Instrument light replacements

[ekrampitzjr]

Thanks to this site for carrying the instructions with clear pictures for replacing instrument panel bulbs. That helps a lot. Having the bulb number needed is another big help.

The Haynes manual says to "remove the radio", which did not seem to make sense. Now I see I just need to loosen the trim piece around the radio to be able to remove the trim around the instruments.

Haynes manuals have their weak areas...

Here's our site:

How To Replace Instrument Cluster Lights - The Ranger Station

Need to change a bulb in your 1993-2011 Ford Ranger instrument cluster? This page should help you figure out how to remove the instrument cluster and change the bulbs. Tools Needed: 1/4″ 7mm socket 1/4″ 8mm socket 1/4″ Driver Bulbs … Continued

www.therangerstation.com

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Here's an important note about the instrument cluster lights. The later Rangers, apparently 2004 and later, do not use the 194 bulb. I discovered this after tearing apart the dash.

The replacement is the smaller Toshiba V-2 bulb and socket, which are attached together and replaced as a unit. They are removed from the back of the cluster in the same way as the 194 bulb and socket, but you cannot pull the Toshiba lamp out of the socket. NAPA had a similar bulb/socket that did not fit well, but for now I was able to make the NAPA unit work. The V-2 is available online from different sources. Apparently it is used in several different cars in gauge clusters.

The turn signal indicators in the later Rangers take the V-2 as well. I am ordering enough to replace all of the cluster bulbs, which is 10 instead of 6. The 10 include the turn signal indicators.

The V-2 is available as a socket only from some vendors and would take the 74 bulb. But you cannot remove the bulbs from the OEM units in my Ranger.

This is important news and I thought the rest of you might need this info.

 

[cbxer55]

My fuel gauge light is burned out, as is one of the climate control bulbs. I can still see everything just fine, so I am choosing not to go through this PITA procedure until much, much later. LOL!

 

[ekrampitzjr]

Got the Toshiba V-2 light/socket units from eBay and replaced all 10 last Friday. Everything works now.

The ones I got were identical to the ones removed, with the bulb made into the socket assembly. These sockets twist out counterclockwise to release from the instrument circuit board just as the 194 sockets would. The difference is that you replace the socket and bulb as a unit, instead of just the bulb.

Three of the 10 are the turn signal and high beam indicators, but I replaced them anyway. The others are the actual gauge lights.

To repeat: the later Rangers do not use the 194 bulb, but these Toshiba units. Auto parts stores don't necessarily have them, as I found, so look for the V-2 online.

 

[Chapap]

Anyone have experience with 194 LEDs? I’m afraid to convert cause dimming might be an issue.

 

[fastpakr]

The Toshiba V2 is a socket type. I'm not sure the bulb number but you should definitely be able to remove the bulb and replace it without installing a new socket.

 

[Chapap]

The Toshiba V2 is a socket type. I'm not sure the bulb number but you should definitely be able to remove the bulb and replace it without installing a new socket.

I think it’s a #74 bulb. No telling how many other designations there are for it. I hate bulb designations. I think base type is the most important. 194 is a T5? A slew of other bulbs will fit but don’t know the difference.

 

[ekrampitzjr]

The Toshiba V2 is a socket type. I'm not sure the bulb number but you should definitely be able to remove the bulb and replace it without installing a new socket.

Pictures online show the V2 as a socket type. Maybe older versions were. The reality with the ones my Ranger had and the replacements from eBay is that the bulb was captive in the socket and had to be replaced as a unit. Trying to remove the bulb breaks it, no matter how careful you are.

 

[DILLARD000]

Anyone have experience with 194 LEDs? I’m afraid to convert cause dimming might be an issue.

Tried several years ago replacing all the
6each T10\161\194 BackLamp Bulbs & 16each T5\906\912 DutyLamp Bulbs
with LEDs in my 2001 InstrumentCluster.
Found that LEDs will NOT properly operate in several circuits (glowing dimly when they should be fully off),
& despite advertising, LEDs were NOT as durable\simple as Bulbs; most were flickering\out in a few months.
From the start, had to keep the Dimmer fully up or the LEDs would flicker.
Since that have happily been using traditional bulbs. More info at
https://2001fordexplorersporttrac.fandom.com/Electrical_DashLamps

 

[Chapap]

Tried several years ago replacing all the
6each T10\161\194 BackLamp Bulbs & 16each T5\906\912 DutyLamp Bulbs
with LEDs in my 2001 InstrumentCluster.
Found that LEDs will NOT properly operate in several circuits (glowing dimly when they should be fully off),
& despite advertising, LEDs were NOT as durable\simple as Bulbs; most were flickering\out in a few months.
From the start, had to keep the Dimmer fully up or the LEDs would flicker.
Since that have happily been using traditional bulbs. More info at
https://2001fordexplorersporttrac.fandom.com/Electrical_DashLamps

that’s why I’m not even considering led dash bulbs. LEDs don’t play nice with typical dimmer circuits. I know there’s household led bulbs that work, but not for $0.20 per bulb.

Edit: “without” to “with”…. Now it makes sense

 

[ekrampitzjr]

I got lots of practice disassembling and reassembling the dash because of the bulb fiasco. Got fast at it, but I want as little additional practice in the future as I can get by with. So thanks for the warning about the LEDs. I'll skip those. Reminds me of the problems some members have had with LEDs in aftermarket headlamps.

 

[Rich-o]

Here's an important note about the instrument cluster lights. The later Rangers, apparently 2004 and later, do not use the 194 bulb. I discovered this after tearing apart the dash.

The replacement is the smaller Toshiba V-2 bulb and socket, which are attached together and replaced as a unit. They are removed from the back of the cluster in the same way as the 194 bulb and socket, but you cannot pull the Toshiba lamp out of the socket. NAPA had a similar bulb/socket that did not fit well, but for now I was able to make the NAPA unit work. The V-2 is available online from different sources. Apparently it is used in several different cars in gauge clusters.

The turn signal indicators in the later Rangers take the V-2 as well. I am ordering enough to replace all of the cluster bulbs, which is 10 instead of 6. The 10 include the turn signal indicators.

The V-2 is available as a socket only from some vendors and would take the 74 bulb. But you cannot remove the bulbs from the OEM units in my Ranger.

This is important news and I thought the rest of you might need this info.

Thank you all for these wonderful helps. On this topic. I found on my 2005 Ranger that with rubber gloved fingers, I could remove the bulb from the Toshiba V-2 base. I just wiggled the bulb and pulled, and they came out (2 bulbs were burnt out). I purchased a couple Sylvania 2721 bulbs (12V, 1.2W) for $8 at local auto parts store, and they went in and worked.