Gauge cluster pimps-- some lights out?

[offthahook]

This is a trip. I had my speedo. cable replaced by a guy who has worked at Honda FOREVER and kinda recently retired. He started when the dealer first went to Honda, circa 1977. He had my car for a few MONTHS. That's why I really can't take it back to him or I would.

The prob... The gauge lights AND warning lights do work, the cruise light works, the AC lights work, the radio lights work... They all dim just fine, too. BUT the actual needles are NOT lit at all. Tach, fuel, coolant, speedo, and AT indicator (in the cluster, NOT on the shifter) are damn hard to see at night. SO, would this be that he forgot to connect a harness or what? I know I have to get in there to see, but I'm looking to see if any of you know for sure what is on what harness back there.

I have an old cluster that I took apart and there are not any lights that are "in" the needles themselves. It's just weird that the the numbers and the backgrounds are all fine, but actually reading the needles info. is hard because they are dark! Could it be the dimmer thingy under the steering wheel is partially bad, but mostly good? Like I said, the rest of the illumination is working fine and dims fine! :cool:

[OldSchoolSwap]

Take out the cluster and check all plugs. if everything is pluged, then replace the bulbs. Each gauge has bulbs around it. That should do it. Your dim switch is fine, don't worry about that.

[offthahook]

Take out the cluster and check all plugs. if everything is pluged, then replace the bulbs. Each gauge has bulbs around it. That should do it. Your dim switch is fine, don't worry about that.

That's the plan right now. I doubt it is bulbs unless they all burnt out at exactly the same time OR just ONE bulb illuminates all the needles. Cool, that the dimmer is good. Thanks!

[shepherd79]

i think he just forgot to plug one of the plugs on the back.

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

There are several (guessing about 2-3) light bulbs in the visor that shine down onto the entire gauge cluster. Remove the visor and look for any wiring that is related to these bulbs (they are arranged away from the main circuit so there should be some wiring for them) and reinstall it if necessary. The bulb location is shown on page 25-58 of the shop manual (PDF manual thumbnail # 815) Hope this helps.

[offthahook]

There are several (guessing about 2-3) light bulbs in the visor that shine down onto the entire gauge cluster. Remove the visor and look for any wiring that is related to these bulbs (they are arranged away from the main circuit so there should be some wiring for them) and reinstall it if necessary. The bulb location is shown on page 25-58 of the shop manual (PDF manual thumbnail # 815) Hope this helps.

Yup, that's what I'm thinking. I'm also thinking if they are just unplugged and still lighting up, it's getting damn hot back there where they are. The actual faces glow naturally in a way. You hold them next to a light and they are easily visible, just like on your dash (blueish greenish). However, the needles do not have that same quality-- they're more "solid." I looke don my car and there appears to be the "upper deck" lights shining down through that blue filter up top. NO way to know about the other bulbs, though. We'll see.

EDIT: I'm wrong. The bulbs can't be on back there! All the bulbs screw into a flexible PCB type deal-- there really aren't any wires coming out from them. They just pop in-- so they can't be on unless they are secured to their slot...

['89AccordLX(Rus)]

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/catimgs/13SE00_F19.gif

Look at item # 17. That is what illuminates your panel. An there is a wire harness coming from it that has a plug on the end. Pictures speak better than words. :alc: :thumbup:

[offthahook]

http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com/catimgs/13SE00_F19.gif

Look at item # 17. That is what illuminates your panel. An there is a wire harness coming from it that has a plug on the end. Pictures speak better than words. :alc: :thumbup:

Yup, I agree. That's the only one with a harness so I didn't know for sure if it illuminates the needles. There are 4 screw in type bulbs nestled back there that I thought might could lite the needles. It's just weird that I can see the blue filter lit up when I look straight up intot he cluster... Nice.

EDIT: I just looked at my parts cluster. There are 2 TINY bulbs that light that area up top where the filter is. WAY up top, like number 1 maybe. I just noticed that. 17 must light the needles; he prolly did forget to pop it in and it prolly is on. ANd it prolly will melt something back there!

[accordlxi2.0]

wait!?
our needles lights up?!
i know the gauges light up but the needles?????!
sorry i'm kinda confused

[offthahook]

wait!?
our needles lights up?!
i know the gauges light up but the needles?????!
sorry i'm kinda confused

They do not light up per se. BUT they look a bright white at night and match the numbers on the faces. Now, if they are not illuminated at all, you will know it because they look like they are gone!! You'd know if sumin was up, but they do not have bulbs in them...

[accordlxi2.0]

hmm basically like the new accord.
i noticed that.
i don't use the visor lights i use the gauge lights and those are bright enough for me.
i went out like around 7:00 and i could'nt see nothing on the dash...and i was under the street light too.
i see what you mean though, i was about to trip if i was to find out that the needles themselves light up....

[phoenxislayer15]

I can barely see my needles, and I checked on the way home tonight and there is no light coming down from the visor... I think the 2 bulbs are burned out, not sure...

[offthahook]

I got r done. Two bulbs up top; the ones u can actually get to w/o removing the cluster. I got a whole other cluster from ebay to be sure it was all gravy... I think the harness with those two bulbs on it were bad or else they both burned out at the same time. Those two lights illuminate the needles fa sho!!

[POS carb]

there are 2 bulbs up in the top of the cluster that shne down on the needles. They connect to 1 fat bulb just above the speedo via #17 in that pic. If that fat bulb isn't twisted in properly the 2 on top won't get power

[Blkblurr]

There are two bulbs in the visor for sure. These light up the needles. I replaced mine with whilte leds so they will never go out again. They are on a separate harness that brings power from the rear of the cluster to the visor. I replace the rest of the bulbs in the cluster with blue leds. Looks very good at night.

[TheWatcher]

Blkblurr,

Please post a picture, I'm interested in changing the bulbs to blue/white if it looks good. Also, does it light up the interior w/ a blue glow? If so, I might use a different color myself. Cops in the 808 are kinda ******** about the blue light law here.

Thanks in advance,

TheWatcher

[Blkblurr]

I will post a pic as soon as I get some. It does not create a blue glow in the interior except the guages themselves.

[Blkblurr]

Here are pics of my guages with blue led's. They are much more blue than they appear in these digital pics and the color is more even.