Instrument Cluster Light Bulbs

[Shabalabah]

I've had some instrument cluster bulbs go out on my '10 Explorer XLT. I want to change them out for some LEDs if possible, but I'm not
exactly sure about the specifications of these bulbs. I'll be able to find the parts myself as long as I know the specs, but any recommendations/links
would be much appreciated.

 

[zerodevil]

Here ya go bud. I'd advise getting colored bulbs (green for gauges, amber for cruise control) because the pure white bulbs are SUPER bright, you will likely have to turn them down for night time driving.

06-10 Gauge Cluster - LED Upgrade

Success story, I just did the LED Upgrade in my 07 sport trac's cluster. With the white face gauges plus 1 blown and weak bulbs inside it was only readable in absolute darkness. Driving around sunset, it was impossible to read. I wish I'd taken before photos but here's how it's looking on the...

www.explorerforum.com

 

[Shabalabah]

Here ya go bud. I'd advise getting colored bulbs (green for gauges, amber for cruise control) because the pure white bulbs are SUPER bright, you will likely have to turn them down for night time driving.

06-10 Gauge Cluster - LED Upgrade

Success story, I just did the LED Upgrade in my 07 sport trac's cluster. With the white face gauges plus 1 blown and weak bulbs inside it was only readable in absolute darkness. Driving around sunset, it was impossible to read. I wish I'd taken before photos but here's how it's looking on the...

www.explorerforum.com

Thank you for the reply. I'll look into it.

 

[LorenzoGarbanzo]

Here ya go bud. I'd advise getting colored bulbs (green for gauges, amber for cruise control) because the pure white bulbs are SUPER bright, you will likely have to turn them down for night time driving.

06-10 Gauge Cluster - LED Upgrade

Success story, I just did the LED Upgrade in my 07 sport trac's cluster. With the white face gauges plus 1 blown and weak bulbs inside it was only readable in absolute darkness. Driving around sunset, it was impossible to read. I wish I'd taken before photos but here's how it's looking on the...

www.explorerforum.com

Honestly I wish the LEDs were a little brighter than what I used in that original posting. They're fine and better than the original bulbs but still sometimes hard to read on the whiteface gauges at dawn or dusk.

 

[MakinJeepsWeep!]

This may be off topic but, i have a 96 X Does anyone know what the original color was for the panel lights on these trucks. All my other Fords are that Green we all know, But this one is a blue-teal color, It does not seem to be modified in any way and all the lights are this color down to cruise buttons. Thanks if anyone has a idea!

 

[ThunderbirdSport]

This may be off topic but, i have a 96 X Does anyone know what the original color was for the panel lights on these trucks. All my other Fords are that Green we all know, But this one is a blue-teal color, It does not seem to be modified in any way and all the lights are this color down to cruise buttons. Thanks if anyone has a idea!

Yeah, well, this is the 4th gen section, and FWIW, the 96, 97 DID have a teal, bluish green color. In 98 they went to a straight up green.

Maybe go check the generation-specific section for someone who might know a lot more..?


Back to this topic...

I was going to upgrade the lighting in my cluster (2006 Eddie Bauer) and when I got the cluster out, discovered the most of the lighting was already LED (or something...lighting elements-whatever they were were soldered onto the circuit board and no way to change them.

I just put it all back together and back in, and just learned to live with it. It all stemmed from the high beam indicator being super bright. I thought to change it, but found it was just a plain old 194 bulb and simply used a sharpie, traced over the high beam picture on the display several times until it was "tinted" down enough so that it wasn't but about half as bright.

 

[MakinJeepsWeep!]

I see that now I was just in the other section and with jumping around I didn't realize this thread was in the specific stuff. However in my 06 the high beam light is extremely bright as well I'll be using your sharpie idea!

 

[ThunderbirdSport]

That damned high beam indicator is stupidly bright. LOL

Glad I'm not the only one that thinks so..

 

[MotorCityFats13]

i now only replace my bulbs from bulbs i pull at the junk yard.... i did cheap led swap and shorted out my cluster and had to drive for 4 years in the dark until i figured out the swap fiasco