Thread: How To: B14: Installing New Cluster Gauge Lights

Thanks

I know your post was a while back... i never knew you also did the amber bulbs, but i did as well and llove it also did the HVAC lights in amber, only thing that sucks is the blue in temp control doesnt show up as well. i got my led's through V-led's not super bright leds. they look a whole lot more amber in person, and the ac looks a little brighter than it does in pic but neither are blinding bright, i like it its diff.

Not to bump an old thread but big shout out to Vadim. Took me all of 15 min to do this today. i think this is one of the easiest and nicest interior upgrades. makes everything look fresh and new!!

I'm going to finally do this mod. I remember reading about this thread when it first came out. Don't know why I never did this back then.

Do it, to it, Lars!

I saw some led bulbs for my headlights on that website. I wonder if they are any good.

I would avoid those. Need housings for the LED and how light is created and emitted is different. Sometimes people do LED upgrades and the light will not travel as far as the old 9004 halogen bulb and OEM housing.

Thanks for saving me some money . I would have been pissed if they didn't work for me.

I probably wouldn't do the LEDs in my B13, but I did them in my 2016 Mazda3. I wanted to get the factory LEDs for headlights when I was trying to buy the new Mazda3 (lots of night driving and lots of deer around), but with a stick I could only find one car in all of CA available new with that package, and it was overpriced. So I got the lower trim and decided to get LED bulbs for it. The factory housing has the cutoff line on it, so I wasn't too worried about glare/blinding drivers. I got this one:
https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00VNBDWPK/

Below is a shot with one side with the LEDs installed and the other the factory bulb. In the center of the primary pattern, they are probably equal, the the spread/coverage of the LED is way better. I have yet in 6 months have anyone flash me thinking I had my brights on. I'm quite happy with these and do it again - assuming whatever car I was doing it on has the cutoff line.

Best way to tell is used a light meter to see which one has more lumens. https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Meter-LX1330B-Digital-Illuminance-Light/dp/B005A0ETXY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1501718124&sr=8-3

The appearance of contrast can make you feel like there is more visible light. While I trust @Isfahan for his input and I value his experience, the best way to tell is with a light meter. However those LED were made for that Mazda, the light is emitting in the same way as OEM. I dunno what the OEM bulb is but the LED replacement did a decent job replicating the light to make it appear stock. That is difficult to reproduce in the 9004 bulb housing (probably also why he would not want to try this in his B13).