I just purchased a spare set of gauges for my daughter's 85 Fiero. I've already had my gauges professionally repaired and tested by Jack Gunsett, but what I want to replace is the rear plastic tracer (?) that provides connection to all the bulbs.
I bought this on eBay:
I plan to use the flexible tracer wire sheet (or whatever it's called) to replace the one I have, as well as the front gauge panel which fits better... but I'll be keeping the cluster that Jack repaired and tested for me. Quick question though... I really want to upgrade the lights in these. I want the lights to be bright, and dimmable. I want to potentially use LEDs.
I purchased a bulb upgrade kit from Rodney Dickman, but they're still bulbs, and I'm concerned about the heat they generate. I'd much rather use LED bulbs if I can... and I have several that I've purchased. So, a couple of questions:
- Is there a good schematic to tell me what's postive and what's ground, so that I can test each of the bulbs as I replace them? Some LED's are not designed to work when installed in either direction, so I have to be able to test them in the socket before I re-install the gauge cluster.
- I'm assuming everything on the back is 12v? (not the gauges themselves, just the bulbs)
- Anyone have any particular LED bulbs that they use and prefer?
- For some of the backlit gauges, has anyone replaced them with RED LED bulbs... or used those red rubber caps that some Pontiacs had? I'd like to make it as bright but "Pontiac-ish" as possible.
I used some generic dirt cheap 194 size red LEDs from AliExpress, they've lasted pretty well, are dimmable, don't have the additional heat generating resistors (run decently cool), and are a little brighter than stock. They only worked in one orientation, and I just did it all on the car one at a time. All of my interior lights are cheap AliExpress LEDs, it doesn't matter to me if they fail and aren't a safety issue, and so far they've been very reliable, with no failures except one brand of dome lights (all failed, I got a different set, they've lasted perfectly). All exterior LEDs are name brand/more expensive ones, simply because I won't necessarily see if they fail, and they could cause a safely issue.
I replaced all of them with #194 Long Life Incandescent Bulbs...
I think that's what I got in Rodney's kit... I'm just looking for a more pure looking light for the gauges.
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Originally posted by 1985 Fiero GT:
I used some generic dirt cheap 194 size red LEDs from AliExpress, they've lasted pretty well, are dimmable, don't have the additional heat generating resistors (run decently cool), and are a little brighter than stock. They only worked in one orientation, and I just did it all on the car one at a time. All of my interior lights are cheap AliExpress LEDs, it doesn't matter to me if they fail and aren't a safety issue, and so far they've been very reliable, with no failures except one brand of dome lights (all failed, I got a different set, they've lasted perfectly). All exterior LEDs are name brand/more expensive ones, simply because I won't necessarily see if they fail, and they could cause a safely issue.
Hey, by any chance, do you have a picture of what that looks like? Are the red LEDs too red... I suppose? How do the gauges look, does it look decent, or do you think the gauges end up getting too washed out in red?
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Also, can anyone confirm that these are all 12v? I guess that should be obvious, but just want to make sure.
Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: Hey, by any chance, do you have a picture of what that looks like? Are the red LEDs too red... I suppose? How do the gauges look, does it look decent, or do you think the gauges end up getting too washed out in red?
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Also, can anyone confirm that these are all 12v? I guess that should be obvious, but just want to make sure.
On camera it looks somewhat bad, but that's mostly my phone, it is very red, everything ends up looking red, the orange on the tach, all the white, etc. I can only compare it to my old 2008 Pontiac g5.
Interior lights on: Interior lights off, bad camera haha Good interior lights off picture of the climate control lighting (cheap red led), and the stock lighting in a 90s Pontiac radio.
