HELP ME!! replace L.E.D.s in center console/dash

[jcfox04]

i took apart my center console and i want to replace the led's with blue ones, but i have no clue how to get the old led's off and put the new ones on? i know i have to soder the new ones on, but the is no holes i t looks like the current led's soder on top, most led's have the 2 pieces you stick through and soder, so what do i do? and what led's do i need to get? and i would like to do the dash also but i don't know how to get it out, and how to get the needles off. thanks

[4thalook]

I want to do the same thing for my 07 tC but i had no idea it would be that involved.... I think you changed my mind I wanted to change the color of the LED's to purple....

[navylife59]

You can have this done professionally by several different quality companies out there.

[engifineer]

Hey guys.. I am new over here, but have posted in other forums for the tC for a long time now.

To do the the HVAC in anything other than red or amber, you will need to modify the circuit. I created the mod people are using to do this and there are DIY's posted for the 06 and 07 on yoursciontc.com and scionlife.com. I also have a soldering info and tip post on both sites as well for those learning to solder. I was the first to do the HVAC successfully that I know of and have done a ton of them since, so I have run across a lot of configurations. Feel free to send me questions about them if you like. I'll try to get you answers asap.

[engifineer]

Be sure to look at the right DIY for the year model you are doing. They changed them in 07. The pic above looks like an 05-06 if my eyes arent failing me.

[SquallLHeart]

lol.. hey dave.. guess we followed the same link.. LOL...

but yea.. your eyes aren't failing you..

[engifineer]

Hey Trung, nice to run into you here :P

SquallL is another person doing this work and answering questions as well

[navylife59]

SquallL,
What is that one gauge with the flames on your animated avatar?

[SquallLHeart]

flames? what flames?

are you talking about the blue to red fade?

my friend took the pic and overexposed it slightly, so it's brighter than it really is in person... and then the light's reflecting of the plastic gauge thingy..

[navylife59]

Th one pic, in your avatar, of the speedo with like purple and red flames surround the number arc

[SquallLHeart]

ohhh that's just the reflection of the light cause his plastic gauge bezel thingy is really shiny.... and then the longer shutter speed too.

[navylife59]

That would make for one wicked gauge console. Someone with silkscreening experience might be able to come up with replacement backgrounds.

[SquallLHeart]

like new gaugefaces? more a laminating/printing process onto polycarbonate

i know someone that can do them professionally... i need him to make me something.. but it's pricy...

[navylife59]

You should show that guy the pic and see if he can do it. It would be an awesome one-off piece. I would definately want to buy something like that. We might be able to get a group buy to lower the price.

[SquallLHeart]

do what exactly?

that pic is just an overexposed led swap that i did... i replaced the amber leds with blue and red ones... the gaugefaces are unchanged..

[navylife59]

Do you see what I am talking about? The pic makes the gauge face look like it has a design pattern that is opaque to illuminate it. That would be one wicked arse gauge cluster like that. Can you post a hi-res pic of just the shot?

[SquallLHeart]

well.. here's the bigger shots..




but really it's about this brightness:

[navylife59]

Looks a lil different up close. I think the premise of the idea is still feasible. Whether it will work out or not, who knows? Where did you purchase your LEDS for the swap?

[SquallLHeart]

hmm.... eBay? lol.

yeah.. i do hate ebay.. however i found my supplier searching that site after someone else i knew suggested to look there.

tried it out.. and yea... been buying leds from them since.. (hkje led store)

[navylife59]

kewl, thanks. Do you have part numbers for the correct SMT LED's for the gauge cluster for the right brightness?

Dude, that top pic looks soooo sweet!