Change dash light color

[dibble9012]

Well, I got the idea after driving a chevy that we rented while our other vehicle is repaired (deer damage)

All the dash lights are pure white, I think the white color adds a lot to the interior. I tried a few bulbs in the center console (same bulb type as my LED dome light bulbs.) Looked great in the tundra. Just have a couple questions.

Are the bulbs behind the combination meter all replaceable bulbs, I know in 05 they changed them all to LED, but are they easily replaceable?

Is there any way to change the color of the clock and temp readings to white? they are fluorescent displays.

Anyone ever change the LED's in the front of the navigation unit? I know they are SMALL surface mounted LED's.

If I can't change EVERYTHING to white, I'm not going to do it at all. I'll just replace all the incandescent bulbs with green LED's. They are a whole lot brighter and a deeper green.

[Crazy Ivan]

well, as far as speedo, you can buy from a limited luxary package sequoia, they have white speedo (since you can't replace bulbs in the speedo)

[dibble9012]

Well been researching it. This might be my winter hobby The links provided talk about a Tacoma, but it's the same general idea. The hardest parts will be the navigation unit buttons and the steering wheel controls. Talk about SMALL LED's!!

Here are some links to those interested.

Who said the clock couldn't be converted? - Page 3 - Toyota Forums :: Toyota Nation

Orange + Red?? Yuck!! (How to change gauge colors) - Toyota Forums :: Toyota Nation

*DIY* Stock Stereo LED color change - (Lots of PICS) - 56k no way - Page 4 - Toyota Forums :: Toyota Nation

[dibble9012]

I Don't think the sequoia meter would fit the Tundra. Does anyone have a picture of the entire dash with the luxury package? Is all the illumination (radio, dash) white, or just the combination meter?

Need some opinions here. I might have trouble changing the clock and compass to white. Do you guys think it would be weird to have all the dash illumination white, then green compass and clock?

Ok, finally had the guts to go ahead and do it! I think it looks great, I just need to take it out again and maybe put a board of LED's to even the light out.

BTW, in the 05-06 tundra the gauge face is colored green, all the LED's behind the panel are white (I still replaced them with brighter and whiter LED's though). So I had to get a dremel and carefully sand the green film away from the numbers. All the indicator lights are colored LED's, I left them alone except for the 4wd indicators, I changed those to amber. My turn signals and cruise control are still green, thinking about changing those to white, blue, or amber. Here are some pictures! (Actually pictures will be up soon, slow internet connection to upload to photobucket!)

[dibble9012]

Here are the pictures

Shows green film on back


normal looking front


started to sand off the film with the dremel


side gauges complete


side gauges compared to center gauges held up to light


center gauges complete


installed! It's brighter in person but not completely even. I need to install an LED board/array or figure out another way to diffuse the light better.

[Agent 409]

hey..can you repost all of these pics for me..i'm curious to see this mod..i was in the middle of doing a LED replacement on an 05 double cab for my buddy and i totally didn't know that they were stock LED's back their already!!!!!!!

he wants the HID white color (6000k) on his gauges not that crappy green...I did all his interior lights in LED and his A/C panel as well...

i'm trying to convince him to ship his gauges to you to take care of this for him..i saw over at toyotanation your willing to do this sort of thing?? PM me and we can swap emails or something..

[Tundradrenalin]

I did mine last weekend. Sanded off certain portions of green to allow the oem white leds to shine through. I used a flashlight to test the sanded areas as I went along.

I like the finished product, looks like the GX470 dash. My next step is to apply some scrap window tint to the km/h areas behind the cluster. I don't need them, and they're just too bright now, so why not make them a little darker.

Pics attached! roud:

[Crazy Ivan]

Just buy tinted plastic off sequoia (mine is tinted from a factory), then your speedo is not going to be too bright

[Mr. Creosote]

It is interesting they chose white LEDs behind green filters, as this usually results in some light lost due to the mismatch. Generally for best light transmission you want the filter to be the same color as the LED. It is true, however, that the bulk of efficiency R&D has gone almost exclusively into white LEDs as opposed to any other color.

[Tundradrenalin]

Just buy tinted plastic off sequoia (mine is tinted from a factory), then your speedo is not going to be too bright

huh? I saw your speedo pics. But I'm lost. Tinted plastic off sequoia?

[Crazy Ivan]

Yes, its tinted from factory (just like most of the lexus and MB have). Its almost dark/light enough, to see speedo during day.

[Tundradrenalin]

I wasn't satisfied with the outcome, so I went back in for more.

I've attached some pics of the back of the combination meter gauge faces for others to see what this mod entails. It's suuuuper easy.

Ok, so I wasn't happy with the brightness of the km/h portion of the speedo gauge and said I was going to cover it with some window tint scrap. Lucky me, I procured some scrap today and dove in. I cut a circle just big enough to cover the km/h portion, tested it out with a flashlight (in a pic below), and then 3M adhesive sprayed along the edges that aren't exposed to light. Bonded the gauge panel backing with the tint and reassembled. Waited for dusk and tested it out.

Purrrfekt!

The last pic shows the darkness of the km/h area. Hard to see from the iPhone camera, but you get the idea comparing it to the pics in my previous post. All pics are with the illumination intensity on the highest setting.

[Crazy Ivan]

Everything is almost perfect, the only thing I see that needs to be changed = ODO to white light. When you do that, it will be 100% complete

[chucks_truck]

I just finished my change also, I sent out my stock radio to the garage1217 guy to change the LED's in that.

[jpeepers]

Looks great, I'm inspired to try this on my truck now. What is the best way to make sure the needles are set correctly? Also how did you sand it (what grit, wet/dry etc)

Thanks