DIY: Interior LED Color Change

DIGItonium

Yes, you'll need a steady hand and learn how to solder surface mount components. Cheap soldering irons from Radio Shack won't work because you need a fine tip.

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haitech

Yeah the way I did it was press it (as you would to turn on/off the light) and while it is pressed, wedge in a screw driver and then just lift out.

djsekz

Hey man, What kind of LEDS did you use on that strip where the fuel gauge is.? i used PLCC-2 and they didnt work...

DIGItonium

PLCC2 works, but you have to mask off one of the pads or it'll short to ground. If you look at the photos, I used yellow masking tape to mask off one of the pads. Then I was able to place the LED over the same spot and solder both sides (leaving the masked pad isolated from solder).

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djsekz

so you put masking tape over 4 solder pads? and just soldered the LEDS ? even the 4 solder pads with the tape underneath the LED? and i have a problem..my screen where the fuel and all that is is now half blank...i think i ruined something.. =(

DIGItonium

If your display is half blank, then the pins from the display aren't fully aligned with the socket. If you're not careful, you can break the pins. When putting it back in, make sure you line up the display pins with the socket.

For the LEDs, you only need to mask off 1 of the pads because both pads on one side are not the same. There are 3 ground and 1 positive. You need to mask the extra ground pad. Look at the pictures to see how it was done.

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djsekz

And also my needles arent in the right position ..i just screwed everything up lol =(

DIGItonium

That's fine. After re-inserting the needles, turn it against the "stopper". It will still slip around the shaft when applying enough force against the stopper. You'll be able to put it in place without the need to pop it back off.

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Hawk6

New to the site. Just picked up my 2012 370Z on 20 Jan 12 and I LOVE IT! I enjoy this site and will be posting often I am sure.

The "orange" lighting though... really gross IMO and would have thought with todays technology there would have been a way to just "change" the color. I mean I can change my display color so you would think that would be easy to as well right... SOOO I live in Vero Beach, Florida and if anyone knows a custom shop around here please pm me the details as I would love to get my lighting changed to a blue... thanks...love the pics of what you did but wow, you have balls sir... I would have never attempted that on my own.

DIGItonium

Indeed, I do. Indeed, I do.

It appears some of the newer Nissan/Infiniti models did away with the amber display backlight like the 2012 GT-R.

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Luca brazi

Have you attempted to change the color of the exterior z emblem?(circled in red) http://i50.tinypic.com/ir2kk6.jpg

DIGItonium

I've not attempted this mod. You have to use a Dremel since it is zap sealed. There are about 3-4 SuperFlux LEDs inside that can be changed out. If I were to modify it, I would add a dim white LED connected to the parking light and retain the amber LEDs for the signal.

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ag370zBHR

Nice job (y)

DIGItonium

The tiny 0805 LED above the resistor labeled "102."

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juice

Is there a way to make a 30mm LED fit in the visor? Doesn't seem to fit when I tried replacing them..

Juice