What do I need to get/do to fix this? I just noticed it so I dont know how long its been like this sence I dont do much night driving..

Thanks..

 

Its a bad bulb in the cluster. It is not a hard thing to replace, just time consuming because you have to take apart your dash board and then pull out the cluster.

THankfully, once you have the cluster out the bulbs are on the back so its easy to replace them. They just twist out and then back in again.

 

Yep, it takes more time to get to the bulb than to replace it.

 

I dont want to take apart the dash just for 1 bulb, so Im thinking, could I buy the 04 Rally Style gauge cluster and would it wire right up? Or would it be easyer to just buy "REVERSE GAUGES" and "Chrome Gauge Bezel" instead? after replacing the bad bulb of course..

btw.. what bulb do I need and about how long would it take?

 

2004 Gauges will not work, at all. If you get overlays then you wouldnt need to replace the bulb but in either case you will still need to take the dash apart and pull out the cluster.

For this Job there is no way around having to take out the cluster unless you chose not to replace the bulb at all.

 

I want to change it, I just dont want to go through all that work and not add something else to the cluster.. How do the overlays work?

 

overlays will work without changing the bulb. They slide under the needles and are usually held on with 2 sided tape. It's the same drill though, you have to take apart the dash to get to the gauge cluster to do either job. The bulb will cost ya <$5 and the gauge overlays will be closer to $35 on ebay..

 

I have the exact same problem on my ranger and it bugs the heck out of me, I can't see my gas gauge or my temperature gauge at night unless I turn the cab lights on.

What is exactly involved in removing that part of the dash?

I love the search button...

 

gotta take off the screws in the radio bezel, in the cluster in front of the plastic glass thing on top there's 3 more screws.. then the hood latch, then the plastic facia under the steering wheel, followed by the metal brace underneath.. then put it in 1st and slide off the gauge cluster after ya disconnect it from the back. it's about 15 screws total, piece of cake if ya take your time..

 

From the factory, there are six 194 bulbs illuminating the cluster. You can replace them with 194LL (long life) bulbs which are supposed to last about twice as long as regular 194's. Six Sylvania 194LL's should cost about $10 from a discount store like KMart or WalMart.

If you go to the trouble to pull the cluster to replace one, it's a good idea to swap out all six because they tend to fail about the same time.

 

Yes and no, the bulbs still illuminate the needles, so the needles on that side would be dim or not lit.

 

hope mine dont go out geez sounds like alotta work

 

Not really, now that I know where all the bolts are I could probably get my gauges out in 10 minutes.