Instrument Cluster Bulb Color

**Mokanic** · 07-20-2017

New here. Lurking for some time.

1998 Metallic Gold Pontiac Grand Prix GT. 189K/ one owner (me). Stock radio w/equalizer & non functioning CD Player. Dual climate control. Leather/Power seats. And the best engine/transmission combination GM has EVER made (IMHO).

I have been working on getting several peripheral items fixed and things updated.

I am now working on LED conversion on interior lights. I am looking Instrument cluster/Auto Trans Indicator/driver information light bulbs, etc.

I know what the OEM bulb numbers are and I ASSUME they are clear bulbs. (I haven't removed the panels yet)

However, after searching the forums, I am unsure. One thread led me to believe there were red bulbs behind/under the panels. Another says the panels are coated in red color and acetone or some such will take it off if you want to change the color (to blue or green or powder puff blue or whatever).

I don't want to change the color. But wondering if you add red LEDs behind a red colored/accented panel, is it a brighter red?.....Overkill?....Or just plain ineffective in this application. I put a red bulb behind a piece of red film and I was not impressed. But, this may be a different combination of components and may show differently. Just don't want to waste my time and or money experimenting before I get down to business of replacing those bulbs with LEDs.

What say the experts? Thanks for your time.

**green97** · 07-20-2017

I haven't messed with the lighting on my grand prix. But I have on my 79 ford f150. Originally it had incandecent bulbs mostly 194s with blue filters. The result is a green (yellow +blue). I converted over to blue LEDs retrofits that fit the original sockets for all bulbs in the dash. Some places I recall the blue filter was built in or otherwise difficult to remove so I tried it anyway. I can honestly say all the lighting looks exactly the same between straight blue led and blue led + blue filter.

If you stick with the same color it should work fine. Worst case it will be very slightly dimmer with the filter than without but LEDs are bright to make up for it. The LEDs I used are not dimmable so I would sugggest you buy ones that are. I got my stuff from super bright LEDS.

**Bronco Boy** · 07-21-2017

The bulbs are clear and the red comes from the panels. I think if you went with red LED's, it would be to much and possibly not as bright as white LED's.

I have HP3 cool white LED's from Diode Dynamics; they are very bright and keep the stock shade of red.....

**Mokanic** · 07-21-2017

OK. Thanks for the replies green 97 and bronco boy and advice.

79 Ford, no computer. Probably a lot easier to work on.

Now that I see (study) a picture of the cluster, it is obvious they are clear OEM bulbs since the trip and odometer show up white. (Duh). Details....

Slightly different cluster board....celsius temp....km/H and mph inverted. Looked strange when I first studied it.
Color POPS with the LEDs.

Thanks again.