DIY: Interior LED swap (cluster, HVAC, switches, window, *steering wheel)

[darkie3495]

Can you change the color of the indicator needles?

Yes, but you’ll have to scrap off the paint on the back of the needles

 

[CookieRoe]

So I did a tear down of the entire panel and finally got to the LCD display. Tried a lot of light positions both directly behind the LCD and further back and they all sucked for light distribution with the LEDs. What I ended up doing was drilling out the stupid plastic pieces that block the LEDs from directly shining on the LCD. Once those were off I got MUCH better light distribution.

Are you talking about the white plastic ? I ask b/c I installed LED light strips and the light is extremely blotchy, looks bad. What I need a good light diffuser, but there is very little room for one between the LED strips and LCD display. Because I practically destroyed the assembly, i have a spare HVAC cluster I may go back to.

yuk

More on my what i did:
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/2041992-post1246.html

Anyway, I'll be ditching this set up and go back to how it was, but with an LED. I'm scared it may be too dim.

 

[Jdevtac]

Are you talking about the white plastic ? I ask b/c I installed LED light strips and the light is extremely blotchy, looks bad. What I need a good light diffuser, but there is very little room for one between the LED strips and LCD display. Because I practically destroyed the assembly, i have a spare HVAC cluster I may go back to.

yuk

More on my what i did:
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/2041992-post1246.html

Anyway, I'll be ditching this set up and go back to how it was, but with an LED. I'm scared it may be too dim.

I’m referring to the housing that the screen sits in, not the opaque diffuser directly behind the screen. Directly in front of where the bulb goes in there is a raised part of the housing that has open “vents” directly under it where the light can shine through. This works great for conventional bulbs but cuts half the light off from LEDs giving a dim display. What I did was cut those pieces of plastic off the housing so the LEDs can shine directly onto the screen as backlight. It allows for a much better and even light distribution.

I will say there is still a degree of hotspot on either side, but I feel like a little wax paper glued to the back of the OEM diffuser would get rid of those 2 spots directly in front of the LEDs completely. You can see the hotspots in my pics. I also utilized t3 neowedges that had 2835 LEDs. They seem to give a nice wide spread of light.

 

[CookieRoe]

I’m referring to the housing that the screen sits in, not the opaque diffuser directly behind the screen. Directly in front of where the bulb goes in there is a raised part of the housing that has open “vents” directly under it where the light can shine through. This works great for conventional bulbs but cuts half the light off from LEDs giving a dim display. What I did was cut those pieces of plastic off the housing so the LEDs can shine directly onto the screen as backlight. It allows for a much better and even light distribution.

I will say there is still a degree of hotspot on either side, but I feel like a little wax paper glued to the back of the OEM diffuser would get rid of those 2 spots directly in front of the LEDs completely. You can see the hotspots in my pics. I also utilized t3 neowedges that had 2835 LEDs. They seem to give a nice wide spread of light.

Right, these 2 "raise" white plastic covers. They cover the bulb from shining directly onto the LCD display.

Not looking forward to dissecting my HVAC again.

 

[Jdevtac]

Right, these 2 "raise" white plastic covers. They cover the bulb from shining directly onto the LCD display.

Not looking forward to dissecting my HVAC again.

Yep those!

I actually accidentally removed them to begin with. I was trying to just make a hole for a free standing 5mm LED bulb to sit.

You don’t have to remove the display from the assembly either, just manipulate it so you have enough room to let the broken pieces of plastic slide out. What I did was take a drill with a small bit that fit through the bulb mounting holes, and drilled a pilot hole in those “vents”, then came back with a bit that just barely fit the hole and then that snapped them off just by drilling the bigger hole. Then I let the broken pieces just fall out. Just be careful not to hit the screen, but the diffuser acts as a protector anyway.

 

[CookieRoe]

Yep those!

I actually accidentally removed them to begin with. I was trying to just make a hole for a free standing 5mm LED bulb to sit.