I personally would like something in between original incandescent and red LEDs for the gauges, the extra non tinted light to distinguish oranges and whites, but more red then just the orangish paint on the light reflector. It is definitely completely monochromatic at night, but at the same time, everything is in my interior, with the red led climate control, and I put a red led in the cigarette lighter, when driving, everything is that specific red, there are no other colors, which when it's intentional, I like, but if I still had the factory radio with a different screen color, then I'd prefer the factory bulbs, all matching, or a complete variety, but 90% matching is just annoying.
- Anyone have any particular LED bulbs that they use and prefer?
My only advice would be to not use el cheapo LEDs. I used them in my Subie's gauge cluster, and they looked great... until one by one almost all of them stopped working after a year. Unlike the Fiero's gauge pod, replacing the gauge cluster lights in the Subie is a major nuisance. Lesson learned.
My only advice would be to not use el cheapo LEDs. I used them in my Subie's gauge cluster, and they looked great... until one by one almost all of them stopped working after a year. Unlike the Fiero's gauge pod, replacing the gauge cluster lights in the Subie is a major nuisance. Lesson learned.
My cheap bulbs above were more a temporary experiment, but after more than a year, none have failed and the dome/floor lights have gotten a lot of use haha. I still wouldn't trust them for a turn signal, but for non safety related stuff, the failure rate has been none so far of the ones linked above.
My cheap bulbs above were more a temporary experiment, but after more than a year, none have failed...
That's great! I suspect that the LEDs I used were probably a heckuva lot cheaper/crappier than the ones you used. Seriously, they cost next to nothing years ago (when LEDs were pricier than they are now)... and the results I experienced indicated why they were so inexpensive.
Either I'm extremely impulsive, or my search skills have gone to hell. I am so impressed that all these new businesses are popping up and working on Fiero parts! Thanks JDV!!!
Ok, just wanted to update this since I did some tests today. I'm going to have my daughter take our her gauge cluster and swap out all the bulbs, and the new printed circuit backing sheet that I bought (thanks JDV)!
I looked at a lot of LED bulbs... I just didn't like all these cheap LED bulbs where they have the LED "diode" soldered onto a small printed circuit. I wanted something that was more like the original light emitting diodes that we used to have in the 70s and 80s that they used as power indicator lights on stereos and stuff... no resistors or anything else attached... just literally an LED by itself.
Of course, they only get installed in one direction, so you have to test that before putting everything together, otherwise half the bulbs probably won't work. I have a spare set of gauges with a good printed sheet in the back, and I used this little 12v DC power box that I built with my uncle when I was a little kid. I think it's only 1 amp, but converts 120 AC to 12v DC, and has banana clips on the top so I can attach all kinds of leads to them. It's perfect:
Anyway, he's the comparison... left side is LEDs, right side are original incandescent bulbs:
Now, first thing you'll notice is that the LEDs on the left look more orange, and the ones on the right look more red. This is certainly how it comes out looking in the pictures, but looking at them in the room, the cluster is still very red, they're just so bright that it looks orange on camera. They do sell these in red as well.
The only thing I don't know, is if these are dimmable. I don't really know how to try that since I don't have a spare dimmer... but I'll try to find one and test it out. Otherwise, I really like how bright the bulbs are. One more thing to add... some LED bulbs get really hot, sometimes even more hot than incandescent bulbs, which is weird because it's not supposed to be that way. These bulbs... almost no temperature change. I had one hooked up with gator clips for about 15 minutes, and then grabbed it with my fingers... it felt, MAYBE... MAYBE 5 degrees warmer than ambient room temperature (which is 73 degrees)... so these are awesome.
[This message has been edited by 82-T/A [At Work] (edited 12-06-2025).]
I read some of the comments, a few people said they could dim them no problem, but a couple of people said you could maybe get a little more than 50% dim, and then they just turn off. So that's something to consider... but I think I'd be OK with that. if I need it dimmer than 50%, then I don't really need the gauge lights on...
Lesson learned.
Seriously, they cost next to nothing years ago (when LEDs were pricier than they are now)... and the results I experienced indicated why they were so inexpensive. 
