Hello . LED in gauge cluster problem! HelP!!

saleenclub101 · Sep 21, 2011

Hello guys, im brand new to this forum.. Im a newbie so sorry for the question, but I need help regarding my interior lights. I recently changed all my exterior and interior light to LEDs. Nothing ricey or anything, just kept it stock looking , just different led bulbs instead of incandescent. Anyways, on my gauge cluster, when my lights are on, everything works fine , however, when I have the lights off during the day, my odometer and radio(stock) are dim like..and if I turn the lights back on they light all the way up.. Also (with the lights off), when I turn my right turn signal on, my radio and odometer flash with my turn signal. Any ideas? Thanks for any input guys
Oh by the way my car is a 01' saleen with saleen gauges if that helps.

trombonedemon · Sep 21, 2011

saleenclub101 said:
Hello guys, im brand new to this forum.. Im a newbie so sorry for the question, but I need help regarding my interior lights. I recently changed all my exterior and interior light to LEDs. Nothing ricey or anything, just kept it stock looking , just different led bulbs instead of incandescent. Anyways, on my gauge cluster, when my lights are on, everything works fine , however, when I have the lights off during the day, my odometer and radio(stock) are dim like..and if I turn the lights back on they light all the way up.. Also (with the lights off), when I turn my right turn signal on, my radio and odometer flash with my turn signal. Any ideas? Thanks for any input guys
Oh by the way my car is a 01' saleen with saleen gauges if that helps.

Seems like the voltage required to operate the LED's is high. For example, put some LED's for my turn signals (the two outer tail light bulbs), everything from the turn signals in the dash board lit up.

You might need find some resistors for the LED's. That might be more then invasive then you want to get for just replacing light bulbs.

sneaky98gt · Sep 21, 2011

You have a bad ground somewhere.

When I changed out my headlights nearly a year ago, I had the same problem. Turning on the right turn signal would make everything go crazy, at the same interval as it was blinking. It turned out that I had forgotten to tighten down a ground screw at the headlight.

If I had to guess, I'd say you have a bad ground at your signal light or somewhere in your dash.

trombonedemon · Sep 21, 2011

sneaky98gt said:
You have a bad ground somewhere.

When I changed out my headlights nearly a year ago, I had the same problem. Turning on the right turn signal would make everything go crazy, at the same interval as it was blinking. It turned out that I had forgotten to tighten down a ground screw at the headlight.

If I had to guess, I'd say you have a bad ground at your signal light or somewhere in your dash.

If he changed the exterior, as in turning signals; then hes gonna have electrical problems without tied in resistors.

Them there turn signals operate on to high voltage for LEDs to work, unless the manufacture already tied in a carbon resistor of some sorts.

saleenclub101 · Sep 22, 2011

Hi again,

thanks for all the input guys, very appreciated.

I dont think its a bad ground, because when I put back all the incandescent bulbs back in my gauges, they work fine. I have no issues at all with turn signal or anything.

For my exterior turn signals, I switched out the turn signal relay for the leds since at first they would flash super fast due to the less current. So its the same as having tied in load resistors. I think I got it at autozone and it made my turn signals flash normal again.

I believe im not getting enough volts hitting my gauge cluster and that is causing my issue??
So its only when I put in the leds in that is making this happen.

Ill leave it you you experts , im a complete noob when it comes to electrical components.

saleenclub101 · Sep 22, 2011

Would having a electronical guages have something to do with this maybe? I know the 94-98 have mechanical gauges. Im totally stumped.

sneaky98gt · Sep 22, 2011

saleenclub101 said:
Would having a electronical guages have something to do with this maybe? I know the 94-98 have mechanical gauges. Im totally stumped.

I don't know what the problem might me then.

Idk if the 94-98s are defined as 'mechanical'; mine has two plug in electrical connectors in the back. The speedometer is controlled mechanically, if that's what you mean, but the gauges themselves are still completely electric.

And I've had LEDs in EVERYTHING (gauge cluster, HVAC controls, dome lights, license plate lights, etc.) for nearly two years now. Never had a single problem.

saleenclub101 · Sep 22, 2011

Im really thinking my gauge cluster just doesnt like the fact that the leds use less volts than the regular incandescents. Maybe I can get some resistors and see if that works? I wish our gauge clusters used the 194 bulbs instead of the 74. You guys have much more light output.

trombonedemon · Sep 22, 2011

sneaky98gt said:
I don't know what the problem might me then.

Idk if the 94-98s are defined as 'mechanical'; mine has two plug in electrical connectors in the back. The speedometer is controlled mechanically, if that's what you mean, but the gauges themselves are still completely electric.

And I've had LEDs in EVERYTHING (gauge cluster, HVAC controls, dome lights, license plate lights, etc.) for nearly two years now. Never had a single problem.

Yea dude, some Led lights come with the resistors built in, so you might of lucked up, and got the exact LED's your car needed without triggering that annoying taillight buzzing sound.

Wished that was my luck, got some LED's for my Tail Lights and it caused all kinds of electrical problems. The Brake Lights on the inner side of the Tail Lights were only ones that had the low enough voltage for the LED's to work properly.

Hello . LED in gauge cluster problem! HelP!!

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