chamilka

My instrument cluster illumination is very weak I hardly see the digital displays when the car is on. I suspect the cluster illumination bulbs or white LED are bad.
Attached is a picture of the instrument cluster removed form the pod and opened from the back. I removed the individual bulbs too.
1.How do I go about testing them now that it is completely removed?
2.The replacement bulbs are available through 928Specialists but I would like to replace them ASAP so I can finish this project this weekend:
1. can I buy something form Advance local Auto parts? if so waht type is compatible, would be nice if something brighter than the Originals.
Chamilka

cold_beer839

Not sure if the local parts house would carry those bulbs, but carry one in there tomorrow and maybe they will surprise you.

jthwan22

WYAIT switch to LED. https://rennlist.com/forums/showthre...ferrerid=58392

Alan

It is very unlikely you will find anything similar - they are very unusual.

testing is easy they are all 12v - however here is what I would recommend:

Change all the ones that get a lot of use - burned out or not. If they still work it won't be forever (many years life have been used up) and new ones WILL be brighter

All 4 main illumination bulbs (the big black ones) - pull the middle parts of the bulbs out of the holders - you can buy these bulb parts in most places & plug them back into the holders (they are on all the time).

All of the LCD bulbs - Or at least all the white ones (they are on all the time).

The 'Drive' bulb (on most of the time)

The 'Turn signal' bulb (lots of switching)

The rest I'd test and probably replace only if they are burned out (or dim)

Rationale - these bulbs aren't super expensive and you don't want to have to go in again in a few weeks/months when the next one burns out.

Bulbs have a finite lifetime and if some have started to fail the others of the same type/usage are probably close behind.

Personally I think the bulbs work fine in this application. For the pure warning bulbs - whats the value of an LED - its almost never on... For those that are on the dimming doesn't work the same as for bulbs - though at least they will never get dim with age...

Alan

chamilka

Hey Jthwan that link is vey useful thank you.
Alan
I Think I am going to replace at least the main LED per you.
Now a question: I did remove the main Cluster Illumination bulbs along with the black holders. How do you separate the bulb form the holder so I could replace it with the new once?
Thanks
Chamilka

Alan

Just Pull (or PULLL!)

Assuming they look like this... if they don't its possible they may not be a socket/bulb type and may not come apart... I haven't seen these though

Alan

Jadz928

If you are experiencing a problem with bulbs being too dim, you might want to check the dimmer rheostat on the underside of the pod. It can get corroded and work poorly. It's that little turning wheel thing underneath the pod on the right.

chamilka

Actually Keith Widom (he has a detail post on this subject) ping me and he is saying in his post he was taking about direct replacement bulbs for his GTS. I hope the same direct replacements will work for S4 as well; I am waiting for his response.
Alan - thanks for the pictures mine looks like the one in far right (sort of) but pulling didn’t separate the bulb form the base.
Jim - my friend - Actually my dimmer is working good, but most of the displays do not illuminate properly I thinks some bulbs may have gone bad.

Grey Wolf

My buddy did his pod last winter and just changed all the bulbs. Some came from advance while a few came from Roger Tyson. My buddy aslo went as far as re-painting the reflective pads in the cluster with a special reflective paint, not sure where he got it tho.

Alan

Your S4 pod & the GTS are exactly the same w.r.t. illumination.

Do change at least the 'Drive' bulb of the warning/indicators many burn out...

The bulb for the one on the far right is the one shown next to it - you just aren't pulling it hard enough!

Alan