You don’t have to remove the display from the assembly either, just manipulate it so you have enough room to let the broken pieces of plastic slide out. What I did was take a drill with a small bit that fit through the bulb mounting holes, and drilled a pilot hole in those “vents”, then came back with a bit that just barely fit the hole and then that snapped them off just by drilling the bigger hole. Then I let the broken pieces just fall out. Just be careful not to hit the screen, but the diffuser acts as a protector anyway.

Very interesting that you wanted to have these floating protectors be a mount for your LEDs, the only issue with that is the diffuser. The closer you get the LED to the screen, the more of a "hot spot" is created unless you have an incredible good light diffuser. Anyway, kudos to your results, it isn't bad at all (compared to mine). Not many folks go as far as we did (dissect the assembly). I like you solution, but like i said previously, and because I did the reverse polarity mod, 2 LEDs MIGHT not be enough to uniformly light up the LCD display (enough for day visibility). i know LEDs can be manipulated (by adding a resistor........ someone correct me if I'm using the wrong terminology), so "adding power" to them is certainly an option.

 

[Jdevtac]

Very interesting that you wanted to have these floating protectors be a mount for your LEDs, the only issue with that is the diffuser. The closer you get the LED to the screen, the more of a "hot spot" is created unless you have an incredible good light diffuser. Anyway, kudos to your results, it isn't bad at all (compared to mine). Not many folks go as far as we did (dissect the assembly). I like you solution, but like i said previously, and because I did the reverse polarity mod, 2 LEDs MIGHT not be enough to uniformly light up the LCD display (enough for day visibility). i know LEDs can be manipulated (by adding a resistor........ someone correct me if I'm using the wrong terminology), so "adding power" to them is certainly an option.

Yep that’s why I gave up on the 5mm LEDs for that very reason. Ended up with direct spot beams lol, so went back to neowedges in the stock position.

I think if I go back and add some wax paper at the hotspots, or get a high quality acrylic diffuser and place that at the hotspots it would be fixed.

The other idea I toyed with was an LED backlight module but then that becomes a game of more complicated wiring since they take less voltage.

 

[S p a r k y]

Yep that’s why I gave up on the 5mm LEDs for that very reason. Ended up with direct spot beams lol, so went back to neowedges in the stock position.

I think if I go back and add some wax paper at the hotspots, or get a high quality acrylic diffuser and place that at the hotspots it would be fixed.

The other idea I toyed with was an LED backlight module but then that becomes a game of more complicated wiring since they take less voltage.

Grab your neo wedge. Run the dome of the acrylic on sand paper. Take a few mm off. This will help with the spots quiet a bit. I have considered painting said sanded part black. But have not tried that yet. Hot spots are very minimal after sanding.

 

[Jdevtac]

Grab your neo wedge. Run the dome of the acrylic on sand paper. Take a few mm off. This will help with the spots quiet a bit. I have considered painting said sanded part black. But have not tried that yet. Hot spots are very minimal after sanding.

Mine are actually SMD’s rather than acrylic encased, but I plan to source some to do just that. My other option I’ve been thinking of is to get some acrylic sheet, remove the OEM diffuser and use the acrylic instead, and additionally get some foil tape or something to use as a reflector and see how all that works out.

Honestly though I just wish the stock setup was already LED. LEDs in what was supposed to be incandescent housing just are somewhat subpar.

 

[dahveeed]

I love all of the mods posted on here, it's really motivated to do my own. Check it out. 1st pic shows the new switches I installed, a switch for the LED light bar and a switch for the rear camera instant on (comes in real handy when try to hook up the trailer). Also installed cup holder led discs as well as 4runner smokers kit with USB chargers with led rings instead of cigarette lighter. I really like how it turned out. Other pics show led swap outs on dash. Pictures don't do it justice.

Wow this is pretty nice ! More detail please on cup holder rings etc


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[royal T4R]

Thanks to all the tips gained reading this entire thread (no small feat) I did my HVAC cluster plus some others on a rainy Saturday.

