Guess the eyes are going. Can't see much at night with the stock bulbs. Are there brighter plug in replacements???. Not looking forward in pulling the dash so I want to do it right. What is better for color ?? Red, orange or white ??
OE bulbs/sockets could be bad or old or very likely dimmer have problems. See my Cave, Dash Dimmer and maybe Lighbulbs
see Instrument panel bulb layout (covers color change) Change color can have problems. better/worse depends exact color etc of bulb/led and which dash used. (Image server seem to be down right now so might not be able to view most of them.)
Note: OE dimmer often have problems with many LEDs and is a crap shoot buying LED for this use. Even when you buy exact same part that works for others. Any minor issue w/ the dimmer circuit may be ok w/ normal bulbs can hate many LED.
------------------ Dr. Ian Malcolm: Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn't stop to think if they should. (Jurassic Park)
It seems that 99.999% of Fieros have dim dashes at this point but I have yet to hear a definitive cause and definitive solution.
I've read Theogre's write-up and it still leaves me scratching my head. Is it the dimmer? Is it the transistor? The bulb sockets? Why can't we have a fix out there that is guaranteed to work 100% of the time?
I replaced all of my dash lights with LEDs, HUGE difference. Bright, clear, looks like a new dash. Got them on Amazon for about $12.
I used red LEDs', and it looks incredible. One of the best and cheapest "upgrades" I've done. No more dim dash lights, MUCH more modern looking, very similar to the dash lights in my 2006 Torrent (ok, maybe a 10 year old SUV isn't "modern", but its 19 years newer than my Fiero )
Everything in the system is ok EXCEPT under certain city lights, I can't see much..its always been that way. TRIVET..what company did you get the LED from on Amazon ???
Originally posted by jscott1: 1. It seems that 99.999% of Fieros have dim dashes at this point but I have yet to hear a definitive cause and definitive solution.
2. I've read Theogre's write-up and it still leaves me scratching my head. Is it the dimmer? Is it the transistor? The bulb sockets? Why can't we have a fix out there that is guaranteed to work 100% of the time?
1. Not that bad but you only hear about problems.
2. Because could be any or all making dim lights. Some has X, other Y, yet Others Z, and some have XY, YZ, XZ or all three.
I've seen "dead/dim" bulb and socket caused by heat/pressure deformed plastic sockets, dash case and circuit board. Rotate the socket a bit to makes a better connection and works after.
More confusing, Can be little to nothing wrong w/ the dash but have power/ground problems anywhere in the car causing low volts etc. Example: I went thru the car and clean/fix all ground points to prevent problems. Many in the bay and front had rust and corrosion causing loose screws etc. Iffy grounds in the cabin can kill power windows and even the fuel pump.
These problems are not unique to Fiero. Many GM cars and others use same way to dim but even simple power rheostats use by Ford GM etc earlier had most of same problems. Many may remember turning HL switch to dim the dash. These had wire nichrome rheostats and did get warm to hot to touch as normal operation. Example: Ford Pinto and others HL switch and dash dimmer. Rheostat is ceramic and nichrome and sees full load of all bulbs to dim.
Some old cars, before '80s, had separate dimmers but are using same method to dim the dash.
Note: Instrument panel bulb layout link, PIP picture server is back today
Just a word of warning; If you replace them with LED's, make sure to test them before reassembling the cluster! LED's need to have negative to negative and power to power. If you just stick em all in randomly, you will have about 50% of them not working. This is especially a pain with the dummy lights. Either follow the ground going to each one, or use a test probe to test em.
Just a word of warning; If you replace them with LED's, make sure to test them before reassembling the cluster! LED's need to have negative to negative and power to power. If you just stick em all in randomly, you will have about 50% of them not working. This is especially a pain with the dummy lights. Either follow the ground going to each one, or use a test probe to test em.
Excellent point - very glad you mentioned it, as I had that exact issue myself (only about half worked when I tried them, luckily I hadn't reassembled anything yet)
I only changed the dash illumination bulbs, left the "idiot lights" and turn signal indicators alone. Not sure if the LEDs work with them anyway, and I wasn't concerned about how bright THEY were,
Originally posted by trivet: I only changed the dash illumination bulbs, left the "idiot lights" and turn signal indicators alone. Not sure if the LEDs work with them anyway, and I wasn't concerned about how bright THEY were,
Just as well... most Id10t light don't need bright bulbs or LED. Alt light need correct resistance to make the old SI and some CS alt's to turn on. (Most CS for factory install use another wire to turn on when light is blown.) Bright High Beam and others light can/will annoy many. Even 194 bulb to light them is bad to many driving at night.
Alt light need correct resistance to make the old SI and some CS alt's to turn on.
This is sort of related... After my '86 GT has been started, why do I need to rev the engine once before the alternator starts to charge? The charging light bulb works, and the alternator charges the battery fine... after it's been "excited" by the engine being revved once.
I don't want to throw this thread off on a tangent, but I'm hoping there's a short simple answer.
Originally posted by Patrick: This is sort of related... After my '86 GT has been started, why do I need to rev the engine once before the alternator starts to charge? The charging light bulb works, and the alternator charges the battery fine... after it's been "excited" by the engine being revved once.
I don't want to throw this thread off on a tangent, but I'm hoping there's a short simple answer.
Wrong or "bad" regulator can to this. Wrong if alt is setup to be a "1 wire" alt, often bought thru Summit Ebay and others.
Could be iffy reg, diode(s), etc, so take alt out then to store for testing.
Could be "power pulleys" making alt spin too slow when start the engine.
This '86 GT is an automatic ... so taking that alternator out for testing purposes would be one of the last things I'd do. For now I'm content to rev the motor once to "excite" the alternator.
Thanks for the suggestions though, Ogre.
[This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 09-28-2016).]