adam1991

Hi all,

Thanks for being patient with a newbie here. I got this baby for Christmas, sitting in the driveway with a red bow and everything. (Anyone want to buy a 2000 Accord EX 5 speed with low miles?) Sure, it's got some miles on it--but hey, so do I, and my wife hasn't dumped me yet...

One of the three glitches I'm going to address is the instrument cluster lights. Some of them are out, or are going out, so I'll just replace them all. I've searched the forum and have a pretty good grasp on the procedure, but I need to confirm what lights and how many are back there.

I got a quote from Lexus Parts Mall. I see a part number 8311924570 for which there are 8 of them, and there's another part number quoted to me of 9098111018 of which there are 12 of them.

I think I remember reading there that there are 8 behind the gauges. Can anyone confirm that those are the ones I need? What are the other ones, for which there are 12 required? Or do I need both sets, all 20, for some reason?

Thanks.

94 ES300
125K miles and rides like a dream

lexusk8

Here's a copy of the text I written up in an old related thread. Hope this helps.

P.S. You are correct, the P/N of the backlighting bulbs is 83119-24570 (priced $4 to $6 per bulb). I am not sure what part corresponds to 90981-11018, you will have to check with the dealer.

-------------

There are 9 backlight bulbs that light up the speedo and RPM numbers. I have attached a picture, obtained from a previous CL search, which shows all the operational light bulbs of a 1st-gen ES instrument cluster. Those backlight bulbs are circled in red. Other bulbs: warning & info lights = yellow, gear levels = blue.

adam1991

OK, so I'm looking at the instrument cluster and all the bulbs behind it. If I'm going to pull it to replace a few bulbs, I'm just going to go ahead and replace all of them.

$140 (bulbs with sockets). Wow. A few bucks less mail order, but not much.

And on top of that, the needles are just beginning to go.

So let's just say that I found a good instrument cluster for sale, everything working well, it's a good price, and the odometer has fewer miles than my car does. If that were to happen, is there any mechanism--dealer or otherwise--for spinning the miles *forward* to match my mileage?

I know that VW can do this....

O. L. T.

iTrader: (17)

rebulbing the unit- $140
buying a new unit- <$130 used and bound to fail again.
finding out you could have rebulbed it for $20 if you looked elsewhere on the website - $ Priceless $

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...threadid=88406

adam1991

you da man. I saw that thread before but didn't get all the way through it.

So it's Sylvania #24 bulbs for the instrument cluster lighting, right? Where does one get such a beast?

I know that Lexus sells the bulbs or the bulb/socket combinations; the guy at the dealer said that you can unsolder the old bulbs and re-use the sockets if you're any good. I presume that's what the Sylvania bulbs require?

O. L. T.

iTrader: (17)

alright listen up, it's EASY.

go to ANY auto parts store and get #24 bulbs (if you go to advanced auto parts you can get sylvania, highly recommended).

remove the old bulbs and grab the bulb with a pair of needle nose pliers with RUBBER tips (you'll figure out why) and pull them out of the base.

Simply stick the #24's in the old base (there is NOTHING wrong with the old base), and slap them back in the cluster. they wil fit just far enough into the base to hold, and overhang the lip slightly (we are talking only 1mm difference in them and stock bulbs). they WILL NOT fall out ever, anytime, anyway, at all, no. i have done over 400 units!! (rebulbing them, not all needles) So don't sweat the overhang, it's only 1mm, just make certain you push them in well.

These are direct replacements for factory bulbs.

your done. enjoy life.

moet

MY GAUGE NEEDLES ON THE CLUSTER WILL NOT LIGHT UP ANYMORE. CLUSTER STILL WORKS BUT NO LIGHTING SO IT HARD TO TELL THE SPEED. ANY ONE HAVE ANY SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO FIX? EMAIL EMAIL ME AT MOET0296@NETZERO.NET. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

adam1991

I will be all over this. Thanks VERY much. Looks like a nice project.

Why does Lexus spec a total of 5 different bulbs for back there?

lexusk8

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...hreadid=105875

Welcome to CL moet. Make sure to turn off your 'CAPS' next time you post up (not very nice to others) Where from CT are you from? I live in upper Fairfield County, next to Ridgefield.

adam1991

The Sylvania catalog lists the instruments bulbs for a 94 ES as being their number 194. Does anyone know if this is the one? They're a buck and a half each for the long life versions. They sure look like they'd be the ones (he says, having not yet pulled the cluster out to look).

Lex3486

And what about the bulb covers...I'm sure without them, the bulbs won't light up the same color. I'm bettin they'd be more yellow or orangeish, and no one wants that lol. I'm lookin to make them match the rest of the interior lights (indiglo color) Any ideas? Also, when shopping for new bulbs (which I don't really need but was gonna replace if I could find colored ones) I lost one of them, base and all Can you buy them idividually?

moet

i live in New Haven. i have a 1992 ES and i am having a problem with my needles on the gauges.



[MOET IF YOU WISH TO SELL SOMETHING, DO IT IN THE CLASSFIEDS, AND YOU MIGHT WANT TO ALSO HAVE THE PARTS FIRST]moderator notes

yoji6365

The pic with color coding is great. I need clarification as to which one, if any, is for lighting up the speedometer needle. Thanks.



Just got it::: I just took apart the console, took the cluster out and swapped out the tach for the speedo. Im gonna put reflective tape on the tach since I really dont care if that lights up.