Cluster illumination
 

Ay all,

Does anyone know...?

Are the gauges and HVAC control coloured by the bulbs or is it in the gauge faceplates? My gauges are green and I'd like to change them to blue to match the deck I have. I had a Mustang that all you had to do was pop off little green plastic covers over the bulbs and insert the bulb colour you wanted.

Also, what bulb does Mazda use in the cluster and HVAC controls? I had one burn't out and the dealer had to order one in to replace it under warranty, so I'm assuming it's not just a regular peanut bulb (#194).

I'm assuming you have a 3rd gen right? I would like to know also because I want to change my green cluster/HVAC control lights to blue.

yeah green sucks... like the lights in my 1st gen teg better. I would like to change all of mine. stupid green. :squint:

One thing I do know is if you are looking for the "rubbers" for the bulbs, check with Autometer. They sell them with their gauges...a green one and a red one, if you want red. You might be able to contact the company and get some.
If it's just a matter of the bulb colour, you can buy pretty much any colour bulb you want from APC. I currently have a blue dome light in my car.

Does anyone know the bulb trade numbers for the cluster & HVAC? Are they #194 "peanut bulbs"?

I have a friend that has a 2000 protege and she want to change the dash color also.

How hard is it to get to the dash bulbs? Do you have to remove the cluster, or is there another way to access the bulbs?

Thanks
Chris.

Green is the easiest to see at night. That being said, I like my red gauge lights just the same. ;)

For the HVAC, there is a plastic "film" like thingy that gives them their color. There were pics awhile back of some guy who made his HVAC blue by taking out that plastic thing anyd using a blue spotlight gel to change the color...

You have to take the HVAC right the fuck apart to get to it though...

The guage cluster uses 2 194 bulbs and 4 74 bulbs.

Good luck finding colored 74 bulbs.

mines almost done being colored. The 2 big bulbs are burnt out for some reason. I used glass paint. Got it at jo-ann fabrics for under 5$. Heat is not a prob b/c the paint cures at like 325 degrees. pretty nice paint. Know where i can get some replacement bulbs?

as i understand it, although i've never seen these plastic like things it sounds alot like gels which are used in photography and many other things, pop down to a photography store and check that out to see if its the same thing cuz it sounds like it is.

Rebel,
Use glass paint like Calibur said...you can get a can anywhere, even Walmart!
BTW, come check out the Toronto Protege CLub at www.toprotege.com

So how difficult is it to get to these bulbs?

Its not my car, so I really haven't looked at it much. Do you need to remove the cluster, or is there an easier way to replace them?

remove the cluster.. they screw into the back

For those of you that live in Canada, Canadian Tire sells BLUE #74 bulbs at the price of $3.97/pair. I know this for a fact cause I was just there and saw them. There are sold with the regular automotive bulbs and NOT in the ricer section...

anyone know what kinda bulbs the 2nd gen uses for the big ones?