your vision has to deal with. Clock and gear indicator are real easy to see. You don't, though, get to see the red lines for the tach above 9 grand, or the red hot zone on the temperature gauge. Not that it's critical, as by now you probably have those parts memorized. Odometer and trip odometer are just as dim as before, so that's more the design than the amount of light.

Overall, I think it's a great improvement.

Don't expect your non-BMW riding buddies to notice anything different, though. None of mine did.



 
#14 ·
rhhall said:
All five of the lights are press fit into the holder, and the rubber holders pop into the back of the instrument panel.
Richard
I slightly modified your directions by leaving the instrument cluster in place and plucking the lamp holders out using a nut pick. My smaller hands fit right in.
Thanks for your time and write up on this modification!
 
#15 ·
just to clarify

rhhall said:
All five of the lights are press fit into the holder, and the rubber holders pop into the back of the instrument panel.
Richard, I am sorry. I meant the top of the instrument cluster. I am aware that there are 2 screws, one on each side on the bottom. The top of the instrument cluster looks like a press fitting. Is this correct?
 
#16 ·
mc4fun said:
Richard, I am sorry. I meant the top of the instrument cluster. I am aware that there are 2 screws, one on each side on the bottom. The top of the instrument cluster looks like a press fitting. Is this correct?
Yup. Remove the two 10mm bolts to the left and righ of the gauges, then pop the top out. Fitting is very similar to the rear of the tool tray under the seat and the large left/right faring panels in the middle of each panel. Beveled pin in a grommet.



 
#18 ·
Razel said:
Yup. Remove the two 10mm bolts to the left and righ of the gauges, then pop the top out. Fitting is very similar to the rear of the tool tray under the seat and the large left/right faring panels in the middle of each panel. Beveled pin in a grommet.
The top of my instrument panel was secured with a c-clip that went over the post after you pushed it through the grommet. You couldn't remove the instrument panel without removing the c-clip:

 
#19 · (Edited)
rhhall said:
You couldn't remove the instrument panel without removing the c-clip:

Really???
What "C" clip?
Miine has a beveled post that kind of snaps into a grommet

Must be something they do with the "Green" GT's.



 
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