My gauge cluster backlighting bulbs had been burnt out for ever, so I finally took out the cluster and replaced all the T10 bulbs with LEDs. Bought some LEDs from Amazon which say they are rated for 12 V - 24 V...
Installed them, put the cluster back in, and backlighting looked great. Went for a drive and after about 5 minutes of driving, the inside of the cluster started filling with smoke.
Got home and pulled the cluster back out and it's clear that the LEDs started overheating and one in particular melted the whole socket. The smoke was from melting plastic.
I bought some legit 24 V LEDs now from Odd Iron Off Road and replaced all the cheap ones with those. Re-installed the cluster with all other bulbs except the melted one and all indicator bulbs seem to be working fine but the none of the backlighting bulbs light now. When I pulled out the melted socket it ripped off part of the plastic housing and circuit board, so I'm sure that interrupted the backlighting circuit.
I think to fully repair this I would need to replace the white plastic outer housing of the cluster as well as the circuit board. Both appear to possibly be available online (83132-60200 - CASE, COMBINATION METER, 83247-60540 - PLATE, METER CIRCUIT). Has anyone every taken a gauge cluster fully apart like this? Just trying to get a feel for the complexity of this before I order parts and start taking it apart...
Installed them, put the cluster back in, and backlighting looked great. Went for a drive and after about 5 minutes of driving, the inside of the cluster started filling with smoke.
Got home and pulled the cluster back out and it's clear that the LEDs started overheating and one in particular melted the whole socket. The smoke was from melting plastic.
I bought some legit 24 V LEDs now from Odd Iron Off Road and replaced all the cheap ones with those. Re-installed the cluster with all other bulbs except the melted one and all indicator bulbs seem to be working fine but the none of the backlighting bulbs light now. When I pulled out the melted socket it ripped off part of the plastic housing and circuit board, so I'm sure that interrupted the backlighting circuit.
I think to fully repair this I would need to replace the white plastic outer housing of the cluster as well as the circuit board. Both appear to possibly be available online (83132-60200 - CASE, COMBINATION METER, 83247-60540 - PLATE, METER CIRCUIT). Has anyone every taken a gauge cluster fully apart like this? Just trying to get a feel for the complexity of this before I order parts and start taking it apart...