Instrument cluster too bright

Instrument cluster too bright

Hi,
I have a 2003 Corolla S and I find the speedometer, tach, etc is irritatingly bright at night.
I don't like the white background. I want to change the color. How would I do this? If I have to disconnect the speedometer wiring would I lose the odometer memory? Or is that a separate issue?
Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

That's what the dimmer switch is for man. Anyway, I don't think you can change the white lights very easily. As I remember, the white lighting comes from these tiny lights that are soldered (or otherwise attached permanently) onto the circuit board that is behind the instrument panel.

yup use the dimmer switch thats what i do ......as for as changing it i dont think we have any aftermarket parts for it at all. well...as for now

Thanks for the tips but I'm already using the dimmer. I just plain don't like the white background. I do a lot of night driving in rural areas where there is no streetlights and the dash is like having a fluorescent light shining in your face. oh well, maybe I'll come up with something. Thanks again.

It may sound crazy and I have never heard it before but maybe you could apply some kind of vinil or tint to the clear plastic in front of the gages.

You could do an exchange with CE.

Is it possible to just use the face plate from the CE? Or do you have to replacement the entire instrument cluster? If it's just a cover, then Toyota can get it for you. If it's the whole cluster, then I'd wonder what happens to the speedometer since the CE runs on a different wheel/tire size than the S.

I know what you mean about the brightness. I have an LE and it dims to a certain point, then goes completely dark. The other lights, radio, heater, etc, dim a lot more (and sooner) than the speedometer, tac, etc. I asked the dealer about getting the black gauges, when I got mine, and they said they couldn't do it because of the odometer swap. From what I've read, the odometer retains the reading when removed. So if you get one off a wrecked CE, it keeps the milage from the CE, which gives your car an inaccurate reading (which could cause problems w/ your title for odometer fraud). I don't know of you can disconnect the odometers and interchange them, though. But you still would be tampering with the odometer. I would be real leary of doing something that involves the speed/ odometer, since a dealer won't even touch this. I thought about some type of tinting, but I would think this would make it hard to read in the day. After a while, I sort of got used to the white display.

I goton road trip at night and when you by ur self driving for 6- 8 hours the bright white light seem to make u sleepy (prolly juss me) but kinna get bored of it sometime it even hurt my eyes i got one solution tho if i have the money i would sell my corolla and get an Audi

Re: Instrument cluster too bright

I had that same issue when I first began driving my Corolla. Eventually you'll get used to it. I did.

How about driving with some sun glasses

Sunglasses on at night?! AHHH!!!

Actually the white gauges can really become a problem on long trips. I've made the trip down and back between San Francisco and Los Angeles alone so many times now. If the instrument cluster is on full brightness and there are no other bright lights or other things for your eyes to focus on, the bright lights WILL make you tired. It's some weird physiology crap, and that's why they implemented the dimmer switch. When driving alone at night on a long trip, you should dim the lighting of the instrument panel to match the amount of light coming in from the road, streetlamps, etc. This helps balance things out and makes it easier on your eyes, and will help you stay awake.

it does help u stay awake if u dim it but when u get tired then juss turn it back on bright ahaha to stop u from sleeping unless ur going with friends then u can leave it as bright as u want BTW next time imma try some sunglasses HHAHA!!!!!! hope i dont get into accident r anything ......at night tho