changing the dash lights in the infiniti QX4 (with pictures and info)

[fueler]

First of all, I want to thank Slickroger for this wonderful modification, which is undocumented anywhere else on the internet for the Pathfinder or QX4.

I made a new thread because I didn't want to hijack slickrogers LED thread for the pathfinder, which can be found here.

I only needed a set of 4 LED bulbs (#74) (his 01 pathfinder only needed two) The following information definitely applies to the 99.5-00 QX4, most likely its the same for 97-99, and i have no idea about 2001+





The before photo: Halfway done: (i only bought 2 lights but turns out QX4 needs 4)

I will post a photo of the finished product in about one week. Thanks slickroger!

[slickroger]

Your Welcome.

thats a nice rainbow still.

i think i might get the tri led bulbs instead your dimmer works with them right?

[fueler]

yeah the dimmer works. your "stick" bulbs have three led's on them too, i dont see how they would be any different from mine.

Mine are not too bright, just perfect. The photo makes them look a lot brighter than the white but that's not really the case. They look the same brightness as the original bulbs. and I have the dimmer all the way up. Question - when you guys turn on the car, does the "wiper fluid low" light come on at the beginning, with all the other lights?

[slickroger]

cool ill stick with the ones i got but other lights have to start changing color like Empty V said

[Empty V]

Thanks for the pics dude! Is it easy to pull out the gauge panel? Got pics of how it comes out? My climate control and clock lights look identical to the one's you've got in your gauges, I'm going to order the LED's and post if they work.

Billy

[bmlawless]

It's interesting that the "red line" on the tachometer looks like it has basically disappeared with the new bulbs.

I'm still lost on which replacement bulbs you use and whether or not you have to do anything with the bases. What parts did you use for your mod?

[fueler]

Word up to you guys, i emailed autoluminations, asking if its bad to turn down the dimmer switch with LED's (it says they are safe from 9v-15v) and this is their reply:

It is a good idea to set your dimmer to about 80% with your gauge lights. It will help the LED bulbs last longer.

I thought they were supposed to have ridiculous longevity?

It's interesting that the "red line" on the tachometer looks like it has basically disappeared with the new bulbs.

I'm still lost on which replacement bulbs you use and whether or not you have to do anything with the bases. What parts did you use for your mod?

Wow i didnt notice that... ill take a look tonight to see if that really is the case.

i just bought the bulbs and used the stock nissan bulb bases (which are actually made by toshiba) the only problem is it can be tricky to pull out the nissan bulbs. You might want to just spend the extra 0.29 each for some bases, it will save you several minutes of pulling and wiggling the bulbs.

[fueler]

OK finished product... redline did in fact disappear.... now i learn this is a common problem with blue bulbs. I am happy that the red needles remained (my buddy lost the red needles when he did this mod in 3000GT VR4) i'd say it matches the Pioneer blue pretty well very happy overall with the new QX4 gauge cluster bulbs

[SnowSurfLax]

That looks SICK!!

How hard was that? I think I'm going to have to add that to my list of mods to do

[fueler]

pretty easy. 0/5 on the "pain in the *** scale" hardest part is waiting for the package - its way too suspenseful!

just kidding - the hardest part is getting the bezel out (the plastic part that surround the gauge cluster.) Its actually not hard, its just more like a puzzle. It only comes out one way and you need to use some smooth logic to figure out which way that is. Otherwise its impossible. I though it was hard, and once i got the position right (took about 5 minutes), i couldnt believe how easy it was.

[02pathfinderle]

that should be a sticky since it was nicely detailed, i didnt forget u slickroger yours should be also i have both ur pages saved on my favorites

[Qxxx4]

sweeet i ordered 168 wedge bulbs apparently in the manual it says those were used for the dash bulbs....tried that about 6 months ago, when i got my dash apart (btw helps if you tilt your steering wheel all the way to the bottom, and you really have to force it out) realized i had wrong bulb size, definately gunna find some #74 bulbs now! great thread.cant believe i am just seeing it now.

looks great! thanks fueler and roger

[Adnan]

looks awesome fueler...good job

i think i wanna do the orange amberish colors like in the newernissans

[02pathfinderle]

sorry i posted this in 3 threads already i just need a quick response if anyone could help me out on what i should do

i need help i dont know wtf i did but i tried changing my dash bulb with the same bulb slickroger boughti stil had all the wires connected to the cluster when i did it , with the car off , i put one bulb in on the right side and turned on the lights just to test it out, when i did that , the whole cluster started smoking , i quickly turned off the lights waited a few minutes , put back in the old bulb to make sure it still worked and it did

i figure i give it a few minutes to cool down , now i put the LED again back in but in a different way , when i did that it started smoking again

now the backround lights dont work anymore, the warning lights and odometer light, still works though

now did i f$% it up completley and need a new cluster or can i still fix it sumhow?

i dont know if it smoked bc i bought aluminations base for the bulb its a lil longer than the original one , u can see from the pic, the oem base is shorter

if i need a new cluster now my milege will be different right?

please any help im gonna post this in another forum too bc i need a quick response so please exclude the double post, i still have my cluster disconnected in my yard

[fueler]

do u see any burnt spots anywhere on the board?

maybe theres a fuse?

[02pathfinderle]

no i dont see any burnt spots anywhere on the board, if it was a fuse wouldnt that make the other warning lights not work also? , the warning lights work n so does the milege , and the gas gauges go up when i start the car , its just the backround lights

ill check anyway

[nissandoms47]

Fueler change out your climate control bulbs now.. they are the same type that go into the gauge cluster i think. At least they pop out and are replaceable.

[Empty V]

For my 01 the climate control and clock lamps are totally different from the ones in the gauge cluster.

Billy

[Holidazed]

how can i change the bulbs behind the climate control and radio buttons?

has anyone done this or have mroe info on it? I'm doing that mod next but dont know where to start

[volp]

i like how the millage on the schematic like pic is 420

[slickroger]

TRUE

I bet Fueler did that

thats pretty live still

[fueler]

[Infinitidood412]

dude that's so freaking cool! i have always wanted to do that to mine!

[pathfinder9035]

i jumped on the bandwagon and did the exact same thing guys!! its awesome.! except i still need two more. i thought u only needed two. cant wait to see what they sorta look like tonight.. Thank you to you all!

[bigballerhanh]

to pathfinder 9035...... Hey what part of harrisburg are you located? If you wanna make some extra cash maybe we can meet up and you can do mine. I will definately pay you. Im afraid to touch anything now that i installed a headunit and the heated seats wont light up afterward.... anyhow, let me know.

[pathfinder9035]

Cool i get to meet another r50er. i live in the colonial park area...about 5 mins from the mall. We could meet at either the East mall inharrisburg or colonial park mall in colonial park. and dont worry i'll do it for free as long as u drive it down here. its easy and only need two tools.

email me [email protected]

[iplayinedge]

That's awesome! Do you know if the bulbs in the temperture control module can be changed to change that green display to blue?ThanksJason

[pathfinder9035]

That's awesome! Do you know if the bulbs in the temperture control module can be changed to change that green display to blue?ThanksJason

no sadly i dont think u can do that.

[99QX4]

Cool!! If i still had my QX i'd do this, cuz well i took my bulbs out once and colored them with a blue sharpie!! It looked cool, like the gauges the VW's have...but it only lasted a few days or so LOL But i gotta say it's good to see the QX forum hoppin with such good posts!

[new2infinitiqx4]

so i have a problem.. i went to the website to get the bulbs and i ordered a #74 bulb from them but when i got it it was waaayy to small to fit in.. any suggestions.. are there any other types that would fit into 1999 qx4?