Couple minor things I learned to add here:

All my LED's were from Superbright. I emailed them before buying and despite them saying their blue Neo4 should work at 6V for the display, they did not. They did however look great w/ zero hotspots after I did the 12v mod.

Which NEO4 did you use for all the bulbs? They have 3mm, 4mm and 5mm.

 

[bookooc]

Hey guys.
Great thread, just wish it wasn't over a 100 pages long. Wish there was a way to narrow it down. I had to quit on about page 50, lots of old links and pics that are missing or unreadable.

Anyone know why all the 'photobucket' images are so lousy? I can see them being missing from the beginning of this thread, (hell, Radio Shack was still in business back then), but I see them in recent posts as well, in other threads.

Is it just me?

I bought a 2005 SR4 V8 in May.
I am wondering what lights are actually supposed to be there...in other words, I don't know what has a bulb and what doesn't.
It seems pretty dark in there.
Are there bulbs in any of the window switches?

 

[Diocletian]

I've been replacing my HVAC bulbs as most of them were burnt out. Im now onto replacing my HVAC LCD bulbs but I would really rather put LEDs there.

I know I would need a Neo4 for them, I also know that traditional 12v LEDs will not work, due to the panel only receiving 6V. I have tried in vain to find 6V Neo4 LEDs but other than some dodgy websites with no way to order from there's no where to find them.

I hear about a "12v mod" but I have looked on google and here and only hear mention on it, and not a write up on how to do it. Is it worth the time and effort or should I just get Neo4's from Rock Auto and call it a day.

Im also interested in doing that reverse polarity LCD mod but, again, no clear write ups on it, but I like the way it looks!

 

[Obi Wong Kenobi]

Got to work with [MENTION=59048]S p a r k y[/MENTION] and it was a great experience. Pricing was very fair and even though I kept lagging on getting him my cluster, he was very professional and service never faltered. Everyone knows the quality is excellent already, but here are pics of mine after being installed. Thanks again sparky!

 

[dahveeed]

He provides this as a service? you shipped him your cluster and he did it for you? I'd like to do this to my 4Runner but have zero soldering experience !

Got to work with [MENTION=59048]S p a r k y[/MENTION] and it was a great experience. Pricing was very fair and even though I kept lagging on getting him my cluster, he was very professional and service never faltered. Everyone knows the quality is excellent already, but here are pics of mine after being installed. Thanks again sparky!

 

[S p a r k y]

[MENTION=143921]Obi Wong Kenobi[/MENTION]

Thanks Brian! It was a pleasure working with you!
[MENTION=312727]dahveeed[/MENTION]

David I’m assuming! Just shoot me a PM and we can talk!

 

[Obi Wong Kenobi]

[MENTION=143921]Obi Wong Kenobi[/MENTION]

Thanks Brian! It was a pleasure working with you!
[MENTION=312727]dahveeed[/MENTION]

David I’m assuming! Just shoot me a PM and we can talk!

As with you Mark!

 

[drbiii]

HVAC LCD Display power

Figured I’d post this here hoping somebody can help me solve this problem...

My HVAC LCD screen has been out for a while. I thought it was just the bulbs. I pulled it apart today and it looks like just the LCD part is not getting any power to the lights. The LCD does display i to, both the lights aren’t getting power. (Tested with a multi-meter to verify)

The controls on both sides and the HVAC controls all light up find and are getting power.

Any ideas why just the LCD lights aren’t getting power???

 

[dta1984]

Does anyone have a good source for the T4 6v info screen bulbs? The source Yosh posted Wardenjp appears to be out of T4 in blue. I only see SMD t4 bulbs. Will the T5 ones fit with some work?

 

[erickbikson]

As a matter of fact I fly into oakland once every snowboard season to get together with my cousin's. we make an outing out to tahoe together. In the event that regardless you need some assistance, i'll fly out a day ahead of schedule to give you a hand.